Taking them in order, there has been much disappointment following the announcement that Scotland have been admitted to the County National League.

Even more so has been the fact that no further admissions will be considered for at least three years. So Ireland, even if it wanted to be admitted, must wait at least three years.

The problems with the National League are both financial and logistical. Scotland's admission is contingent on them finding significant sponsorship and funds to enable them to take part. This was stated in a recent letter from the ECB where they stated that cost was the primary factor in similar invitations not being extended to Ireland, Holland and Denmark. Difficulties were foreseen in travel and other arrangements for a county/associate second division.

As to why Scotland were admitted, and not the others, ECB said relevant factors were Scotland's impressive playing record, the infrastructure of cricket in Scotland and their commitment to making a quantum leap forward.

Hopefully a successful three year trial period will enable the opportunity to play in this tournament to be extended to other associates.

The ICU have commented that to be successful in gaining entry in the future the ICU must improve the standard of the game in Ireland. This in turn has led to the other two areas that have caused some level of discussion.

Immediate arrangements are being made to introduce an Interprovincial tournament. This will be based on three teams, Northern Cricket Union, North West Cricket Union and South, an amalgam of Leinster Cricket Union and Munster.

The structure that is being used in 2002 is that each of these three teams will play the others twice, one game being a one day single innings match and the other two day two innings game. It is in regard to the structure of the two innings game that there has been some controversy. The other area of controversy is the exclusion of Munster as an independent province, with players from Munster being required to compete for places in the Southern side.

On the issue of the two innings game, the main objection many have is that the intent of the longer game was to give players an opportunity to learn how to build an innings and for bowlers to learn how to bowl longer spells, giving them more experience. Also it would, it is hoped, lead to bowlers learning how to take wickets. Unfortunately there has been much concern raised that these games will either lead to boring draws, with each team batting the maximum 70 overs per innings allowed in the first innings, and thus leaving little more than 60/70 overs for both second innings to be completed. Certainly the absence of imaginative and attacking captaincy will be likely to lead to this. The other risk is that the captains will effectively agree to limit the first innings to around 50/55 overs each so that the purpose behind the longer game will not be met and effectively the two day game will simply be two one day games.

On the topic of the exclusion of Munster, while as one who has played cricket there I have a strong level of support for Munster, I do not believe that a separate Muster team is at this stage appropriate. Their players have the opportunity to compete for places in the South team, and as well as that the presence of Munster reds in the Leinster Senior League gives them a higher level of competition which should bring along their younger players in a more effective way than playing in an Interprovincial Team that more often than not is heavily defeated.

The alternative to an Interprovincial League is the introduction of an All Ireland League. This is something that is under consideration but many feel that it will not produce the higher standard of play that our cricket needs.

There are at present some 34 teams playing in Senior Leagues in the three main provinces. The players who represent Ireland are spread among those and any All Ireland League will be such as not all of these players will appear at that level, unless they move from their present clubs. The commitment of Irish players to their clubs means that this is frankly unlikely and therefore is not going to mean the better players playing against each other as often as the ICU would wish.

There are at present two different proposals under consideration for an All Ireland League, one involving a single division of 9 teams and the other two divisions of 6, with promotion and relegation. Each proposal also involves the bottom team or teams playing against the winners of the remaining provincial leagues to see if a new team can be promoted into the All Ireland League.

Apart from the point made earlier about any such league not involving all the best players, weather and travel are also difficulties that may be encountered in any such league. Club and local considerations could also create difficulties. We have after all seen in the All Ireland Cup teams travelling fielding weakened teams

Perhaps the best alternative is to revert to the old Interprovincial Structure, or some variant of that, where the Leinster and Northern Unions were divided into two teams, and there was a five or six team Interprovincial Series, perhaps even involving a development or Youth team. This would enable more matches to be played, and involving all potential Ireland players. This would need further consideration as to the best way to structure it, but it would perhaps be more meaningful than the present proposal for an All Ireland League.

What is most important, however one views the proposals regarding Interprovincials or All Ireland League, is that the ICU are clearly looking at some ways to improve the structure of cricket in Ireland, and that can only be good.

Another pointer is that there were a number of applicants for the post of Ireland Coach. It is understood these have been whittled down to 6 who will be interviewed. Hopefully whoever finally gets the position will bring Ireland forward, whatever decisions are finally made on the structural issues.

© ICC 2002