Deutrom jubilant after ICC U-turn

Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom hailed a "great day" for cricket after the ICC performed a u-turn to allow Associate countries to play in the next ICC CWC.

The ICC announced on Tuesday that it would include four Associate nations, as well as its 10 full members, at the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
The move came just over two months after the governing body had revealed it no longer wanted to have a 14-team World Cup and that the tournament would be restricted to only its full members.
However, after that ruling was met with widespread condemnation, the ICC agreed to review the decision at this week's annual meeting in Hong Kong, culminating in today's u-turn.
"It is a great day for Associate cricket," Deutrom told Sky Sports News.
"The fact is the ICC board should make decisions which should promote the sport globally. The directors have a fiduciary duty to do that.
"I think they understood that following the outcry after the decision - they needed to revisit it. That's exactly what they have done.
"I would certainly commend the ICC board for their decision today. It takes courage to do that."
Cricket Ireland's public disapproval of their omission had been backed by large sections of the cricket community, after the Irish had proved their ability to compete on the highest stage at this year's World Cup - most notably when they beat England.
Deutrom admitted that support had filled him with confidence ahead of today's meeting.
"What happened since the decision was made, was that a large number of people came out and expressed their own sense of indignation - it wasn't just in the Associate world," he said.
"There were more than 90% of ICC members, 95 out of 105, who felt disenfranchised by the decision.
"Ninety per cent of players in FICA's survey, the Federation of International Cricketers, also disagreed - and these are guys from Test-playing nations who felt the decision was wrong.
"There was a huge weight of opinion, of credible expert opinion that felt the decision needed to be revisited.
"Today's decision is a vindication of all the hard work we've done behind the scenes."
Ireland batsman Kevin O'Brien, who blasted the fastest-ever World Cup century in his side's spectacular win over England, was also relieved to be given the chance to return to cricket's top table.
"I think it's the right decision from the ICC, not just for Ireland, but all the other 95 countries who aspire to play in World Cups," he said.
"There's no doubt that it will help spread the game even further, and that's got to be good for the future of the sport."
Ireland will now be heavily favoured to play at their third consecutive World Cup, after establishing themselves as the best-performing Associate nation in recent years.
The fact they may be joined by another three Associate nations in the Antipodes was the slightly surprising part of today's decision after the ICC had seemed reticent to retain a 14-team tournament.
This year's showpiece was derided for being too long, while the likes of Kenya and Canada provided little competition to add to an early malaise which undermined the six-week tournament.
The decision to keep 14 teams was made all the more curious after it was announced that there would only be 10 teams at the 2019 World Cup.
The top-eight teams in the ICC rankings will qualify for that tournament with the remaining two places to be decided in a qualification tournament that many thought would be introduced in time for the upcoming World Cup.
The ICC also revealed today that the next two World Twenty20 tournaments would be reduced back to 12 teams.
The ICC had increased the number to 16, to feather the blow of the Associate nations being left out of the 50-over World Cup, however, they have also reversed that decision.