IT IS a competition that has taken a fair share of stick since its inception in 2004, but for Ireland, the Intercontinental Cup is an ongoing love affair that looks set to continue growing.

Last week's comprehensive innings and 67 run victory over the Netherlands put Phil Simmons's team into second spot in the table behind Namibia, while a victory over Canada in Malahide next month would put Ireland above the African country approaching the business end of the competition.

A tough double-header away to Namibia and Kenya awaits in October, but Ireland should be able to call on their County-based players as they aim to win the title for the third straight time. Their domination of the competition has seen Ireland lose just one game in four years, and that was when the preparation of a green-top at Clontarf back-fired spectacularly against Scotland in 2004.

Last week's win was the fifth time in 14 matches that victory has been secured by an innings, including last year's final against Canada at Grace Road.

Ireland's batsmen have showed their aptitude in the longer form of the game by averaging over 350 in their first innings, a figure that rockets up to 468 in the four games played in the present competition.

As well as exposing players to first-class cricket, the competition has held restorative properties for Irish cricket over the years.

Ireland's nightmare in Aberdeen was quickly wiped away in Rotterdam, with players such as Peter Connell (10 wickets including a hat-trick on his first-class debut) and Andrew Poynter (76 not out) grateful for the breathing space that the One Day game does not allow.

Both World Cup coach Adi Birrell and skipper Trent Johnston have put on record how important the victory over the UAE was in the build-up to last year's stunning performances in the Caribbean. That victory came after a hugely disappointing World Cricket League in Nairobi that saw Ireland lose four out of five games, their solitary win coming against Bermuda.

Despite the obvious benefits to Associate nations in playing regular first-class competition, the naysayers have been vocal in calling the competition a waste of time and money, with no obvious pathway leading from it.

Condemnation of the validity of the competition came from some unusual sources with veteran West Indian broadcaster and journalist, Tony Cozier, leading the charge.

"Certainly there is no ICC venture more illogical or costly than the one dubbed the Intercontinental Cup', wrote Cozier last November, believing that cricket's ruling body would be better off pumping the money into the likes of West Indian cricket.

Cozier seems slightly blinded to the fact that the West Indies Cricket Board, despite massive funding, have overseen the demise of a once–great team and dwindling playing numbers in the region. They have also been handed a life-line by jumping into bed with Texan billionaire Allen Stanford, whose motives are still far from clear.

The facts are that the ICC put around US$400,000 into running the Intercontinental Cup, with the participants adding $120,000 of their own cash. So for half a million dollars or so, the Associate cricketing countries get to play meaningful first-class cricket that can only help to develop players.

It's spare change considering the ICC recently voted to continue pumping over $11m into Zimbabwean cricket, even after two independent reports the ICC commissioned themselves highlighted serious financial improprieties in the running of the game in the troubled country.

Although the Intercontinental Cup holds merit as a competition, the one valid point Cozier makes is that it fails to offer a stepping stone to anything further. The ICC could solve that by offering the winner the chance to play a one-off Test against a team such as Bangladesh to gauge the real strength of Associate countries.

Oh, and a nice bundle of cash to go with it.

Emmet Riordan's column appears in the Irish Times every Wednesday.