(Reuters) – Ireland will hold talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) about the possibility of playing a test match at Lord’s in 2019 after they and Afghanistan were granted full-member status by the International Cricket Council on Thursday.
The two countries became the game’s 11th and 12th test playing nations after their applications was unanimously backed by the ICC.
Cricket Ireland Chief Executive Warren Deutrom is hopeful of a return to Lord’s where they played the second of the two one-day international games in England last month.
“We saw recently that Ireland were able to get 25,000 bums on seats at Lord’s in May, when it is not easy to sell tickets,” Deutrom told reporters.
“When I sit down with (ECB CEO) Tom Harrison I will be reminding him of Giles Clarke (former ECB chairman) referring to the ‘glittering prize’ of Ireland playing against England at Lord’s.
“For that to be the case we need to have discussions to see how it can pan out. We do have a busy season ahead for both of us next year.”
Both Ireland and Afghanistan are yet to set dates for their inaugural tests.
