Ireland is to host the ICC Trophy – one of the world's biggest cricket tournaments.

It will be staged here in 2005 and the top three teams will qualify for the World Cup finals in the West Indies two years later.

The International Cricket Council unanimously supported the tournament going to Ireland and now the Irish Cricket Union will decide whether it will be staged north or south of the border.

"It's a terrific feather in the cap for Irish cricket", the ICU Chairman, John Caldwell, said today.

"We are already staging the European Championships throughout Northern Ireland later this week and the news that the world tournament is now coming Ireland's way makes it a wonderful double".

Malcolm Speed, C.E.O. of the ICC said the Council had every confidence that the ICU would stage the tournament in a "highly professional manner".

He said, "Three years ago Dublin hosted a World Cup tie in exemplary fashion and last year the organisation of the Australians' visit to Belfast attracted great praise".

The ICC Trophy will attract 12 non-Test playing countries from all over the world. It was held in Canada last year as a qualifier for next year's World Cup in South Africa. Ireland finished eighth as Holland, Namibia and Canada progressed to the World Cup.

The venues for the tournament will be decided by the ICU's executive committee and it's thought the decision will be taken before the end of the year to allow at least two years to plan the tournament.

Ireland have played in three ICC Trophies which are held every four years; last year in Toronto and before that in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Nairobi in Kenya.

This latest boost for Irish cricket comes as teams are arriving in Belfast for the European Championships, which will get underway on Friday. More than 20 venues will be used for the 30 matches, with six countries in each of two divisions.

ENQUIRIES PLEASE TO …

Robin Walsh P.R.O. North Irish Cricket Union 048 918 52809
Gerard Byrne P.R.O. South Irish Cricket Union at 086 8211 794

© Irish Cricket Union