A piece of cricket news that has slipped under the radar for many today has been the addition of Warwickshire's Boyd Rankin into the England Lions squad for the rest of their One Day series against Sri Lanka A. On the surface, this may seem a trivial piece of news, but when you realise that this is the same Boyd Rankin who's gone to two World Cups and played 32 ODIs for Ireland, then it suddenly gets a bit more interesting.
Boyd, the big fast bowler from Derry, has had quite a bit of international success so far in his career. Ireland's leading wicket taker at the seminal 2007 World Cup and the leader of the attack in 2011, Rankin is a massive (quite literally, standing at 6ft 8ins) part of the Irish team who have made huge strides in international cricket over the past few years. However, he's been on England's radar for the past couple of years, and it looks as though he's about to follow fellow ex-Irish internationals Eoin Morgan and Ed Joyce in turning out for England. A country he isn't from.
I've written before just how much I sympathise with Irish cricketers. Any cricketer, anywhere in the world, wants to play test cricket, and sadly at the moment that's something that isn't offered to Irish cricketers. It's been well publicised that both Joyce and Morgan repatriated themselves in the search for test cricket (Morgan made it, Joyce didn't), and it appears that Rankin is following the same path. However. They'd be representing England despite not being from England, and while hoping to play test cricket certainly is a noble goal, I'd like to play football for Brazil, but as I am not from Brazil, I am not going to realise this ambition. (And it's not because I'm not good enough, because I am...)
The issue of non-English people playing for England is a sticky one. As great as it is that England are flying so high in world cricket at the moment, the fact that Pietersen, Trott, Kieswetter, Dernbach, Morgan and Lumb have got us there does make the whole thing slightly hollow. While I can understand that the lure of test cricket as well as a much more professional structure in English cricket would tempt Boyd Rankin, his would be another name on the list of foreign imports into the English team. Which doesn't quite sit with me.
It's a tough one, and without wanting to sound all David Starkey about it, it shouldn't really be allowed. People have the fortune, or the misfortune, to be born in certain parts of the world, and as such, should represent that nation in international sport. Otherwise it's hardly inter-national, is it? At a time where Ireland could be on the brink of achieving some great things (and as such, need all of the talent they have), Boyd could be turning his back on them to chase his test dream. Ireland are a team who could be on the verge of something big, but how can they progress if their brightest talents abandon them as soon as England flutter their eyelids? On the 25th August, England travel over to Stormont for an ODI against Ireland. It's not inconcievable that with Rankin being named in the Lions squad (effectively a reserve international team) and England's first choice bowlers potentially being rested after a tough Indian test series that Rankin gets picked by England. With test cricket potentially beckoning, if Ireland are able to tempt him to stay with them, it will show the massive strides being made by Cricket Ireland. If they can't, it could open the floodgates for the likes of Stirling, Dockrell and plenty of other young Irish talent who rightly or wrongly fancy a craic at playing for England.
And a quote to show Irish fans that not all of their players want to cross the Irish Sea... Kevin O'Brien: "Play for England? You must be joking! I'm Irish, I want to play for Ireland!"
Showing posts with label Joycey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joycey. Show all posts
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Monday, 28 February 2011
National Identity Part Three
OK, third time lucky. I've already written two blogs in a matter of minutes about nationality and such, and missed the point I wanted to make. So this time, I'm definitely going to mention it.
In doing my research for the one of the earlier blogs about George Dockrell (yes, I do research sometimes), I stumbled across this. "Birth Country No Bar at the CWC". I suggest you read it, as it's far more interesting than anything you'd read on this site.
The nations at the World Cup can be (and have been, many times) split into two camps - the Big Boys and the Minnows. Players will want to play for the Big Boys, because it increases their chance of success, and for associate players, increases their chance of playing in tests. (As well as a heap of other reasons, seen in the second of my three-parter) And every nation will want to best players at their disposal to play for them.
So Big Boys England have recruited Trott and Pietersen (as well as Irish Joyce and Morgan turning out for them as well). South Africa have got Imran Tahir in. And New Zealand got Grant Elliot (must be gutted that Tendulkar doesn't have a second-cousin in Dunedin). They are able to attract players who are good enough to be playing internationally for their nations of birth for whatever reason to play for them.
The Minnows, however, have it differently. As seen with the Morgan / Joyce / Dockrell issue, the associates will struggle to keep hold of their best and brightest. So they will look to find anyone with even the slightest heritage of the nation, or the slightest inclination to live in their country for an allotted time. Hence the Indian and Pakistani Canadian side, South African heavy Dutch, and antipodean Irish team.
