A PUBLICATION entitled The Googly, cricket's equivalent of Viz, recently ran a cartoon which, perhaps, represented the attitude of the Test playing nations towards the more obscure out posts of the game. Batsman faces bowler on a dangerously narrow mountain pass with cover point precariously balanced on an adjacent cliff face. Short leg hangs over a precipice. Mountain peaks rise high in the background and the caption reads. "Nepal exploit home advantage in the ICC Trophy."

David Richards, chief executive of the International Cricket Council and a visitor to Dublin last weekend, admits that he is constantly amazed by the communications he receives from cricketing organisations in the likeliest of spots. However, he is enthusiastic about the challenge of developing a game that has been essentially Commonwealth based into a global sport.

"The interesting thing is trying to get people who are basically conservative to accept the notion of change. Fifteen years ago, with South, Africa ostracised, there were just six Test playing nations, while now there are 12 countries competing in the World Cup, with Kenya managing to beat The West Indies.

"There's still a hell of a way to go. We've got to build a much stronger profile in Europe, in North America and in other parts of Asia apart from the sub continent."

Things certainly have changed. Not so long ago, the notion of an Australian holding a position of power at Lord's would have made the members choke on their tea and crumpets. However, since the ICC became independent of the MCC in 1993, Richards has been in situ at St John's Wood, administrating to nine Test playing nations and 22 associate member countries.

He began his administrative career at 26 and spent eight years working in his native Melbourne with the Victoria Cricket Association before beginning a highly successful 13 year spell as chief of the Australian Cricket Board. His current five year contract with the ICC expires in 1998 but he hopes to oversee the game's international development into the next century.

The newest associate members to have been accepted to the club are the Scottish Cricket Union and the Associazione Italiana Cricket, while France and Nepal are up for inspection in the near future.

Ireland was elected just prior to the last ICC Trophy in Nairobi, a competition that decides the three non Test playing nations who will qualify for the World Cup proper. The purpose of the recent visit by Richards was to observe the workings of the Irish Cricket Union at close hand and to give any advice that he saw necessary.

He was also able to provide some practical information on the set up in Kuala Lumpur, which is the location for the next ICC Trophy next spring, where the players will have to operate on synthetic wickets in blistering conditions. Apparently, the principal reason for playing on artificial strips is climactic. Almost every afternoon, there is a thunderstorm which would prevent further play on grass but which normally only causes about an hour's delay. Following his recent reconnaissance mission to that part of the world, national coach Mike Hendrick will be able to brief his players on what to expect, on and off the pitch.

The build up to Malaysia begins this week with the first of Ireland's Benson and Hedges League games, against Hampshire at Southampton on Friday and against Sussex at Hove on Sunday. Unlike last year when the squad's preparation was confined to indoor nets, two warns up games have been organised. Today, Ireland are at Worcester, while they face Somerset at Taunton tomorrow.

The prospect of facing county professionals on their home patch is always a daunting one and this year Ireland must adapt to the competition's new playing regulations, which are along the same lines as the World Cup only two men out for the first 15 overs, two compulsory close catchers and so on. It will be interesting to see how they cope.

England have taken the next logical step in their recovery plan by reappointing Mike Atherton as captain for the first half of this summer.

The 28 year old Lancashire batsman will lead his country for the three one day internationals and three Tests against India.

Any other outcome, despite England's winter failures, was unthinkable and Ray Illingworth has wasted no time in squashing even the hint of speculation.

Illingworth consulted his new selection panel of David Lloyd Graham Gooch and David Graveney over the weekend, rubber stamped the verdict with Test and County Cricket Board chairman Dennis Silk yesterday morning and made the announcement yesterday afternoon.

"I'm delighted," was Atherton's first reaction as he waited to bat in Lancashire's one day friendly against Yorkshire at Old Trafford. I feel full of running and refreshed. The World CLIP was very bard and it's been a long winter for everyone. We had a bad World Cup, but I think the damage was done before that."

Atherton is already on record as saying that the seven one day internationals England played against South Africa in January hampered rather than helped the World Cup campaign.