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Every nation represented in the 2015 ICC World Cup is under enormous pressure to perform, but the associate members have more to lose than anyone else.
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa go into this World Cup as favourites to lift the trophy at the MCG on March 29.
Equally, there are plenty of other nations who have no hope of escaping their pool. No, that’s not where England comes in. I’m talking about the four associate members at this World Cup: Ireland, Scotland, Afghanistan and the UAE.
The next World Cup is being trimmed from 14 teams to 10, and only the top eight ranked teams are guaranteed a spot in 2019. With 10 full member nations (read Test playing nations) each playing each other fairly regularly prior to the qualification cut-off in 2017, it’s likely that the next World Cup will consist entirely of full member nations.
Afghanistan and Ireland (currently 11th and 12th in the ICC ODI world rankings) will potentially not have enough ODI matches to launch a challenge on eighth place and a guaranteed spot in the tournament (currently the West Indies are eighth, with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in ninth and tenth).
Conceivably, this could be the last World Cup in which we see associate members participate.
There is no doubt the format and duration of the World Cup needs some work. The group stages do seem to drag, and there are plenty who say that the group stages of the World Cup are tedious and worthless, including Roar Expert columnist Alec Swann.
But I wonder if Ireland think the World Cup group stages are pointless.
I doubt any Irish cricket fan (or English for that matter) will ever forget the events of Bangalore on March 2, 2011, where Ireland humbled their more illustrious neighbours off the back of an extraordinary 63-ball 113 from Kevin O’Brien.
By removing the opportunity for associate members to play in World Cups, we remove the likelihood of us witnessing these scenes ever again.
Not playing in World Cups wouldn’t be such a huge a problem if the associate members were given the chance to play full member nations on a regular basis. ICC chief executive David Richardson admitted that it is difficult to guarantee Ireland and Afghanistan enough matches to boost their ranking points to challenge the top eight.
If Ireland don’t make the next World Cup, where is the incentive for young players coming through the Irish system to want to play for their country? Those with enough talent will simply jump ship and try to make their way to the pinnacle of the sport through the England team.
Eoin Morgan, captaining England in a World Cup, is arguably a better role model for young Irish cricketers than players in a team that never gets exposed to the world’s best.
Ireland’s Ed Joyce launched an attack on the ICC’s policy, saying “We seem to be the only sport that has a World Cup that is contracting rather than expanding.” Joyce, who also earned 17 ODI caps for England, added, “Opportunities are obviously dwindling for sides outside the elite and that’s obviously not ideal for trying to grab the game at home. There is an appetite, but we need an opportunity.”
It’s hard to argue with him – making it harder for teams like Ireland to qualify for the World Cup is not the way to grow the sport.
The ICC’s attitude to anyone who isn’t a Test playing nation is terrible. When teams break into the lower echelons of the world game, their progress invariably stalls and they fall back into obscurity – namely The Netherlands, Namibia and Kenya. These teams played in World Cups, impressed, and disappeared without so much as another appearance against the full members.
The lack of support for these nations to join the top teams in dining at the top table is appalling. And I’m not talking about funding. Games are the only way for these countries to develop, regular games as part of triangular tournaments against full members.
Every time a team comes to England, they should play Ireland and/or The Netherlands too. Every time a team goes to South Africa, play Namibia, Kenya or Zimbabwe. Visiting Pakistan in the Emirates? Play the UAE and Afghanistan too. The ICC could, and perhaps should, enforce this to stop the game dying in these areas.
So where does the Rugby League World Cup come into this?
The 2013 Rugby League World Cup delivered a viable, entertaining competition between 14 nations, all consisting of vastly different talent and skill levels. Not only that, but non-traditional league-playing countries were involved and added to what was an exciting competition that surpassed many people’s expectations.
It should not stretch the ICC to come up with a tournament format that enables the minnows to compete and develop within a broader framework that produces exciting matches in a manageable timeframe.
Perhaps cricket should look to rugby league for answers? Or perhaps we should enjoy the associate members and their fans before they disappear forever.
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