The second tier of test cricket

[Richard]

I beg to differ. In New Zealand, cricket is the still the number 1 summer sport. For decades children have been growing up playing cricket and rugby. Kiwi newspapers are full of cricket. All international matches are telecast live on TV. ODI matches attract fairly decent crowds. there might not be massive support as such but there still is a fair amount of support for the team.
More importantly they have the sponsors and the money.

In Scotland and Ireland cricket could be called the number-one summer sport - point being?
New Zealand have what they have because they're an international-playing country - if they weren't, they wouldn't have TV, radio, newspaper etc. coverage, sponsors, support et al.
Why should it be any different for the other countries of similar size and percentage-population cricket?
All that needs to be done is to get the standard of play up to the requisite level. New Zealand have done that for decades. Hence cricket is strong there.