Australia's white-ball tour of Ireland under threat amid financial and venue challenges
Updated - 07 Mar 2024, 05:30 PM
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The first-ever men’s bilateral series between Ireland and Australia might be postponed due to financial and logistical challenges. Ireland is contemplating postponing the series to address scheduling issues and venue constraints for Australia’s upcoming tour.
Australia is scheduled to tour Ireland for three ODIs and a one-off T20I in August and September, as per the Future Tours Program. However, logistical challenges stemming from Ireland’s busy home season have raised doubts about the feasibility of these fixtures.
Pakistan and South Africa will visit for a white-ball series, and Ireland will host a T20 tri-series involving the Netherlands and Scotland. Following their historic win against Afghanistan, Ireland will play Zimbabwe in a one-off Test match as well as limited-overs matches.
Ireland last hosted a Test match in 2018 against Pakistan. Additionally, England, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands are scheduled to play in women’s cricket tours. The announcement of Ireland’s upcoming home series schedule is anticipated within the next two weeks.
It’s A Real Challenge To Deliver All Of It – Cricket Ireland High-Performance Director
Cricket Ireland high-performance director Richard Holdsworth highlighted the challenges of fulfilling the commitments outlined in the FTP due to the scarcity of venues available. He emphasized the significant rise in expenses for hosting matches in Ireland.
“What we had in the FTP as a whole… it’s a real challenge to deliver all of it. We’ve got almost too much cricket for the amount of venues that we’ve got,” Richard Holdsworth told ESPNcricinfo.
“Costs of putting on games in Ireland have gone up considerably since Covid. Hotel prices, putting up temporary infrastructure for grounds have gone up astronomically,” he added.
England Have A Really Heavy Schedule – Richard Holdsworth
Holdsworth said that the white-ball series against Australia would not be relocated to England. Holdsworth mentioned ongoing considerations regarding the possibility of hosting Australia during the upcoming summer or adjusting their placement in the FTP.
“England have a really heavy schedule around that time, and we certainly wouldn’t be considering playing the likes of Australia at a very small county ground. We’re still looking at all options in terms of whether or not we can host [Australia] this summer or whether we move [them] into a different part of the FTP.”
Our Budget Is Not As Great As We Thought – Richard Holdsworth
Holdsworth highlighted the challenges of fulfilling the international schedule, attributing the difficulty to Ireland’s limited access to its expected ICC funds under the new distribution model. He stated that a larger budget would have enabled them to accomplish more.
Some funds from the distribution model will be retained in a surplus fund for future investment and distribution among members. About $3 million of the annual $18 million allocation will be allocated to this fund, ensuring long-term financial stability and sustainability.
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