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Cricket Ireland voted for the construction of a new stadium at the National Sports Campus in West Dublin on Wednesday (February 28). As a result of the board's decision, the new ground is set to become the premier cricket stadium of Ireland, replacing the Malahide Cricket Club ground in Dublin.
Initially, the board had drawn out a plan to revamp the stadium in Malahide. However, a review of the board's previous plan recommended building a new stadium at the green-field plot, which will be next to Cricket Ireland's administrative office that is being constructed. The report recommended the move based on the fact that Ireland are set to play more international matches in the near future in addition to the availability of world-class training facilities at the campus.
"The report informed the board's deliberations around a number of important issues around venue access and future-proofing," said Warren Deutrom, Cricket Ireland's chief executive."When we selected Malahide as the location for our main stadium in Dublin a decade ago, Irish cricket was in a very different position with a much smaller fixture list. By achieving Test status and joining the FTP, we've had to ask ourselves the tough question of whether that decision is still fit for purpose," he added.
Duetrom also said that the board is expecting the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) will have around 60 games being allocated to Ireland's senior side. The board also announced six limited-overs matches - three T20Is and three ODIs against Afghanistan - from August 20 to 31 to be played in Bready CC and Stormont, later this year.
"Cricket in Ireland is entering an exciting new phase, as we begin to understand more and more the implications and obligations of becoming an ICC full member. We anticipate that the new future tours programme [FTP] will be finalised by the ICC in April this year. It is likely to involve the senior men alone playing about 60 home matches over the next five seasons.
"What has become abundantly clear to the board is that this dramatic increase in our home schedule means that we will need to share the load beyond our four existing international-standard grounds around Ireland," he observed.
The European country is set to play their maiden Test match versus Pakistan in Malahide from May 11 to 15. Ireland will also host India for two Twenty20 internationals in June. Meanwhile, the board has also announced its largest annual budget of 9 million euro.
"What has also become clear in compiling our very first 'full member' budget has been the onerous cost of being a Test nation, most obviously demonstrated in physically putting on a Test match. This is certainly no surprise, but ensuring we balance the cost of putting on Test matches against investment in the white-ball formats and other strategic areas will be an area for board focus in the near future."
(CRICBUZZ)
