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‘Silver Jubilee’
ICC Trophy Ireland 2005 is ‘all about five’ |
Fixtures confirmed for July’s ICC
Cricket World Cup qualifier
ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed today (Thursday March 10, 2005)
officially launched the ICC Trophy Ireland 2005, unveiling the
fixtures schedule and highlighting that the event would offer a
pathway to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 for five countries.
The eighth ICC Trophy will see 42 matches held at a record 25 venues
across northern and southern Ireland beginning with six matches around
Belfast on 1 July and concluding with the final at Clontarf on 13
July.
“It is 25 years since Sri Lanka beat Canada in the final of the first
ICC Trophy in England and on the occasion of this event’s Silver
Jubilee there is more at stake for the 12 participating teams than
ever,” said Mr Speed who was speaking at receptions for civic, media
and host club representatives in Dublin and Belfast.
“As well as competing for the prestigious ICC Trophy, this event is
about the five remaining places at the next ICC Cricket World Cup in
the West Indies.
“There are five previous winners of the ICC Trophy. Three have gone on
to claim Test match status while the other two, the holders Holland
and United Arab Emirates, will be amongst the contenders in Ireland.
“This event provides a unique insight into the relative merits of the
top teams outside the established Test-playing nations. The Irish
Cricket Union and its stakeholders now have three-and-a-half months to
deliver a world class event and I wish them every success with their
task.”
The President of the Irish Cricket Union, Stan Mitchell, said the ICC
Trophy would be “a huge shot in the arm for cricket throughout
Ireland”.
“The tournament will simply be the biggest event in the long history
of the Irish Cricket Union and with five places at stake for the next
ICC Cricket World Cup, it will build up terrific support. I have no
doubt it will give a new lease of life to the sport throughout the
island, not only at the highest level but also at that vitally
important grass-roots, development level,” said Mr Mitchell.
“Cricket knows no boundaries in Ireland and we are particularly
grateful to the ICC for breaking with the tradition of one centre to
allow the tournament to be played north and south of the border. We
are also most grateful to northern and southern government agencies
and public bodies for helping to ensure the facilities necessary to
host the tournament.
“I am very much aware that the tour represents a huge challenge of
organisation but I have no doubt that host clubs up and down the
country will be more than equal to the task.
“I am also confident that local enthusiasts will give tremendous
support to all the games, making it a true and memorable festival of
cricket. And I would appeal to cricket enthusiasts abroad to travel to
Ireland, not just to support their team, but to enjoy the hospitality
for which Ireland is justly famous.”
The group stage of the ICC Trophy will begin at venues around Belfast
on 1 July before the knockout stages climax in the Dublin area with
the final on 13 July.
For the first time in the tournament’s 25 year history the players
will wear coloured clothing. |
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