Irish team air grievances

Cricket:  Ireland's cricketers refused to speak to the media after yesterday's one-run win over Holland in protest at what they…

Cricket: Ireland's cricketers refused to speak to the media after yesterday's one-run win over Holland in protest at what they say are "unacceptable" delays in addressing squad grievances.

The players said they have yet to receive proceeds from their exploits at the recent World Cup. But a statement released by the players insisted their protest was not "just about money".

"We haven't been getting the rewards for the effort we've been putting in over a long period," the statement read.   "We have tabled four or five issues over the past four months.

"Nobody has done more during the last six months in the promotion of Irish cricket than the team," the statement added.

READ MORE

"During and after the World Cup, the team has been on call to the world media at all times and have gone beyond the call of duty in our quest to put Irish cricket on the map.

"This is our attempt to move things along and hopefully speed things up. We have been extremely patient with the (Irish Cricket) Union but the current delay is totally unacceptable."

Ireland team manager Roy Torrens said the issue was a "misunderstanding" and that the Irish Cricket Union's cheques to the players "are in the post".

"I think you will find it will all be resolved fine," he told the BBC.
 
The players stressed they would continue to represent Ireland "with total pride and commitment" and added the decision to boycott the media yesterday was taken "with great reluctance".

Meanwhile, Ireland coach Phil Simmons acknowledged his side have plenty of room for improvement ahead of this weekend's clash with the West Indies.

The hosts could only sneak past Holland, who had been thrashed by the Windies 24 hours earlier, by at Stormont yesterday.

And Simmons knows his side face a huge step up in class when they face the country he represented 143 times in one-day internationals.

He said: "The Windies are on a high after their one-day series win over England and what they did to the Dutch on Tuesday.

"They are one of the most dangerous sides in world cricket when they are on a high but it is up to us to stop them.

"Clearly, we have a lot of preparation to do before then because we did not perform as well as we could against Holland.

"But a win is a win and that has given the players a big boost and we will head into our next match with a lot more confidence."