***Unofficial*** Ireland Discussion Thread

[Viscount Tom]

Its still a further argument for giving Ireland test status given they could easily make a pretty good Test XI out of players they've got available.

They get kind of screwed over in the associate leagues given they get played quite often during the County Cricket period and a number of their best players have contracts in the counties.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Its still a further argument for giving Ireland test status given they could easily make a pretty good Test XI out of players they've got available.

They would be as strong as Bangladesh if they got Morgan back. Have a useful pace attack, very good young spinner in Dockrell and some decent bats. Might not win many games but would be a tough side to beat and wouldn't tamely fold like some sides do.

 

[stumpski]

AWTA re: Rankin. I know it's something he's been pondering for a while, but it seems a strange decision. He's not even that young (older than Bresnan, for instance) - how many Tests does he think he's going to play? He may well get a chance at some point but I'll be miffed, to put it lightly, if he's picked ahead of Onions, Woakes or Meaker (and Topley should be in the frame in a year or two).

 

[vic_orthdox]

Is it just a workload issue for him? I mean, he could play for Ireland till forever, and then get picked and play for England the next day, right?

Or has that changed recently with England's new rules on eligibility?

 

[stumpski]

It's an interesting one - Rankin and Porterfield are from Northern Ireland, so presumably they have UK passports. Does that mean they've been England-qualified all along? Martin McCague, also Ulster-born didn't have to qualify IIRC (and I know he also had Aussie antecedents).

 

[Prince EWS]

Is it just a workload issue for him? I mean, he could play for Ireland till forever, and then get picked and play for England the next day, right?

Or has that changed recently with England's new rules on eligibility?

Yeah it's just a workload thing. Word is he was put under a fair bit of pressure from Warwickshire (who have just signed him to a long-term deal I believe) to make this decision because he keeps getting injured all the time.

 

[Prince EWS]

It's an interesting one - Rankin and Porterfield are from Northern Ireland, so presumably they have UK passports. Does that mean they've been England-qualified all along? Martin McCague, also Ulster-born didn't have to qualify IIRC (and I know he also had Aussie antecedents).

Indeed. Rankin could've been selected for England at any time throughout his career.

 

[BoyBrumby]

TBF to Rankin, whilst I definitely don't approve of his decision, he was on the Loins' tour in the winter, so he's not a million miles from the selectors' thoughts.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Reckon he'll get a few tests actually. Has the raw essentials to leapfrog a few other deserving candidates in the eyes of the selectors imo - plus Trescothick said he was the most hostile county bowler last year.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

He won't even make an England second XI. Pretty **** of Ashley Giles to string him along.

 

[marc71178]

Not sure it's stringing him along by offering him security in exchange for looking after his fitness so that he is available for the people who pay his wages.

 

[stumpski]

Rankin explains his decision:

Ireland Cricket News: Boyd Rankin says Ireland retirement should prolong his career | ESPN Cricinfo

This hasn't been up long but you can expect the comments box to be busy with the usual anti-England tirades, all wilfully overlooking the detail that England haven't done anything - this is the player's choice. Or perhaps, like Morgan, his family were all held at gunpoint until he agreed to sign.