CRICKET: If it's true that the darkest hour comes just before the dawn, then, in Irish women's cricket, we can only hope the birds are getting ready to start twittering and the milkman is about to climb aboard his float for another morning's work. This has not been a good year.

If the 2005 Women's World Cup in April taught us anything, it is that the gap between the top flight of international cricketers and the next best is widening and the likes of Ireland are in danger of being left behind.

That trip to Pretoria was disappointing for several reasons. On the pitch, Ireland seriously under-performed, and off it, there was alarming disharmony between players and management. The coach, Pete Johnston, had difficulties getting through to many of the players, with some of them openly criticising his style and selection decisions.

Several of the players quite simply did not feel he was up to the job, and, whether they were right or wrong, if you lose the respect of the players, your days in the job are numbered. Johnston resigned a couple of weeks ago and an interim coach in the shape of Wayne Murray was appointed on Sunday.

Murray will see the side through until the end of this season when the vacancy will be filled for the longer term.

Johnston was not the only casualty from the World Cup postmortem. Skipper Clare Shillington lost her job amid criticisms that she did not listen to her coach enough when it came to on-field decisions.

There is plenty of talent in women's cricket in Ireland. Shillington, Cecelia and Isobel Joyce, Barbara McDonald and Anne Linehan, among others, have the ability and technique to trouble the best sides in the world. But the team's confidence took a pounding in South Africa with no wins from eight games (six losses and two rain-affected draws) so it is difficult to see what the World Cup really achieved for the Irish.

One of the problems is they do not play enough against better opposition. How can they be expected to compete with the likes of Australia, England and India once every four years when they never see the whites of their eyes from one World Cup to the next?

That is why this summer is important.

At the last minute, world champions Australia have decided to come here to play some warm-up games prior to August's Ashes series in England. Around €10,000 must be raised to pay for it, seeing as the ICU won't go outside its budget to fund the tour.

There will be a sports quiz in Clontarf CC this Friday, a golf classic in Malahide GC on July 21st and a casino night on August 26th. In total, with the help of national coach Adi Birrell, they hope to raise €25,000 with the balance going back into general ICU coffers.

It is vital for the development of women's cricket in Ireland that more games against top opposition take place. And at grass-roots level, clubs must be instructed to develop the women's game, particularly north of the Border, where it has all but died out.

It looks likely that in 2009 the World Cup will take place in Australia, and if Ireland qualify it is important that another morale-sapping tournament like the one in Pretoria does not happen. Does the ICU have the vision to see that far ahead, or to the 2013 World Cup? Then again, does it really care about the women's game at all?

Meanwhile, following last week's column on the ICC Trophy, I was contacted by a number of people who wanted a list of all Ireland's fixtures.

So here they are: July 1st, Ireland v Bermuda, Stormont; July 2nd, Ireland v Uganda, Comber; July 4th, Ireland v UAE, Stormont; July 5th, Ireland v USA, Waringstown; July 7th, Ireland v Denmark, Bangor; July 9th, and 11th semi-finals, Clontarf; July 13th, final, Clontarf.