While I, and plenty others don't like it, it's in the ICC rules for players to move around, so countries are well within their rights to get in the foreign legion. It shouldn't be, but that's by the by.
Of course it must be difficult for Ireland and the rest to see their best players being lured away by the bright lights of test cricket. So with smaller player pools and their best local talents being lost, no wonder they're turning overseas. Add on top of that the advantages that having good experienced imports can bring.
Cricket Ireland's Barry Chambers said
And Dutch Ed van Neirop said players from overseas had lifted the standard of cricket "enormously".
While this could be stopping local talent from emerging, it could also be improving the skills of the guys around and helping them compete. It's a difficult situation. The Minnows want to keep their best players, and their best players want to play for the Big Boys.
There are three groups of adopted nation-ites. Group 1 - the foreign national brought in to improve a side (see here Trott, Pietersen, Trent Johnston). Group 2 - the associate player who wants more (see here Morgan, Joyce). And Group 3 (the "have your cake and eat it" bunch) - the guys from the big nations who aren't picked for their country, but try and get picked at home. (see here Dirk Nannes playing for Holland in the 2009 T20 World Cup before playing for Australia). Were I in charge of the ICC, I'd immediately outlaw all of 1, 2 and 3, but sadly I'm unlikely to become president in the next few years, so the situation will continue. The foreign legion in cricket is a growing problem, and ultimately devalues the notion of "inter-nation" cricket.
I don't really know what to say about this anymore, I've been writing about players applying for new passports solidly for a few hours now, and I have nothing else to add. So there's my conclusion - inter-nation cricket should be between the people of one nation and another. Not people of various countries all wearing one shirt, facing off against a team of players for other disparate countries wearing another.
In doing my research for the one of the earlier blogs about George Dockrell (yes, I do research sometimes), I stumbled across this. "Birth Country No Bar at the CWC". I suggest you read it, as it's far more interesting than anything you'd read on this site.
The nations at the World Cup can be (and have been, many times) split into two camps - the Big Boys and the Minnows. Players will want to play for the Big Boys, because it increases their chance of success, and for associate players, increases their chance of playing in tests. (As well as a heap of other reasons, seen in the second of my three-parter) And every nation will want to best players at their disposal to play for them.
So Big Boys England have recruited Trott and Pietersen (as well as Irish Joyce and Morgan turning out for them as well). South Africa have got Imran Tahir in. And New Zealand got Grant Elliot (must be gutted that Tendulkar doesn't have a second-cousin in Dunedin). They are able to attract players who are good enough to be playing internationally for their nations of birth for whatever reason to play for them.
The Minnows, however, have it differently. As seen with the Morgan / Joyce / Dockrell issue, the associates will struggle to keep hold of their best and brightest. So they will look to find anyone with even the slightest heritage of the nation, or the slightest inclination to live in their country for an allotted time. Hence the Indian and Pakistani Canadian side, South African heavy Dutch, and antipodean Irish team.
While I, and plenty others don't like it, it's in the ICC rules for players to move around, so countries are well within their rights to get in the foreign legion. It shouldn't be, but that's by the by.
Of course it must be difficult for Ireland and the rest to see their best players being lured away by the bright lights of test cricket. So with smaller player pools and their best local talents being lost, no wonder they're turning overseas. Add on top of that the advantages that having good experienced imports can bring.
Cricket Ireland's Barry Chambers said
"In Ireland's case, the players have helped to take Irish cricket to a new level... The players brought a professionalism to the game which has rubbed off on the younger players coming through. Ireland keep producing real gems - Eoin Morgan before he switched to England".
And Dutch Ed van Neirop said players from overseas had lifted the standard of cricket "enormously".
While this could be stopping local talent from emerging, it could also be improving the skills of the guys around and helping them compete. It's a difficult situation. The Minnows want to keep their best players, and their best players want to play for the Big Boys.
There are three groups of adopted nation-ites. Group 1 - the foreign national brought in to improve a side (see here Trott, Pietersen, Trent Johnston). Group 2 - the associate player who wants more (see here Morgan, Joyce). And Group 3 (the "have your cake and eat it" bunch) - the guys from the big nations who aren't picked for their country, but try and get picked at home. (see here Dirk Nannes playing for Holland in the 2009 T20 World Cup before playing for Australia). Were I in charge of the ICC, I'd immediately outlaw all of 1, 2 and 3, but sadly I'm unlikely to become president in the next few years, so the situation will continue. The foreign legion in cricket is a growing problem, and ultimately devalues the notion of "inter-nation" cricket.
