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Warren Deutrom, the CEO of the Irish Cricket Union, has hit back at reports that the game in Ireland is in crisis following a year where they will struggled to break even despite their success at the World Cup.The ICU needed a grant of £250,000 from the Irish Sports Council to stabilise it during the season after extra costs associated with the World Cup, and the predicted windfall from a series of high-profile ODIs with India and South Africa was undermined by poor weather. But Deutrom says Ireland’s difficulties are similar to those faced by other nations.”First, it is important to say that you are correct that it has been a difficult financial year for Irish cricket – that is a recognised fact and no-one disputes that,” he said. “In that regard, we are probably no different to many other small national governing bodies that struggle to make ends meet. The World Cup was certainly not a ‘cash bonanza’ as you described it, and we have experienced tough times this year.”It was a tough year financially for us, but we will get through it to the point whereby our new commercial structures will bear fruit, we will have an agreement for media rights in place, and significant monies from the ICC will flow down in 2009. These things take time, but we will get there through hard work, passion and dedication.”Deutrom added that there were a huge number of people working tirelessly to try and make Irish cricket a success. “We certainly do not claim to be perfect or infallible, but there is nothing but hard-work and passion for the sport in the ICU, whether it is the handful of employees or the army of enthusiastic volunteers who have put the sport where it is today.”And, Deutrom said, the fact that the Irish Sports Council and ICC were willing to help the ICU with its finances shows that the board has developed a sound footing which could be trusted and that people should be “applauding Irish cricket for developing these relationships to the extent whereby they are prepared to have confidence in us to manage this properly.”He pinpointed the awarding of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers to Belfast next year as a sign as to how highly Ireland are regarded. “ICC does not award such prestigious events to poorly-managed, inefficient administrations,” he said.In relation to the lack of a sponsor since Bank of Ireland withdrew earlier this year, Deutrom said these large negotiations take time and added that the board “are in the middle of talks with a major brand,” and as such it is at a very delicate stage and can’t be discussed in public.

Scorecard

A 52-ball century from Michael Dighton buried New South Wales and earned Tasmania a place in the final as the Blues fell 37 runs short of the target. The Tigers will travel to Melbourne to play Victoria for the KFC Twenty20 title after Dighton pushed his side to 7 for 202 with one of the most impressive innings in the competition’s short history.He finished with 111 from 56 deliveries but only struck five sixes, scoring more through his 13 fours. Dighton used his feet to Aaron O’Brien, the left-arm spinner, repeatedly driving him in the air through cover. O’Brien’s four overs cost 55 and Dighton also took a liking to Dominic Thornely, whose four overs of medium pace were taken for 53. Dighton scored heavily through the midwicket to long on region and was eventually caught in the outfield.George Bailey continued his strong form, posting an unbeaten 40 from 19 balls and Dan Marsh’s 30 helped the Tigers break the 200 barrier. Early wickets cost New South Wales, with Brendan Drew and Ben Hilfenhaus, fresh from his Twenty20 international debut, proving difficult to put away. Simon Katich gave his side a vague chance with 48 from 26 but he became one of Marsh’s three victims.Later in the chase, all eyes were on Andrew Johns, the rugby league player, who came in at No. 9 and successfully pushed singles to roars of approval from the Sydney crowd, before he was caught at backward point for 9.

