Ireland’s much-anticipated bilateral series against Australia is facing uncertainty as financial constraints loom large, signaling a potential postponement. This series, which would have marked Ireland’s first-ever men’s bilateral encounter with Australia, is now under threat due to financial and logistical pressures.
Originally scheduled for August-September, Australia’s tour to Ireland was slated to feature three ODIs and a one-off T20I. However, mounting financial challenges have cast doubt over the feasibility of hosting the series.
Australia have previously visited Ireland for one-off ODIs during their tours of England. Still, the proposed white-ball series now hangs in the balance amidst the current predicament faced by Cricket Ireland.
Adding to the complexities, Ireland is set to host Pakistan and South Africa for white-ball series, along with a T20 tri-series involving the Netherlands and Scotland. Additionally, England, Sri Lanka, and Netherlands women’s teams are also scheduled to tour Ireland.
Cricket Ireland’s High-Performance Director, Richard Holdsworth, expressed the significant challenges posed by the current cricketing schedule. “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,” Holdsworth explained to ESPNcricinfo.
The financial burden of hosting matches in Ireland has escalated significantly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising hotel prices and the costs associated with setting up temporary infrastructure for grounds have posed substantial obstacles.
Holdsworth highlighted that shifting the Australia series to England is not a viable option due to England’s busy schedule and inadequate facilities at smaller county grounds. With Australia not scheduled to tour the UK until the 2027 Ashes, alternative arrangements are being explored to accommodate the series.
The constrained budget further complicates matters for Cricket Ireland, limiting their ability to deliver a comprehensive cricketing calendar. Holdsworth lamented, “It has meant that our budget is not as great as we thought it would be. If we had more revenues coming in this year, there’s no question that we could have been able to deliver more.”
As Cricket Ireland navigates through these financial hurdles, the fate of the Australia series hangs in the balance, awaiting a decision that could reshape Ireland’s cricketing landscape for the foreseeable future.
Also, see:
Lahore Qalandars finally register their maiden victory in PSL 2024
