I am astonished that some people on the forum were arguing that because Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan improved their game at Middlesex they somehow owe England. I cannot understand that logic. Middlesex helped develop the cricket abilities of the two lads so they could benefit Middlesex first and foremost. This is no different than the reason people help develop youngsters at every club in Ireland.

The coaching structures in place there at Middlesex are partly funded by the ECB as they are in every County side and this in turn comes from a large pot of money distributed by the ICC. Indeed a lot of money also comes from hosting Test matches which is something that Ireland is not allowed to do.

One of the reasons previous Ireland players did not achieve the same success as this group of players is because they were not given the chance or opportunities. There has always been talented cricketers. There is no question that current Ireland players have developed their skills because of the Intercontinental Trophy, a 4 day competition with their peers, and regular competition against full time professionals.

The argument is we can't play international cricket as a full member because we aren't beating Counties on a regular basis. I would argue that we are starting to beat Counties on a more regular basis than at any time in my memory. Indeed even when we lose the games are competitive. Bear in mind we are competing with the county teams without our best players in the FP trophy. How competitive would Bangladesh or Zimbabwe be against the Counties?

To make comparisons with catchment areas and population isn't a like for like comparison either. It is not the size of the population but the number of registered players. The Ireland underage coaching structure proves that we are actually punching way above our weight for developing cricketers. If the counties are so good at producing cricketers than why do Ireland regularly face county teams in the FP trophy consisting of 4,5 or 6 overseas players playing their trade under the Kolpak arrangements.

Should those South Africans declare themselves available for England because the counties are helping them develop their game? By some of the forum contributors logic they should!

I also do not understand Niall Morrisey's point about Morgan and Joyce wintering abroad independent of Cricket Ireland. I go to the nets myself to practice independently of Cricket Ireland and have toured with the Grasshoppers over the winter independently of Cricket Ireland. They are due no credit for any improvement I make or the blame for any decline.

Ed Joyce, Eoin Morgan, William Porterfield, Boyd Rankin and others are professional sportsmen who want to reach the top of their profession. At this point in time they cannot do that with Ireland. They cannot be blamed at all if they go and play for England.

Nor can Cricket Ireland be blamed. I ask you what more could Ireland do to achieve Test status. Whether you think they are ready for it or not is irrelevant. Almost every other nation has not been ready for it when admitted but they eventually reached the standard.

The fact is that the blame lies 100% with the ICC. The visionaries like the late Bob Woolmer helped create a system that enabled the game to develop around the world. Now they have got a team that has proved itself worthy of competing on the top stage and the power brokers and the money men haven't got the guts to make a positive decision but prefer to play politics with the resources.

Eventually someone will be found in the ICC who can see beyond counting beans. Zimbabwe cricket is dying. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in turmoil and Pakistan is finished as a country fit to host cricket for the foreseeable future. India cant even provide the security for it's much vaunted IPL. The cricket world is shrinking.

Football is the biggest global sport. Every country is given the same opportunity to grow and develop. Look at the way rugby has developed its sport. Italy has added its own dimension to the Six Nations and has enhanced the competition. Sure they are not winning a lot of games but they are competitive and are becoming more so every year. I may not live to see it but I can assure you that one day an Italian side will win the grand slam.

Ireland would add a new dimension to International cricket. But the ICC need to act rather than dither. The choice is to expand or contract. To grow or to die.