I don't really know what to say about this anymore, I've been writing about players applying for new passports solidly for a few hours now, and I have nothing else to add. So there's my conclusion - inter-nation cricket should be between the people of one nation and another. Not people of various countries all wearing one shirt, facing off against a team of players for other disparate countries wearing another.
Why would George Dockrell want to be English?
OK, I just wrote this. I had a go at Ireland's George Dockrell for saying he wants to play for England, and for the rules being in place that could allow him to do so. (And have already seen Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan flip-flop merrily between the two nations).
But I'll be fair, and look at why 81 year old 18 year old George (I liked that nickname so much I'm using it again) may want to turn in his shamrock for the three lions.
Well, the first and most obvious draw is test cricket. The pinnacle of world cricket. Everyone who's ever dreamed of playing professional cricket has dreamed of scoring the winning runs in a test. Nobody dreams about playing in the Associate Division Three. (I don't know if that league exists, I just made it up). Put simply, England play tests, and Ireland don't. And don't look like playing it in the next couple of years. So it would only be natural to try and get to play test cricket, even if it means starting afresh in a new country. It's a gamble. Ed Joyce didn't make it. Eoin Morgan did. George Dockrell would only make the switch if he felt that he has a chance to play in tests. But he would feel that it's a gamble worth taking (assuming, of course, that he does decide to hand in his Irish passport and apply for a British one).
There are other factors. Tests aside, England are just a bigger team than Ireland. They will have better facilities. The players will be better looked after off-field. And England are more likely to go out and win some things in some big competitions. As much as Irish cricket has grown over recent years, that too is something that can't be offered to Dockrell if he stays green. If he gets into the England squad, he'll be playing against, and training alongside the best players in the world week-in, week-out. He'll be able to hone his game and improve as a player. Other than the odd world tournament every couple of years, Irish cricket can't offer that either.
Dockrell has moved to Somerset on a couple of years contract. He may marry an English lady (or feller, given today's news) and have some kids who consider themselves to be English. And in time, he may to be belting out "God save the Queen" rather than "Ireland's Call" at the rugby. He may put up a St Georges flag on his roof, and get the three lions tattooed on his arm. He may eat fish and chips, washed down with cups of tea, before going on long walks through the country with his beagles. He could go home to watch the tennis, and applaud politely as Britain's number one gets knocked out in the first round. He might even induldge in a bit of binge drinking. But whatever his passport may say, George Dockrell will always be Irish, which is why as much as he may want all of that, he shouldn't be allowed to play for England.
And the same goes to any player, of any nation, who fancies swapping shirts.
But I'll be fair, and look at why 81 year old 18 year old George (I liked that nickname so much I'm using it again) may want to turn in his shamrock for the three lions.
Well, the first and most obvious draw is test cricket. The pinnacle of world cricket. Everyone who's ever dreamed of playing professional cricket has dreamed of scoring the winning runs in a test. Nobody dreams about playing in the Associate Division Three. (I don't know if that league exists, I just made it up). Put simply, England play tests, and Ireland don't. And don't look like playing it in the next couple of years. So it would only be natural to try and get to play test cricket, even if it means starting afresh in a new country. It's a gamble. Ed Joyce didn't make it. Eoin Morgan did. George Dockrell would only make the switch if he felt that he has a chance to play in tests. But he would feel that it's a gamble worth taking (assuming, of course, that he does decide to hand in his Irish passport and apply for a British one).
There are other factors. Tests aside, England are just a bigger team than Ireland. They will have better facilities. The players will be better looked after off-field. And England are more likely to go out and win some things in some big competitions. As much as Irish cricket has grown over recent years, that too is something that can't be offered to Dockrell if he stays green. If he gets into the England squad, he'll be playing against, and training alongside the best players in the world week-in, week-out. He'll be able to hone his game and improve as a player. Other than the odd world tournament every couple of years, Irish cricket can't offer that either.