Stephen Fleming, the New Zealand captain, showed a welcome return to form as he guided Wellington to a four-wicket win in their State Shield one-day match against Auckland yesterday. Fleming, who returns to the Black Caps squad for tomorrow’s match in the one-day series against Sri Lanka at Wellington, hit 104 off 117 balls as Wellington eased past Auckland’s 252 for 8 in 47 overs. Following Fleming’s dismissal – caught by Tama Canning off the bowling of former Wellington representative Mayu Pasupati – with Wellington’s score on 235 for 6, Luke Woodcock hit 41 off 42 to see his side through to a comfortable victory. He was ably supported by Grant Elliot, the South African allrounder, who contributed an invaluable 11.For Auckland, Kerry Walmsley and Chris Martin picked up two wickets to send back Jesse Ryder and Chris Nevin, Wellington’s openers. Wellington were then left at 90 for 3 as Canning removed Rob Nicol for four, but Fleming was in supreme form, forming partnerships with Matthew Bell and Woodcock to help his side home. Martin was the best of the Auckland bowlers, picking up 2 for 44 runs off his 10 overs, while Pasupati managed 2 for 47. Struggling at 100 for 6 after being asked to bat, Auckland were rescued by Nicol’s fighting 88 not-out and some stern resistance from the lower order in Reece Young (40) and Pasupati (42). Iain O’Brien, with 3 for 46, and James Franklin, with 2 for 43, were the best of the Wellington bowlers.Michael Papps, the former New Zealand opener, steered Canterbury to a six-wicket win over Northern Districts to give the national selectors yet another reminder of his fine form. Papps was unbeaten on 137 when Canterbury cruised past Northern’s 272 for 8 in their 50 overs with 10 balls to spare at Owen Delany Park in Taupo. The other batsman not out was Chris Harris (24), Canterbury’s captain. Papps scored 92 in the first round of the competition last week but couldn’t stop Wellington winning that match. Yesterday, however, he brought up the three-figure mark off just 114 balls and forged a valuable 100-run partnership with Nixon McLean (38) before adding an unbeaten 50 with Harris. Fine innings from Alun Evans (89), BJ Watling (53) and James Marshall (33) had earlier seen Northern set a reasonable target, but Papps was too good on his day.Ross Taylor’s century was the only bright spot at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth as rain forced an early end to Central Districts’ match against Otago without a result. The match was abandoned with Otago on 36 for 1 in the seventh over, chasing a reduced target of 203 from 34 overs due to rain. Central scored 219 for 8 in 39 overs with Taylor hitting 107 off just 103 balls.

Damien Martyn is the favourite to receive the prestigious Allan Border Medal at a gala ceremony in Melbourne tonight. As a Test and one-day player, Martyn’s superb performances through the voting year, from February 11 until yesterday, are expected to earn him Australia’s highest individual award ahead of Justin Langer and Shane Warne.Warne’s return from a one-year drugs suspension was superb, netting 75 wickets, and Langer scored 1481 runs for 2004, but Martyn’s consistent brilliance after a lean 2003-04 stood above both of his Test-only team-mates. Martyn registered six Test hundreds – two each in Sri Lanka, India and Australia – and 1373 runs during the polling period, and played in 21 one-day matches, including making 24 in yesterday’s three-wicket VB Series loss to Pakistan.Martyn is also a contender for the Test Player of the Year along with Langer and Warne, while Michael Clarke, who will be judged on 731 runs, including two hundreds and three fifties, is tipped for the one-day award.

The issue of racial discrimination in Zimbabwean cricket has cropped up again, with Murray Goodwin alleging that black cricketers were getting a free ride into the team. Goodwin, who last played for Zimbabwe three years ago before quitting due to pay disputes with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, said: “It sounds really racist but in actual fact it’s the truth and that’s a sad state of affairs because these guys don’t have to perform as well as the European guys to get a game.”You’ve got guys getting promoted because of performance and other guys getting promoted because of their colour. It’s hard because when you’re playing in a team and you’ve got these guys getting a free ride – it’s not their fault at all – the selection [policy] is a bit of an issue. Everyone’s trying to play in a team and you can’t begrudge that … but you’re just wary of how they select you and on what grounds.”Meanwhile, Geoff Marsh, the Zimbabwean coach, has told his players to forget about the political implications of their tour to Australia. Marsh believes that the politics of the Zimbabwean situation has the potential to distract his side at a time when they need to be completely focussed on the cricket. “When the political situation gets involved in the game of cricket in Zimbabwe I try to take it out.”Adam Gilchrist agreed with that approach. Writing a column for Fairfax papers, Gilchrist supported Australia’s decision to play against Zimbabwe in the 2003 World Cup, stating that the decision stood vindicated within ten minutes of their arrival in Bulawayo, when a local woman gave him a hug and said: “Thank you so much for coming, for giving us a ray of brightness in these difficult times.”He strengthened his argument further by talking about the lack of protest over Zimbabwe’s tour to Australia. “Surely if the reasons for not playing are moral ones, why would the same rules not apply when the Zimbabweans are here? Either people have short memories, or perhaps we are realising that participating in sporting events doesn’t mean that we are either supporting or disregarding the policies and regimes of the government of the country we are playing. Although we are well aware of the tragic heartache that has been caused and the issues that remain unresolved, we are simply sportsmen proudly representing our country.”

