Background

The Ireland cricket team have had huge success recently on the international level which has boosted the popularity of the game in the country. They had earned the reputation of a giant killer after upsetting teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh (2007 Cricket World Cup), and England (2011 Cricket World Cup). Their good performances in major international tournaments meant that Cricket Ireland openly started bidding for Test match status to the International Cricket Council.^[3] Nevertheless, one of the main stumbling road blocks for Ireland from getting to play the pinnacle of the game was a lack of a first-class cricket infrastructure at home, amongst other things. As early as August 2011, Cricket Ireland announced plans of a domestic first-class tournament.^[4] In January 2012, Cricket Ireland announced the ambitious 'Vision 2020' plan which announced the establishment of a first-class structure by 2015 and achievement of Test status by 2020. It also began work on a cricket academy to find talented players across the country and improving grass-roots cricket in the country. For the first time professional contacts, with central, A, B, and C were established. Plans for Test status were established partly to stem the flow of their star cricketers moving away to England in hope of playing Test cricket such as Ed Joyce, Eoin Morgan and Boyd Rankin.^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]} According to Richard Holdsworth in an interview with Setanta Sports, CI are pleased with the strategic progress that had been made as of November 2012.^[11] In December 2012, Ireland got a $1.5m boost as increased funding from the ICC to establish elite domestic competitions in the country.^[12]

Points summary

Points are scored as follows:

• Win – 16 points
• Draw – 3 points
• Tie – 8 points
• Batting bonus points – 1 point for scoring 150, 200, 250 and 300 runs
• Bowling bonus points – 1 points for taking 3, 5, 7 and 9 wickets
• Bonus points only apply for the first 100 overs of each team's first innings
• Over rate penalties also apply on a match by match basis for teams who fail to bowl their overs at the required rate

2013 to present

Team records

Lowest completed innings totals

Highest scores in the fourth innings of the match

Individual records – batting

Most career runs

• First Class cricket only

Highest individual scores

Most runs scored in a season

• First Class cricket only

Individual records – bowling

Most career wickets

• First Class cricket only

Best bowling in an innings

Most wickets in a season

• First Class cricket only

Partnership records

Highest partnerships for each wicket