If August was a wicked month for Mike Hendrick and Stephen Smyth, both cast into exterior darkness last week, then September will be a busy one for the men of the Irish Cricket Union, who did the casting in question.
For next month is when ICU officials will begin the search for Hendrick's successor, and when they will also meet John Treacy and Eamon McCartan, of the Sports Councils of the Republic and Northern Ireland, respectively. The eventual outcome of that latter get-together is likely to have immense bearing on the future of Irish cricket, for its purpose will be to examine the appointment of the union's first-ever full-time chief executive.
Among the current band of international one-day status aspirants, the ICU is the only national cricket body which does not have a full-time, professional administrator at the helm. Denmark has one, so has Holland and Scotland, in fact, the Scottish Cricket Union now employs 11 full-time staff.
The ICU is likely to be looking for somebody who is strong on marketing, according to its honorary secretary, John Wright. "Ideally, we would like to take on board someone whose efforts would lift the profile of Irish cricket, attract major sponsors to the game and also help us to pitch successfully for state funding," says Wright.
Of course, finding Mr Right - if you'll pardon the pun - will not be easy; will the choice be between a marketing person with a cricket background, or a cricketing person with a marketing background?
Yes, it may be argued that a knowledge of the game is not necessary; but it would be an immense help, all the same, all the more so since the Irish Cricket Union administers the game in the two jurisdictions on this island.
The search for Hendrick's successor - the post will be advertised internationally on the web and the aim is to have the new man in situ by January 1st next - will not be easy, either. In this writer's admittedly biased view, Hendrick should have been kept on until the ICC World Cup qualifying tournament in Canada in 2001; in his four years, he had done a great deal for Irish cricket at international level, and it is going to be difficult indeed for the new man to pick up the reins and successfully absorb the nuances and vagaries of an amateur game, run by amateurs, however well meaning, in the short time at his disposal.
But here's hoping that the ICU will find the sort of new national coach they want, preferably (as has already been said) a young, recently retired Test player, with extensive experience of one-day international cricket. Clearly, this will be an appointment of vital importance, as will be that of the chief executive; get the right people, and Irish cricket will be ushered into a new era.
Richard McDaid has been omitted from the Ireland team to play the final international of the season, the annual three-day match against Scotland at Ormeau, starting next Saturday, while Ed Joyce and Greg Molins were not available for selection. Their places have gone to Peter Gillespie, Dwayne McGerrigle and Andy Patterson.
