I would like them to first play ODI's regularly with the bigger teams and then consider test spot. We just don't want to have another test team that can't compete with the best teams.
Exactly. We already have a division within a division without actually splitting them, mostly because people are selfish including the boards and are worried they might not be in the elite group or "what if the Ashes don't take place, wah wah wah"
Zimbabwe and Bangladesh are strugglers, West Indies not much better and New Zealand also in the lower of the divisions with the division. One collapse in the West Indies led to the only series defeat England have suffered against that lot, Test defeats are also as rare and yet we continue to play them as "equals".
Actually not Just Ireland but other associates like Netherland,Scotland,Afghanistan who are putting up a good fight against big teams should be given ODI status and should play big teams regularly.
I suggest the way forward is to trial tiers in ODIs which should reduce the ODI schedule, and if it works out with extra countries making up say three tiers, then move to making it happen in Tests.
The plus? Some tours will be shorter, less cricket and the "Championship" can be played properly rather than just being a glorified ranking with say six team in each tier and just 10 series to complete a "Championship".
While some may fear they won't get to play their favourite series, who says you can't outside of the competition structure? It just means it would be outside of the competition, so say the Ashes happened to not be a competitive fixture in the sense it wouldn't count towards a championship and points, it wouldn't stop being competitive and each "friendly" could be counted in the averages just the same.
But just giving Ireland Test status would be wrong. They can be a good side on their day, but they would struggle and there's too many teams already. Oversimplified reaction from those voting for "yes", they were still only around the 9th-10th best
ODI SIDE at the World Cup and the Test arena already has four sides (Zimbabwe only nominally at the moment) who aren't good enough.
Mohit is right, I gather Ireland is going to play the big guns more frequently with some big names set to play them, but they need to be beating the big guns more regularly as well before even considering Test status. As far as I'm concerned there isn't a space in Test cricket for them
in the current structure so any bandwagon trying to garner support for their "promotion" should perhaps aim at a restructure. Bangladesh getting Test status is not viewed as a big success, Sri Lanka were the last truly successful promotion and while Zimbabwe have had their moments they too have struggled and shown a need for tiers