The present Cricket West Indies (CWI) high-performance manager Graeme West is ready to take up the Director of High Performance role at Cricket Ireland (CI).

Graeme West will start the new role at Cricket Ireland next month. Although he hasn’t played any top-flight cricket, he has the Level 4 ECB Coaching qualification, which is the highest level. 

West was the coach of the West Indies U19 team during the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016. In the final of that tournament, West Indies U19 team beat India U19 team by five wickets to win the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup tournament for the first time. 

During his early coaching career, West was the Academy Director of Middlesex County Cricket Club. During his tenure, he guided talented Irish youngsters like Andrew and Stuart Poynter, Paul Stirling, and Andrew Balbirnie. 

West started his journey for the CWI in 2012. He was the chief of the CWI High Performance Centre in Barbados. After working with the U19 and A teams, he started as the CWI High Performance Manager in Antigua. He was responsible for the expansion of the High Performance Pathway.

West designed the Academy programs to continue the growth of talented young players, elite coaches, and sports science staff across the region.

I am delighted to be joining Cricket Ireland: Graeme West

West is excited about his new role at Cricket Ireland. 

West stated, "I am delighted to be joining Cricket Ireland as the organisation continues to grow and strengthen. The Strategic Plan for 2024-27 is incredibly exciting and I look forward to applying my experience and philosophy to the wealth of talent and expertise that has been assembled as we further establish Ireland as a major cricketing nation."

On the other hand, the CEO of Cricket Ireland, Warren Deutrom, opened up reasons for Graeme West’s recruitment. 

Deutrom stated, "When we set out to create and recruit for the role, the profile, initiative and experience that Graeme possesses is exactly what we were looking for. We knew that in order to be successful in this new role, the candidate required leadership experience, exceptional people skills and the ability to be a mentor as much as a manager. In Graeme, we believe we have found that candidate.

"As an organisation, we are going through a process of reviewing and evolving our operations to ensure we are fit-for-purpose as a Full Member in a rapidly changing environment. One of the strategic decisions we made was to acknowledge the scale and scope of our work has outgrown our pre-Full Member structures."

Ireland men's team has a busy schedule in 2025

The Ireland men’s team will face South Africa in a two-match T20I and a three-match ODI series from September 27. 

The next calendar year, 2025, will be a busy year for the Ireland men’s team. After touring Zimbabwe in early 2025, Ireland will host the West Indies, England, and Afghanistan before their tour to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. They will play two Tests against the hosts Zimbabwe, only one home Test against Afghanistan, and two Tests against the hosts Bangladesh.  

Meanwhile, Ireland Women’s team is hosting England Women in a three-match WODI series and a two-match WT20I series. 

The 2024 ICC T20 World Cup will be a watershed moment in the cricketing community. This will be the first time the competition has 20 teams competing. Ireland, which has been on the cricketing circuit for a long time but is still working to establish itself as one of the stronger cricket-playing teams, will be present at this assembly.

Ireland has improved much as a team over the years in the shortest game format, so, unsurprisingly, they will compete fiercely with their opponents. So, here are three Irish players to look out for in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

1. Mark Adair

Mark Adair, the Irish fast-bowling all-rounder, has significantly contributed to the squad with both bat and ball. Mark Adair might be an excellent pick, especially in matches against India and Pakistan when he could make a significant impact with both of his trades.

While his ability to take critical wickets is well established, Adair’s ability to score runs in the lower order makes him an even more valuable option. Adair had an impressive cameo appearance in one of the previous matches, demonstrating his hitting abilities. In 83 T20I matches, he scored 2301 runs and took 119 wickets.  

2. Paul Stirling

Paul Stirling will lead the Irish side for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The veteran Irish hitter will be one of the leading players to watch in Ireland’s matchup. The opening stalwart is now Ireland’s top run scorer in T20 World Cup history.

He has a tendency for delivering a game-changing knock in Ireland’s advantage against their group stage opponents. In 142 T20I appearances, he has scored 3589 runs with a strike rate of 135.43 and an average of 27.60. As the stats show, the Ireland cricket squad will highly seek the experience factor.

Also Read: T20 World Cup 2024: 3 key players to watch out for from India

3. Josh Little

Regarding Ireland’s pivotal pillars for the 2024 T20 World Cup, young pacer Josh Little leads the way, having taken the most wickets for his team in the tournament’s history. Little has been Ireland’s most consistent ball-player.

A young and growing player took use of the IPL’s enormous platform, demonstrating his speed for the Gujarat Titans. He has the ability to make a significant contribution during his powerplay stay. In 124 T20I appearances, he has taken 149 wickets at a respectable economy rate of 7.65, which makes it no surprise for him to be one of the players to check out from the Irish side. 

The Ireland men’s cricket team is currently facing uncertainty regarding their participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup due to a contractual dispute between Cricket Ireland (CI) and the Irish Cricketers’ Association (ICA). This article explores the intricacies of the situation and its potential impact on the team’s future.

Expiration of Central Contracts

In March last year, CI announced central contracts for the 2023-24 season, with several players signing either one or two-year deals. However, these contracts expired at the end of February this year, leaving players in limbo as negotiations for the 2024-25 contracts remain unresolved.

See Also: BCCI’s search for new head coach: Rahul Dravid can re-apply, says Jay Shah

Rejection of Contract Offer

Recent reports indicate that male players rejected CI’s most recent contract offer, while female players opted to delay their decision until after the T20 World Cup Qualifiers. This rejection has added further complexity to the negotiations between the players’ association and the cricket board.

Busy Schedule and Contract Negotiations

The Ireland men’s team is currently amidst a packed calendar, with multiple T20Is scheduled between May 10-24 against Pakistan, Netherlands, and Scotland. This busy schedule has made it challenging for players and administrators to prioritize contract negotiations, leading to delays in resolving the dispute.

One of the key sticking points in the negotiations is players’ demands for pay rises. It is understood that these demands will be back-dated to March if approved and when contracts are eventually signed. However, reaching a consensus on the terms of the contracts has proven to be a protracted process.

Statements from Key Figures

Paul Stirling, Ireland’s captain, has expressed his pride in the team’s ability to focus on cricket despite the off-field distractions. However, CI’s spokesperson declined to comment on the negotiations, and the ICA has remained tight-lipped on the matter.

Paul Stirling, Ireland’s captain, told national broadcaster RTÉ Sport: “The ICA is working for us as a players’ group, and we hear from them. I haven’t felt the frustration, but it’s possibly there.

“I think the thing I’m really proud of over the last weeks and months is that we have been able to put that stuff behind us. That could be a distraction, but it’s only a distraction if you make it one. I’m really proud of how the lads have gone in the last few months. I think they’ve made good strides.”

The delay in announcing men’s and women’s home fixtures for 2024 was attributed to funding and logistical issues, which also led to the cancellation of incoming tours and series. These budgetary constraints have further complicated the contract negotiations and affected the team’s preparations for future fixtures.

Impact on T20 World Cup Participation

With the T20 World Cup looming on the horizon, the uncertainty surrounding Ireland’s participation is a cause for concern. The unresolved contract dispute has the potential to disrupt team morale and preparation, casting a shadow over their prospects in the tournament.

CI belatedly announced their men’s and women’s home fixtures for 2024 last week, following a long delay which owed to the late sign-off of their budget. Funding and logistical issues have caused the cancellation of an incoming men’s tour by Australia and a men’s white-ball series against Zimbabwe, while their men’s ‘home’ series against South Africa will be staged in Abu Dhabi.