We probably can't afford to go play them, visa stories aside, and we probably couldn't even afford to accomodate them. I think the Irish are hard done by in the cricketing world, but they are by no means alone, their cricketers get much more game time at a higher level than Zim. i mean really we played how many first class games or any games outside of the training group before the T20 world cup? when did our top players get anything like a decent game?
I don't think so. A lot of Irish lads play in county cricket, so they are better in multi-day and one-day matches, rather than T20. So I believe that the Irish would have definitely performed better in ODIs. Also, regarding the 3-0 results bandied about, out of those 3 matches, 2 matches came to the last ball. And, I think Trent is being misunderstood here. He is just bemoaning that the Irish never get to play the big boys as much, and thus never get to improve, even though they have performed better than Zimbabwe in the last 2 World Cups. The next match of the Irish is in March against the UAE. If Ireland is expected to become a Test nation, they should get more exposure to the big boys so that they improve and compete well in the Tests.
English counties have T20 leagues as well. Irish cricketers as county players probably have more and greater quality T20 exposure than ours do. Bangladeshis too are are a much stronger outfit in ODIs than T20. 3-0 is still 3-0 regardless of whether it came to the last ball or not...our Asia Cup final came down to the "last ball" and that doesn't mean we can label ourselves champions! Besides, T20s are so short that many matches are likely going to come to the last over. We just got smoked by Pakistan and it came down to the 2nd to last over!
I agree Ireland needs more exposure, but part of that is the few fixtures you get in the summer are usually always rained out. Unfortunate but not Bangladesh or Zimbabwe's fault. Besides, BD and ZIM are the only full memeber sides to have offered Ireland home and away tours if I'm not mistaken. So Johnson should point his criticism in the real direction instead of making accusations just because BD and ZIM are perceived easier to "bully", accusations that have already been proven wrong and reduce the credibility of an otherwise legit argument.
Bangladesh cricket fanatic, observer of all others.