India and South Africa fixtures in Ireland

**DaveyCakes** · 03/05/2007, 11:35 AM

India and South Africa will play a 3-match ODI series in Belfast on June 26, 29, and July 1.

Before this Ireland will play India on June 23, and South Africa on June 24, also at Stormont.

**Jerry The Saint** · 03/05/2007, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by DaveyCakes

India and South Africa will play a 3-match ODI series in Belfast on June 26, 29, and July 1.

Before this Ireland will play India on June 23, and South Africa on June 24, also at Stormont.

That's a shame, there was talk of moving the warm-up games to Dublin. Poor crowd at the Kent game, well below expectations - are the ICU blowing a great chance to popularise the game down south?

**TheBoss** · 03/05/2007, 11:41 AM

They want to remain neutral to keep the political element out of it, the ICU might get criticised if they were in Dublin.

At least we can SA again and good game v India

**noby** · 03/05/2007, 12:11 PM

Is there not a tri-series in july with the windies and Holland in Dublin?

**Sheridan** · 03/05/2007, 12:22 PM

Supposedly. There was talk of moving the IND-SA series to Dublin and staging the Ireland games in Belfast in order to cash in on the preponderance of subcontinental and South African expats down south. Staging all the games at Stormont is ludicrous and unfair in my view, particularly with the European Twenty20 Championships also scheduled for Belfast. Incidentally, Dublin in this context means Clontarf, and Belfast means Stormont (the only ODI-approved grounds in Ireland, although Eglinton hope to be upgraded soon.) Stormont has twice the capacity of Clontarf but I doubt the surplus will be utilised.

**Jerry The Saint** · 03/05/2007, 2:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

Staging all the games at Stormont is ludicrous and unfair in my view, particularly with the European Twenty20 Championships also scheduled for Belfast.

Totally agree, it's all very well being politically correct and not wanting to be accused of abandoning the North but they need to go where the people are. The amount of media coverage for a full ODI in Dublin would be far greater than another in Stormont. Would also give more opportunites to grow the game in new areas by encouraging support from around the 32 counties.