CRICKET ICC WORLD TWENTY20 CUP:IRELAND'S CHANCES of reaching the lucrative ICC World Twenty20 Cup, taking place in England next year, rose significantly yesterday as cricket's ruling body appeared to be bowing to pressure to expel Zimbabwe from international competition as a response to the political and humanitarian crisis in the country.
As things stand, when Phil Simmons's team line up alongside the other ICC Associate nations in Stormont on August 2nd-4th, the top two teams will progress to play in the Twenty20 World Cup.
However, events yesterday suggested the number of spots available to the Associates might be about to increase to three. Were Ireland to qualify, a participation fee of €160,000 would go automatically to the ICU, the minimum amount guaranteed by the ICC, before prize money.
At a press conference to launch the ICC event at the Brit Oval in south London yesterday, David Morgan, president elect of the ICC, told journalists that cricket's world governing body had decided to debate Zimbabwe's involvement at a meeting scheduled for Dubai next Wednesday.
"I'm encouraged that the matter is now on the agenda," said Morgan, himself a former ECB chairman. Zimbabwe, which remains a full Test-playing nation, are also due to play England in two Tests and three one-day matches next summer.
Yesterday's developments followed an announcement on Monday by Cricket South Africa ending bilateral relations with their neighbour.
"In the past, CSA has defended Zimbabwe cricket against heavy odds, but the general situation in Zimbabwe has now made this untenable," said a CSA spokesperson, a move that was described by Morgan as "hugely significant" given their influence in southern African cricket.
"Clearly they will want something done," said Morgan.
The 13 directors on the ICC executive board will meet to decide on what action to take.
Following recent atrocities, the ICC will face intense international pressure to distance themselves from President Robert Mugabe's brutal regime. The ICC has faced fierce criticism for its inaction on an issue and is the subject of much internal disagreement.
The governing body is currently without a chief executive, following the resignation of Malcolm Speed, who left his post earlier than planned due to clashes with the ICC president Ray Mali, over the organisation's stance.
The prize money for the World Twenty20 tournament is €1.28 million, with the winners picking up in the region of €385,000. Ireland failed to qualify for the inaugural tournament, held in South Africa last October, when India become world champions, winning the final against Pakistan, a game watched by a global television audience of over 400 million people.
The tournament's success is credited with kick-starting the momentum toward the multi-billion euro Indian Premier League.
Warren Deutrom, chief executive of ICU, told The Irish Times qualification to the ICC Twenty20 World Cup would "further cement perception of cricket in Ireland as a high performance sport and one worthy of continued government support".
It is not yet known whether Niall O'Brien and Boyd Rankin, who played in the unofficial Indian Cricket League, would be allowed to play in the ICC event. Former ICL players are banned from international competition but Deutrom said O'Brien's presence in the Irish squad that played in the ICC-sanctioned matches against Bangladesh in March should mean he and Rankin would be eligible to play.
