JUST IMAGINE the day when you'll be telling your pals - "I've been lucky enough to get a ticket for the first Test against England at Croke Park". Or - "I'm going to the second one day international against Pakistan at Parc Ui Chaoimh".

Unlikely? Well, yes, for the moment, at any rate. But, South Africa's Dr Ali Bacher said at Castle Avenue yesterday that such a day - will dawn if Ireland's cricket administrators, coaches and players "have motivation, vision and a dream".

With fellow International Cricket Conference colleague Joe Buzaglo - who is chairman of the ICC associate members group, of which Ireland is one, he is in the process of visiting the countries concerned, to assess the relative strengths of the game.

Behind this venture is the concern that in world terms, cricket is not expanding, explained Bacher. The nine Test countries - England, Pakistan, India, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and South Africa - all play each other too regularly the aim, he said, will be to develop cricket in the "lesser countries, like Ireland.

Twelve such member countries have been ear marked for examination, Ireland among them, Bacher said. And, once the ground work has been done, a number of them will be recommended for full membership of the TCCB, the likely date for the recommendation is next June.

He and Buzaglo were ad dressing a gathering which included representatives of the Irish Cricket Union, the Leinster Cricket Union, coaches, umpires and the press. The aim for Bacher and his colleagues is to assess the potential of 12 of the associate countries with the ultimate objective of further developing cricket world wide.

He pointed out that even first class cricket now has to compete with mass appeal sports like football, rugby league and rugby union games which at present are being played well outside their former traditional seasons. As a start, said Bacher, their findings will lead to the ICC helping those emerging cricket nations "to broaden the base and improve standards".

Next March in Malaysia, the 22 associate countries will fight it out for three places in the next World Cup. Bacher said that he didn't want a repeat of the last World Cu when the minnows were more or less eaten alive next time around he hoped standards would have improved, an there would be no miss match details, ideas, and ways and means which we think will be given support by the full members, and which over a period of time will help countries - and why not Ireland? - to play on equal terms in the World Cup and in one day internationals," Bacher said. This should be an additional spur for national coach Mike Hendrick and his squad in Malaysia next March.

"We will work as hard as we can to come up with a strategy which will enable the game to expand. But you must have dreams and hopes and expectations - that's what life is about and why everything is possible," Bacher said.

"That sort of improvement I'm talking about is achievable, it can happen. And we will ensure every help to improve standards of play and promote cricket in the countries which we will recommend. If, by the early years of the next century, there are not more than nine Test countries, then I will be disappointed," said Bacher.

In time, and sooner rather than later, he suggests that teams like South Africa A, or indeed the full national side, could come to Ireland. And for, say, a three week tour, not the customary one day visits paid in the past by the Test countries.

Bacher and Buzaglo have already been to Holland and Denmark. Today they will meet John Treacey, chairman of Sports Strategy Group, along with Paddy Heffernan and March Howard from the Government sports section.

Later, they will visit Leinster CC at Rathmines, and after that will be the guests of The Hills CC for lunch at the Vineyard. Then it's off to the North where Bacher and Buzaglo will visit NICC and Muckamore CC, as well as meeting Northern Ireland Sports Council officials and Hendrick before leaving for Scotland tomorrow.

In his first class career (1959-73), Ali Bacher made 7,894 runs (average 39.07), including 18 centuries.