England Steal Another Irishman
Posted: Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:45 pm
Grrr. Fresh from some heroics in yesterday's CWCQ match against Scotland, Eoin Morgan has been named in the England preliminary squad for the World Twenty20. He hasn't actually played for England yet, so he's still eligible for Ireland, but the writing seems to be on the wall for his Ireland career.
Here's the thing. Ed Joyce was in the same boat a few years ago - he saw Ireland through qualifying for the 2007 World Cup, was averaging in the 90's during his final season with Ireland, before he was picked for England and... got a few matches before being cast to one side and forgotten about. Morgan may get a decent crack at an England career, but England aren't particularly good at giving new players a fair crack at the whip - if he suffers bad form during his first few matches for him, that'll be it, but ICC qualifying rules mean he wouldn't be able to play for Ireland again until 4 years pass after his final England appearance.
The lure of England is in money and Test cricket. Ireland only have the money to contract 2 full-time players (although that'll rise after the Qualifiers, as there'll be more money on offer to ODI associates in the next 4-year cycle), and can't offer Test cricket, but there's nothing to stop England playing on the desire of Irish (and Scottish) players by naming them, playing them a few times, and in doing so weakening the Associate sides that the ICC are supposed to be helping develop.
So, ICC, here's an idea: you can't stop the likes of Joyce and Morgan from choosing to play for England, but in the interests of keeping Associate cricket as strong as possible, how about allowing those players to immediately requalify for their Associate nations on the confirmation of England that they're no longer under consideration? Seems a waste of talent - and of Irish development monies - otherwise...
Here's the thing. Ed Joyce was in the same boat a few years ago - he saw Ireland through qualifying for the 2007 World Cup, was averaging in the 90's during his final season with Ireland, before he was picked for England and... got a few matches before being cast to one side and forgotten about. Morgan may get a decent crack at an England career, but England aren't particularly good at giving new players a fair crack at the whip - if he suffers bad form during his first few matches for him, that'll be it, but ICC qualifying rules mean he wouldn't be able to play for Ireland again until 4 years pass after his final England appearance.
The lure of England is in money and Test cricket. Ireland only have the money to contract 2 full-time players (although that'll rise after the Qualifiers, as there'll be more money on offer to ODI associates in the next 4-year cycle), and can't offer Test cricket, but there's nothing to stop England playing on the desire of Irish (and Scottish) players by naming them, playing them a few times, and in doing so weakening the Associate sides that the ICC are supposed to be helping develop.
So, ICC, here's an idea: you can't stop the likes of Joyce and Morgan from choosing to play for England, but in the interests of keeping Associate cricket as strong as possible, how about allowing those players to immediately requalify for their Associate nations on the confirmation of England that they're no longer under consideration? Seems a waste of talent - and of Irish development monies - otherwise...