Cricket/Weekly column: Some cricketing traditionalists have expressed concern in recent years, and rightly so, over the gradual, but nonetheless relentless, dismantling of the longer version of the game in Ireland in favour of limited overs, one-day cricket.
With the shorter, sexier and more accessible 50-over game having become the only format used for meaningful matches played by the national side, the annual three-day game against the MCC now seems to be regarded as an inconsequential inconvenience.
While club cricket clearly has to continue to concentrate on the one-day version, the national side must not succumb to limited overs cricket entirely despite the temptation to focus solely on establishing Ireland as a force to be reckoned with in pyjama cricket on the world stage.
As a growing number of young Irish players seek to make a career for themselves in the English county scene, wouldn't it make sense for them to go there with some experience of how to stay focused in the field for long periods, or how to bat out 70 overs for a draw, or know when to declare to give their side the best chance of victory?
That is why today is such a good day for the future of cricket in Ireland and the future of Irish cricketers overseas. This morning, Kyle McCallan will lead his side out against Holland in Deventer on day one of Ireland's first ever ICC Intercontinental Cup match. This new tournament gives the top three associate member countries of the ICC from the four regions (Asia, Europe, Africa, Americas) some meaningful exposure to the longer version of the game.
The matches have first-class status and the top team from each region will progress to the semi-finals and final, which will be held in the UAE in November. The third team in Ireland's group is Scotland, who have already drawn with Holland and will make the trip to Castle Avenue to play Ireland on August 6th-8th.
A fairly complex points system has been devised especially for the tournament, a system that will favour batsmen that can patiently accumulate runs and bowlers who can take wickets rather than merely restrict rapid scoring.
To encourage teams to play for a result, the first innings of each side will be restricted to 90 overs unless the team batting first does not use all its allocation in which case the side batting second can use up what's leftover.
A minimum of 105 overs must be bowled on each of the opening two days of the match.
The global development manager for the ICC, Matthew Kennedy, is of the opinion that the Intercontinental Cup will help to raise the standards of the game within the second-string cricket countries like Ireland.
"The ICC Development Programme strives to provide new opportunities for non-Test playing nations to participate in international cricket competition. The ICC Intercontinental Cup is a prime example of meaningful progression in this regard," he said.
If the ICC is to turn cricket into a truly global game as it wants to do, and if it is to add to its current number of 10 full, Test-playing members, competitions like this are how that transition will be facilitated. It is a fantastic opportunity for Irish cricket to continue building for the future and we must make sure that we embrace it fully.
Meanwhile, the man who was supposed to be leading Ireland out against Holland on this historic day, Jason Molins, has been forced to withdraw with a hamstring injury aggravated over the weekend.
McCallan will take over as skipper and Bangor batsman Mark Hutchinson has been drafted into the squad.
