Minister for Sport Leo Varadkar today condemned the Irish cricket team's exclusion from the next world cup and said he was giving his full backing to the team in seeking to get the decision reversed.
Mr Varadkar, who is hosting a reception in Farmleigh this evening for the cricket team to celebrate their achievements in the recent world cup, is using the occasion to criticise the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to omit Ireland from the 2015 event.
"I fully support the efforts of Cricket Ireland and the other non-Test countries to persuade the ICC board to reverse their decision. And I want you to know that my offices are available to assist the associate nations in their campaign to have this decision reversed, in any way that you see fit," Mr Varadkar said in a statement.
"A world cup restricted to ten teams is not a world cup at all. And the decision made by the ICC does not reflect the values of a sport that aims to be a gentleman’s game. To coin another phrase, it’s just not cricket.
"Non-Test nations such as Ireland have played a major part in World Cups, not just by their talent and skill, but also by their commitment, passion and love of the game," the Minister said.
"It is difficult to see how the best interests of the game can be served by not allowing countries such as Ireland a chance to compete at the highest level. This ‘closed shop’ approach cannot be good for the game, and appears to fly in the face of the sacred values that cricket has espoused for so long - namely fair play, sportsmanship and camaraderie.
"March 2nd was a day when World Cup records tumbled to the Irish team and to Kevin O’Brien. Enormous praise and credit is due to the team for the exciting and courageous manner in which they chased down a massive England innings total. The highest ever successful run chase at a World Cup, and the fastest ever World Cup Century ensured a most memorable day, not only for Irish Cricket, but for Irish sport in general," Mr Varadkar said.
Earlier this week, Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said the decision restrict the 2015 World Cup to just the 10 full member countries was “outrageous”, and he vowed to “fight like hell” the plan.
The ICC were expected to reduce the competition from 14 to 10 for the 2015 staging in Australia and New Zealand, but to keep open a qualification process for the remaining countries. There was even talk in the last few days that they may consider 12 teams.
Deutrom, who previously worked for the ICC before taking up his role with Cricket Ireland, add: “I’ve been involved in the ICC for the best part of nine or 10 years now and I can honestly say that I’m ashamed to be part of that system today,” he said.
Deutrom also pointed to the fact that Ireland are now ranked 10th in the world, ahead of full member country Zimbabwe, as an example of how flawed the decision is.
Ireland captain William Porterfield expressed his opinion that money, not cricket, was the sole motivation behind the decision. “I think it’s an absolute disgrace, I think it’s a joke,” said Porterfield. “I don’t know where they are coming from or how they can decide that. Obviously a lot of it revolves around money.”