Ireland 2015 World Cup hopes receive a boost

LONDON, (Reuters) – Ireland’s hopes of competing at  the 2015 World Cup were boosted yesterday when the world  governing board’s cricket committee recommended a qualifying  competition for the 50-over tournament.

Last month the International Cricket Council (ICC) said it  would restrict the World Cup, which will be staged in Australia  and New Zealand, to its 10 test-playing member nations only.

Fourteen teams, including Ireland who recorded a memorable  win over England after beating Pakistan four years earlier, took  part in this year’s World Cup.

“The committee resolved to pass on a recommendation to the  chief executives’ committee and to the board that they favoured  a system of qualification for the World Cup and not making the  World Cup restricted to the 10 full members,” ICC general  manager Dave Richardson told a news conference at Lord’s.

He said this proposal would give Ireland an opportunity to  qualify.