Ireland Test in Sri Lanka postponed over absence of broadcast partner
Ireland’s proposed Test match against Sri Lanka in the new year has been postponed due to the lack of a broadcast partner.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) made the announcement on Wednesday and hope to reschedule the February Test for later in 2020.
The country’s original broadcast agreement was concluded in 2013, when Ireland was not a full member country, and ICC rules dictate that all international Tests must be broadcast.
“We were far progressed in our planning for this short tour, so we and the travelling squad are obviously disappointed,” said Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom.
“Most of all, we are deeply sorry for those family, friends, cricket fans and media who would have gone to such trouble to make arrangements to travel to Galle for the match.
“Rest assured we shall work as quickly as possible with SLC to identify an alternative slot for the match and we shall communicate that as soon as it is confirmed. We’d like to thank the Ireland fans for their continued support and understanding.”
ALSO READ: Cricket365’s Test Team of the Decade
Cricket Ireland have agreed to SLC’s request to reschedule the tour for a later date to ensure that the proposed one-off Test match will come under the next broadcast agreement.
The news of the postponement comes just a day after Ireland cancelled their T20 series with Afghanistan and their plans to change their home Test with Bangladesh to a T20 match.
A remarkable inaugural Test match between Ireland and England in July at Lord’s saw the hosts bowled out for just 85.
Ireland replied with 207 before England made 303 and bowled the tourists out for 38 – the lowest Test score ever recorded at Lord’s – to win the Test a fortnight after the dramatic World Cup victory at the same venue.
Latest
-
NewsNottinghamshire in control against Essex as 15 wickets fall at Trent Bridge
James Anderson removed Marnus Labuschagne cheaply.
-
NewsEngland could stage remaining IPL games in September as counties contact ECB
It is believed the matches could be wrapped up in little over a fortnight if a model of two games a day and three on weekends was adopted.
-
NewsOn This Day in 1988 – Worcestershire’s Graeme Hick scores 405 in single innings
Hick set a 20th-century County Championship record six years before Brian Lara broke it with his 501 not out for Warwickshire.
-
NewsJofra Archer shows flashes of top form on return from injury
Archer continued his return to action in a Second XI County Championship match at Hove.
-
NewsChris Jordan says suspending IPL ‘the right call’ as he awaits return to England
There has already been plenty of debate over whether the tournament should have continued as long as it did during a public health emergency.
-
NewsOn this day in 2011: Alastair Cook was named as England’s new ODI captain
Cook replaced Andrew Strauss, who retired from one-day cricket, while Broad took over from Paul Collingwood.
-
NewsFormer Australian Test cricketer victim of targeted kidnapping, police say
MacGill played 44 Tests for Australia and took 208 wickets.
-
NewsEngland contigent start to return home after IPL postponed due to coronavirus
The majority of England’s players at the tournament are expected to fly home imminently.
-
NewsEnglish contingent aiming to secure flights home with IPL postponed due to Covid
Positive cases in three of the eight franchises effectively proved that the players’ bio-secure bubbles were no longer able to stave off the threat.
-
NewsQ&A: What’s happened to this year’s IPL and what does it all mean?
There are 11 English representatives still involved.