Cricket Ireland has decided to postpone their white-ball series against Australia, which was scheduled for August this year, due to financial constraints. The series was set to include three ODIs and a T20I, but Cricket Ireland’s chief, Warren Deutrom, confirmed that the decision was made to avoid a significant financial loss for the board.
Deutrom explained, “The simple fact for us was that because we have so few pitches here in Ireland that can host international cricket, we had to make a fairly difficult decision.” He further elaborated that opening up Malahide Cricket Ground, where the matches were to be held, would have resulted in a very significant six-figure loss for the board.
He also pointed out that hosting Australia would not have covered the cost of production and opening up Malahide, as Australia would have been the fourth-largest broadcast rights holder among the various opponents. Deutrom emphasized the need to make such difficult decisions to manage the board’s finances effectively.
Last year, Ireland hosted India for a three-match T20I series at Malahide, which required temporary infrastructure to accommodate more fans. In 2022, Afghanistan also toured Ireland for a five-game T20I series in Belfast, which also needed temporary infrastructure.
Despite the postponement of the Australia series, Deutrom highlighted Cricket Ireland’s commitment to international cricket. He mentioned plans to build a new cricket stadium and emphasized the board’s support for women’s and age-level cricket.
Ireland’s next cricket assignments include a T20I series against Pakistan next month and a one-off Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is against Zimbabwe. They are also scheduled to host South Africa for two white-ball series, although these fixtures may also face postponement or cancellation.
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram
