Ireland’s "long wait" to reach the top table of int'l cricket recognition was "rubber stamped on the back of a unanimous vote" at the Int'l Cricket Council’s annual conference at The Oval in London on Thursday, according to Emmet Riordan of the IRISH TIMES. The vote also admitted Afghanistan as a full member, with both sides "now eligible to play Test match cricket for the first time, bringing the number of countries playing Tests to 12." A statement from the ICC confirmed "both have clearly demonstrated they meet the new criteria and as such have made the progression to Full Membership." Ireland and Afghanistan will now stand to receive a "bigger wedge" of the $215M set aside for those sides outside the present Test-playing nations (IRISH TIMES, 6/22). In Dublin, Mark Mann-Bryans reported Ireland has been playing as an affiliate member since '93 and "recorded famous victories over Pakistan, England and the West Indies in that time." Ireland int'l Gary Wilson "welcomed the news" by posting a statement on Twitter. He wrote, "An historic day for Irish cricket. Years worth of work feels like it has been recognised. There are many people in the background that have made this happen" (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 6/22). RTÉ reported it has been "almost two decades" since Bangladesh was the last country to be granted Test status but ICC CEO David Richardson "praised both Ireland and Afghanistan's credentials" as they become the 11th and 12th members of Test match cricket's club. There are "nevertheless questions about how well the new members will do in the game's longest format" (RTÉ, 6/22).
