Originally published in 2013

Ever since Ed Joyce’s heroics saw Ireland qualify for the 2007 World Cup, Irish cricket has been on a quest for the holy grail of Test status. As a generation of Irishmen have flourished at English counties the men in green have pulled away from the chasing pack of Associates to become the heir apparent. High-profile victories against Pakistan and England have seen cricketing romantics across the globe champion their cause and lobby the ICC for the introduction of an 11th full member. Increased television coverage has provided both the team and individuals a platform for global recognition. Kevin O’Brien now spends much of his time answering Twitter messages from his Indian fan base, who are desperate to see their new hero in the IPL. Times have changed indeed.

This single-minded determination to prove their worth has underpinned the professionalisation of the sport in Ireland, which has undergone a transformation from the amateurish Irish Cricket Union to the ultra-ambitious, corporate Cricket Ireland. Development dossiers and strategic plans have been designed with just one target in mind. It has become as much about pride as potential. The buzz-term of the moment in ICC regional offices is ‘development pathways’ but is there one for Ireland? Or does the yellow brick road leading to full member status disappear in a haze as it crests a distant hill?

This projected future also begs the question of the role of the Intercontinental Cup. If the ICC have no intention of extending Test status further then the competition becomes rather pointless. That is, it is not leading to anything beyond itself and the prize money available to the victor. Unless, of course, the ICC showed more faith in the rather forlorn and forgotten format by re-launching and rebranding it as a division two of Test cricket. This would give it more status and attract more media coverage and revenue. But that would raise the question of promotion and relegation, an unpalatable subject for the full members. But as it stands the original argument at its launch in 2004 that it would provide exposure to four-day cricket now looks rather hollow as the Irish will have their own first-class domestic league if the Inter-Provincial series proves a success. They have outgrown development structures that were once an opportunity but are increasingly a diversion from more lofty ambitions. Ireland may be in a strange situation of having a first-class league but being limited to one-dayers on the international stage.

When the quest began it appeared a stark choice between a Test-playing full member or a low-profile, low-status minnow. In that context it was right to target Test status. But there has been a paradigm shift in the last decade and it is now possible to be a major cricketing nation and only play the shorter formats of the game. Ireland are largely responsible for that as the ICC have sought to accommodate their passion and progress while retaining their traditional structure. It has been a fraught journey, but then it always is when the destination is unknown.

Like Whig politicians of the 19th century, ICC committees over the last five years have debated the Irish question. How could they reward progress and encourage ambition without offering a worthy prize? It seemed intractable. But somehow, in spite of the constraints Ireland are unrecognisable from a decade ago. They may not be a full member but they are a force in the global game, and a test for any side.