South Africa opened their tour of Australia on a winning note when they beat an ACB Chairman’s XI by 48 runs in a 50-over match at Lilac Hill in Perth on Wednesday.Neil McKenzie made a fine 76 while Lance Klusener clubbed 64 off 74 balls as the South Africans reached 257 for nine. Herschelle Gibbs struck a typically breezy 39 off 36 balls at the top of the innings,In reply the Chairman’s XI were bowled out for 209 with Mike Hussey top-scoring with 56. For the South Africans Steve Elworthy took four for 27 with Allan Donald getting through eight overs to take two for 42.

Mike Atherton and Sourav Ganguly produced a feast of high-quality strokeplay to become Lancashire record-breakers at Taunton.Replying to a modest Somerset total of 198, the two Test players put on 192 for the first wicket in 34 overs to lead their side to a seven-wicket victory – only Lancashire’s second in the National League this season.The stand was the county’s highest opening partnership in the competition, beating the 177 compiled by Graeme Fowler and Gehan Mendis against Kent at Canterbury in 1986.It was murderous batting, particularly in the closing stages, when Atherton and Ganguly appeared to be trying to out-hit one another with a succession of thumping boundaries off the medium-pacers.Atherton hit a near faultless 105 off 115 balls, with 14 boundaries, managing to score faster than his partner for most of the stand.Ganguly was first to go for 82, having smashed a six and 10 fours, in a typically elegant contribution. He had faced 93 balls when trying one big hit too many and departing with just seven runs needed.Atherton quickly followed and John Crawley missed out before Lancashire cruised home with seven overs to spare, denting Somerset’s title hopes in the process.While the serene batting will be remembered by most of a bumper crowd basking in glorious sunshine, it was the visiting bowlers who set up victory after Somerset had won the toss.Home skipper Jamie Cox opted to go into the game with an extra bowler, calling up all-rounder Jason Kerr for his first appearance of the season at the expense of Mark Lathwell.It proved a mistake as, despite an encouraging start, Somerset batted poorly, with too many players tossing their wickets away through poor shots.Wicketkeeper Rob Turner was promoted to open with Cox and the pair put on 46 in quick time. Then, after Piran Holloway had fallen for a duck, Peter Bowler helped Cox add 45 for the third wicket.But from a promising 103-2 in the 19th over Somerset fell away as spinners Chris Schofield and Gary Yates took two wickets each in key spells that enabled Lancashire to peg back the run-rate.The pair sent down their combined 18 overs for only 73 runs, sharing the vital wickets of Cox, Bowler, Mike Burns and Ian Blackwell.Somerset were never able to accelerate again and the total of 198 all out in 44 overs looked woefully inadequate on a typically batsman-friendly Taunton pitch.Glen Chapple weighed in with 3-23 from his nine overs as only Keith Parsons of the later batsmen showed much composure in making 25.As it turned out, 250 might not have been enough against players of the calibre of Atherton and Ganguly in top form.But Cox conceded he had got it wrong. “We should have played Lathwell. But our medium-pacers have been going for a few with the white ball and I thought Kerr would be a handy extra option,” he said.The only Somerset player with cause to smile was Bowler, whose benefit game this was. His coffers will have been swollen considerably by the gate receipts and a bucket collection that raised more than £1,700.