Cricket Ireland v EnglandThe Irish Cricket Union will tell you that today is a historic day for the game on this island. And in some ways they are right. Ireland have been playing international matches for 150 years and today is the first time to be taking on the full England side. It is also the first time a game involving Ireland will have been granted one-day international (ODI) status by the game's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC).
But forgive me if I don't get too excited about it. Despite the fact they are our closest Test-playing nation and therefore have moral obligations as full members of the ICC to support the development of the game beyond its traditional boundaries, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have done nothing to make this match the success it undoubtedly will be.
The ECB made no secret of the fact they did not want the match to be granted ODI status. They wanted the ICU to stage a mere friendly because then they could have used it as an opportunity to give all 15 members of their one-day squad a run-out. They could have given all bowlers a bowl and all batsmen a knock, turning the match into a farce in the process.
Talking privately, many ECB officials feel that granting ODI status to a team as relatively weak as Ireland devalues the concept of the one-day international and that this match will bring with it no value to England.
Thankfully, the ICC insisted that the match must go ahead as an ODI and we will therefore see a strong England side take the field.
Last week, I asked the ICC and the ECB to comment on the staging of this match and the two responses I received speak volumes of their respective attitudes. The ICC president Ehsan Mani sent me a passionate 670-word piece on how he feels this game is a crucial step forward, not only for Ireland but for all non-Test playing nations. He criticises the detractors, saying their view is "dangerous" and "short-term".
From the ECB I got 43 bland words from an unnamed "spokesperson". It all smacks of the big brother reluctantly agreeing to go into the back garden with his annoying younger sibling to hit him a few catches, just because Mother told him to.
And no doubt the ECB blazers will be strutting around Stormont today expecting grovelling thanks at every turn.
It will be great for the 8,000 or so people to see some of the best players around performing in Ireland - it starts at 10.45 - and it will be marvellous for the ICU, who are aiming to make around £100,000 from the day but for me, the good has gone out of it.
Irishman Ed Joyce who is due to make his debut for England against his native country at Stormont today may miss out because of a stomach bug. Joyce, who travelled to Belfast yesterday, saw a doctor last night and has been classed as doubtful by England management. Meanwhile, Ireland will definitely be without Eoin Morgan of Middlesex and Kent's Niall O'Brien who are playing for their counties. William Porterfield comes into the squad as a replacement.
IRELAND SQUAD: T Johnston (captain), J Bray, D Joyce, A Botha, P Gillespie, W Porterfield, K McCallan, A White, P Mooney, J Mooney, D Langford-Smith, K O'Brien.
ENGLAND SQUAD: A Strauss (captain), E Joyce, M Trescothick, K Pietersen, I Bell, T Bresnan, G Chapple, P Collingwood, A Cook, J Dalrymple, S Harmison, G Jones, A Loudon, S Mahmood, L Plunkett.
