Birrell sets his sights high

Cricket News: The Irish Cricket Union have announced an extension to their sponsorship agreement with Bank of Ireland worth €125,000 over two years. Win-bonuses would provide additional revenue for players.

The bank's decision to extend their sponsorship of the national men's team until 2007, with the option to renew, comes on foot of arguably the most successful period in Irish cricket.

The national side is ranked 11th in the world, recently won the Intercontinental Cup and qualified for the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies in 2007.

Ireland will play nine matches against English counties and a one-day international against England next June.

"We've had a big year, which has moved us forward into the C&G (Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy) and we have direction, we know where we are going," said Ireland coach Adi Birrell. "We have a huge season coming up in playing against the full-time professionals at county level: we have nine of those matches coming up and that will be a great test.

"We still have our two four-day matches against the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Scotland, which are big for us, and we're playing twice at Lord's. Throw in the one-day international against England - quite simply the biggest game. It means that 2006 will be an important year for us ahead of 2007, which is the big year given the World Cup in the West Indies."

Birrell confirmed that Irish cricket is reviewing their position with regard to signing up a couple of full-time professionals, which they are permitted.

"We have a few options that we are chatting to, but nothing confirmed. They are big names though."

Ireland could call on Niall O'Brien (Kent) and Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) for the one-day international against England, but are unlikely to have Ed Joyce (Middlesex).

Birrell knows how he would like Irish cricket to progress. "We have got to professionalise our players, that is the first step. We are going to be competing against full-time players and we have got to be, not full-time ourselves, but moving in that direction. I don't think it will ever be 100 per cent full-time (in Ireland).

"The demands that I am going to have on the players are going to be too much for them to have full-time jobs and play cricket. We have got to find a compromise going forward to make it work. Otherwise we are going to find it difficult to compete at that level. The next two years are going to be a tricky time financially for the union.

"I believe we do have the players at our disposal to move us forward, continue that momentum . . . we probably can't beat New Zealand and Sri Lanka; not with the current set-up. We have moved it forward and there is still some scope to move it further forward."