CRICKET:Ireland will play host to some of the world's great cricketers in a series of three One Day International matches between India and Australia this summer, raising hundreds of thousands of euro for the game here.
Stars such as Ashes-winning captain Ricky Ponting and Indian greats Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid are among those set to play at the grounds of Stormont Castle in Belfast on June 27th, 29th and July 1st.
The matches have been added to the calendar as part of the contract between India's cricket board (BCCI) and its host broadcaster Zee TV.
This demands that the Indian national team play a total of 25 games in neutral venues before 2011. The BCCI receive $9 million (€6.9 million) a game for the rights to the games.
Over a quarter of the gross fee (or about €926,000 a game) goes directly to the players, the rest goes to the BCCI and the home union receives a hosting fee.
The exact financial details of the arrangement will be discussed when representatives of the Indian and Australian cricket boards visit Ireland next week.
Warren Deutrom, the chief executive of the Irish Cricket Union (ICU), told The Irish Times: "This is a great boost for Ireland cricket in an important, and expensive, year for us."
Former International Cricket Council (ICC) administrator Deutrom presented Ireland's credentials to Lalit Modi, vice-president of the BCCI, during the ICC Champions Trophy in India last October.
Talks had taken place between the BCCI and officials in Canada, which boasts a substantial Asian population.
However, the lack of ready-made grounds, and an unhelpful time difference from Canada to the sub-continent was thought to help Ireland's case.
"This is essentially a television product, which will be screened live in India," said Deutrom.
The games will provide what he describes as "a very significant sum" for the ICU, which is under financial pressure to keep the national team on the road. The Ireland team have just competed in the inaugural World League in Kenya and are on their way to play in Abu Dhabi this week.
Ireland then play in the ICC World Cup in Jamaica next month.
The money will go some way to make up for the disappointment of on-the-field failures over the past week, which has seen the national team finish second bottom of the World Cricket League, losing four games out of five.
A top-two finish had been hoped for, which would have led to automatic involvement in the first ICC Twenty20 World Cup, held in South Africa in September, qualification to which carried with it the award of a $250,000 (€192,901) bonus.
