Ireland to poach cricketers

[Firebreaker]

I bet they could get a very good attack together to exploit the conditions though even if the batting may be a little suspect. Absolutely no idea of the backgrounds of them but imagine if someone like Liam Norwell was available. Never going to play for England but has a career average of 26 with the ball so clearly can exploit conditions given the chance.

Might be the best way for Sam Northeast to play test cricket too.

LOL they might have some Irish background just like Tim Murtagh,a trundler of the highest order but now has gotten the chance to play Test cricket.

 

[vic_orthdox]

As acknowledged in the article, with a number of their best players on the wrong side of their career, they have to do this as a bit of a stop gap while they continue to develop their own. Staying competitive in the short term is pretty important to them, in terms of attracting youth and expats.

 

[Firebreaker]

They can also get Steve O'Keefe

 

[mr_mister]

that'd be awesome if O'Keefe went over there. Doubt he'l get too many more test caps for us. At theSCG during this ashes might be his last chance

 

[BoyBrumby]

There's this ex-Australia under 19 SLA bowler called McNamara, I hear...

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Morgan could play for England until he's 37 then re-qualify for Ireland and still be their best batsman.

 

[BoyBrumby]

The figures are debateable, but the BBC reckons about 6.7 million Britishers qualify for an Irish passport (self included, actually, virtue of me Ennis-born Granddad). That's roughly one in ten of the population, so conservatively there could be 20-odd county pros who might be eligible to wear green.

 

[honestbharani]

There's this ex-Australia under 19 SLA bowler called McNamara, I hear...

Qualifies on all counts, doesn't he?

 

[Howe_zat]

The figures are debateable, but the BBC reckons about 6.7 million Britishers qualify for an Irish passport (self included, actually, virtue of me Ennis-born Granddad). That's roughly one in ten of the population, so conservatively there could be 20-odd county pros who might be eligible to wear green.

Does cricket eligibility have the same rules as passports? I know England impose stricter regulations, not sure about everyone else.

 

[Marius]

Interestingly, Zimbabwe in the 90s went on something of a recruitment drive, approaching Zimbabwean-born players who were plying their trade in other countries. That's how Neil Johnson and Murray Goodwin ended up playing for them, although I can't remember if there were any others. I think they also approached Steve Elworthy and Dale Benkenstein, but were turned down because those two felt they had a chance at playing for South Africa instead, which they duly did, whereas Goodwin was unlikely to ever play for Australia and Johnson was never going to break into a team already containing Kallis, Pollock, and Klusener.

There was also Adam Huckle.

Adam Huckle | Zimbabwe Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Brian Murphy might have been too, but not sure how settled he was in SA.

Dale Steyn's family is apparently Zimbabwean, although he was born in SA. Paul Harris was also born in Salisbury.

 

[Firebreaker]

Maybe Ben Foakes can play for Ireland,If I were Foakes I'd have seriously considered Ireland if I wasn't in Ashes squad

 

[BoyBrumby]

Does cricket eligibility have the same rules as passports? I know England impose stricter regulations, not sure about everyone else.

The ICC seem to suggust if someone is a citizen of the country they're good to go:

MEN (U19 AND ABOVE)

Nationality Criteria

Players must meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Born in the country, or
- A national of the country (as defined by the country - NB British Nationals are not accepted unless in receipt of Exceptional Circumstances approval), or
- 7 Year Resident - resident in the country for at least 183 days in each of the immediately preceding seven years
Countries may play an unlimited number of players who qualify under the above criteria and who meet one or more of the development criteria, or
- 4 Year Resident - resident in the country for at least 183 days in each of the immediately preceding four years
Countries may also play a maximum of TWO players who qualify as 4 year residents and meet one or more of the development criteria

 

[Howe_zat]

Solid point then, although Tim Murtagh may be the only fruit of such a search. I doubt second and third generation Irishmen are as well represented in county cricket as in other industries.

 

[S.Kennedy]

The Ireland internationals in 2019 will become full time test players which raises a dilemma for clubs like Durham with Irishmen on the books. Either the Irish become sort of like Kolpacker and choose county cricket over internationals, or they become bona fide overseas players, of which you are of course only allowed one per team for the championship and one-dayers. Durham has Poynter and McCarthy on the books, players they've invested in at academy/development (and upwards level). Would you use your overseas slot on a McCarthy or Poynter? Dilemma for the players also.

 

[mackembhoy]

The Ireland internationals in 2019 will become full time test players which raises a dilemma for clubs like Durham with Irishmen on the books. Either the Irish become sort of like Kolpacker and choose county cricket over internationals, or they become bona fide overseas players, of which you are of course only allowed one per team for the championship and one-dayers. Durham has Poynter and McCarthy on the books, players they've invested in at academy/development (and upwards level). Would you use your overseas slot on a McCarthy or Poynter? Dilemma for the players also.

That rule is unfair IMO. Players lose a decent enough income when they've been allowed to play for years.

Feel Irish players should be allowed to remain as non overseas. I suppose it makes the Irish first class game better but though the ECB might make an exception.

But then every other test playing nation players count as overseas, so a fair cop perhaps.

 

[morgieb]

That rule is unfair IMO. Players lose a decent enough income when they've been allowed to play for years.

Feel Irish players should be allowed to remain as non overseas. I suppose it makes the Irish first class game better but though the ECB might make an exception.

But then every other test playing nation players count as overseas, so a fair cop perhaps.

No other Test nations were European though, and even then Irish have exceptions re: rights to work in the UK. They never counted as overseas players in association football pre-Bosman, for example.

 

[Furball]

So basically they're going down the route of the football team in the 80s and 90s then, where the qualification process involved sinking a pile of Guinness?

 

[marc71178]

No other Test nations were European though, and even then Irish have exceptions re: rights to work in the UK. They never counted as overseas players in association football pre-Bosman, for example.

Actually that depended on which side of the border they came from.

For me I can see the counties not developing these players so readily if they're going to disappear as soon as they get good enough.

 

[Furball]

No other Test nations were European though, and even then Irish have exceptions re: rights to work in the UK. They never counted as overseas players in association football pre-Bosman, for example.

Yes they did.

 

[fredfertang]

I had a pint of guinness once, do I qualify for Ireland?

Not if you stopped at one