IF one player could have been singled out for credit when Ireland qualified for their first World Cup eight years ago, it was Ed Joyce. He hadn't played for his country for four years, but returned to score 399 runs in five appearances in the tournament that saw Ireland qualify for the 2007 World Cup.
Like Moses, he never made it to that particular Promised Land, because by the time it came around he was in the blue of England. But Joyce has risen again, and yesterday's unbeaten 96 went a long way towards ensuring Ireland reaches a third consecutive World Cup. Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom is delighted of course, but he also knows that qualifying for the big tournaments is only the start of it for his senior team these days.
"Getting to the World Cup is everything to us", he told Inside Edge.
"There's the qualification fee, which gives us a million US dollars (€778,000) over 3 to 4 years, and it also gives us the certainty to be able to approach the Full Members and say ‘we're going to be in the next World Cup'. It gives us a stronger argument to get fixtures."
Deutrom revealed that he has approached Sri Lanka and Pakistan to invite Ireland into the schedule when the sides meet next Spring in UAE. A triangular T20 tournament would be very useful practice should Ireland reach the 2014 World Twenty20. And with Sri Lanka and India both touring England next summer he is confident at least one of the Asian giants can be persuaded to visit.
For now though, Deutrom is relieved that qualification for the 50 over World Cup in 2015 has been achieved.
"If you trace the modern renaissance, it was the victories over Pakistan and Bangladesh, and over England in 2011 that led to increased profile for Ireland at home, in the media, and in the wider cricket world. That led to increased investment, from the governments, from ICC and from our sponsors RSA. That all happened because of what we achieved at the Cricket World Cups."
But Deutrom and his organisation spent a lot of energy post-2011 shoring up Ireland's position when ICC tried to cut the size of its World Cup, attempting to make it ‘Members Only'.
Can he rule out that sort of power-grab happening again?
"I never say ‘never'," he says, "But I believe that our consistency will stand to us with ICC. We keep producing results and keep qualifying, and we keep showing we can produce players who can play at the highest level. Our women, and our Under 19s are also doing well, and our senior side has showed it can excel at the 20 over and four-day formats too.
"This all scores well with ICC, who also see that we can generate more non-ICC income that all the other 95 Associates and Affiliates, and our percentage of non-ICC income is higher than most of the Full members too. We can also show ICC that our participation numbers have risen from 25,000 to 40,000 since the last World Cup.
"Qualifying for a World Cup demonstrates once again that we are consistently competitive and have the players to do well when we get there."
Deutrom travelled to Amstelveen yesterday, and admitted to pocketing the Cricket Ireland credit card. A few rounds of drinks for his heroes certainly won't be queried by the auditors.
And if he buys Joyce the Grolsch brewery few will begrudge it.
Tweet of the week: Tasmania's former Trinity & YMCA pro Ben Dunk (@bendunk514h) "Great to be back in the local last night in Dublin. Not a great sight though!!!" To clear things up, Alan Lewis was applying ice to his hamstring.
Cricket4Cancer had a very successful fund-raising day in Civil Service this week. The Gardaí beat the Fire Brigade, almost 3,000 euros were raised and ‘Somebody Told Me' that Inside Edge won tickets to the Killers! Their mycharity.ie page is still open for donations.
Performance of the week: He came in at 20-4, soon 26-6, but made 101 out of a total 140 to rescue Fox Lodge from humiliation. Andrew McGinnis hit 6x4s and 10x6s but Clontarf eventually came out winners.