Dockrell has moved to Somerset on a couple of years contract. He may marry an English lady (or feller, given today's news) and have some kids who consider themselves to be English. And in time, he may to be belting out "God save the Queen" rather than "Ireland's Call" at the rugby. He may put up a St Georges flag on his roof, and get the three lions tattooed on his arm. He may eat fish and chips, washed down with cups of tea, before going on long walks through the country with his beagles. He could go home to watch the tennis, and applaud politely as Britain's number one gets knocked out in the first round. He might even induldge in a bit of binge drinking. But whatever his passport may say, George Dockrell will always be Irish, which is why as much as he may want all of that, he shouldn't be allowed to play for England.
And the same goes to any player, of any nation, who fancies swapping shirts.
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Dere's More To Oireland Dan Dis
Kevin Kilbane. Mick McCarthy. Tony Cascarino. Andy Townsend. All players who have represented the great nation of Ireland, despite not really being from the Emerald Isle. And we can add to that list Hamish Marshall, who has been named in Ireland's squad to tour India later this year. The same Hamish Marshall who has played 79 times for New Zealand.
I suppose it's a bit harsh for anyone to have a go at Ireland for using other nation's players. It must be difficult to compete on a world stage when truly world class players produced by Ireland are pinched by big brother England. So I'm not having a go at Ireland for attempting to utilise the best players at their disposal. Even if those players are from New Zealand.
Marshall represented the Blackcaps at the 2007 World Cup, and another player named in Ireland's touring squad who played in the Caribbean three and a half years ago is Ed Joyce. Joyce's situation is an odd one - abandoning his country of birth to chase international honours with England, but once he was dropped and had no chance of ever playing again, he wants to come back. The phrase "having your cake and eating it" springs to mind. But the whole situation should never have happened.
Joyce should never have played for England originally, just as Morgan should never have played for England. While I am eternally greatful that Moggy does produce world-class performances in an England shirt, he should be trying to help Ireland break into cricket's elite, rather than trying to win the Ashes. I am not having a go at Morgan for trying to play test cricket and win further honours, and I'm not knocking Joyce's choice to try and do the same. What I'm not in favour of is players being able to switch allegiances midway through their international careers.
The Pietersens, Trotts, and Kieswetters of this world are something very different to players who play a few times for one country, before jumping ship when the grass appears greener elsewhere. I am sympathetic to Joyce and Morgan, knowing that test cricket with Ireland is unlikely, and I'm sympathetic to Marshall, who's international career was effectively ended with an ICL contract. But they shouldn't be able to play for two nations, as they have done.
If Ireland (and countries in similiar situations) are to ever grow and progress, they need the 100% support of their best players. There are rumours that Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling and others are waiting for an England call-up before they renounce their Irish nationality, and in my opinion, that is not on. The ICC should be much more stringent on players flip-flopping on their international careers, otherwise the already weak nations will be weakened ever further.
I suppose it's a bit harsh for anyone to have a go at Ireland for using other nation's players. It must be difficult to compete on a world stage when truly world class players produced by Ireland are pinched by big brother England. So I'm not having a go at Ireland for attempting to utilise the best players at their disposal. Even if those players are from New Zealand.
Marshall represented the Blackcaps at the 2007 World Cup, and another player named in Ireland's touring squad who played in the Caribbean three and a half years ago is Ed Joyce. Joyce's situation is an odd one - abandoning his country of birth to chase international honours with England, but once he was dropped and had no chance of ever playing again, he wants to come back. The phrase "having your cake and eating it" springs to mind. But the whole situation should never have happened.
Joyce should never have played for England originally, just as Morgan should never have played for England. While I am eternally greatful that Moggy does produce world-class performances in an England shirt, he should be trying to help Ireland break into cricket's elite, rather than trying to win the Ashes. I am not having a go at Morgan for trying to play test cricket and win further honours, and I'm not knocking Joyce's choice to try and do the same. What I'm not in favour of is players being able to switch allegiances midway through their international careers.
The Pietersens, Trotts, and Kieswetters of this world are something very different to players who play a few times for one country, before jumping ship when the grass appears greener elsewhere. I am sympathetic to Joyce and Morgan, knowing that test cricket with Ireland is unlikely, and I'm sympathetic to Marshall, who's international career was effectively ended with an ICL contract. But they shouldn't be able to play for two nations, as they have done.
If Ireland (and countries in similiar situations) are to ever grow and progress, they need the 100% support of their best players. There are rumours that Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling and others are waiting for an England call-up before they renounce their Irish nationality, and in my opinion, that is not on. The ICC should be much more stringent on players flip-flopping on their international careers, otherwise the already weak nations will be weakened ever further.
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