Porterfield critical of ICC ahead of UAE clash

2015 World Cup

Ireland captain William Porterfield has once again expressed his frustration that cricket's governing body wants to cut the amount of teams playing at future World Cups from the current 14 to 10.

Porterfield's Ireland team has already shown at this tournament that they are not just making up the numbers, after they beat the West Indies in their first match.

The other Associate nations have also not disgraced themselves, in fact some of the more exciting matches at this year's tournament have involved the smaller cricketing countries.

Beside's the Irish result, Scotland ran co-hosts New Zealand close, the UAE notched up their highest ever ODI score against Zimbabwe – and Afghanistan almost overcame Sri Lanka.

Porterfield, whose Ireland side face the UAE in Brisbane on Wednesday, thinks the ICC should try an expand the game rather than keep it being played between an elite few teams. Ireland have only had nine ODIs against Test-playing nations in the last four years.

The 30 year-old Portefield said: "It wouldn't be a World Cup if you just keep reducing teams down to the top few teams that are ranked.

"It's frustrating whenever you come to tournaments and the governing body wants to keep cutting teams. Cricket is the only sport in the world that does that when it comes to world events.

"It's very disappointing and frustrating from our point of view that that's the way the ICC are viewing things.

"We have played nine ODIs against top-eight teams in the last four years. That is not a lot of cricket – about two games a year against top nations. That is not acceptable. It is not what developing the game is about.

"Hopefully if people get behind that then things can change and it's not just a case of narrowing down the teams, it's a case of expanding the game."

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