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A few short months ago Ireland were being pushed all the way by Bermuda, on their way to sharing the wooden spoon with our boys at the ICC World Cricket League tournament in Kenya.

Now, after following up their tie with Zimbabwe and momentous win over Pakistan with a victory over Bangladesh, they have been awarded full one-day-international status on a permanent basis.

The Irish, like Bermuda, were making their debut at this World Cup. And though they have taken some licks in the Super Eights they have proved to be the sensation of the tournament taking their cricket to a whole new level on the biggest stage of all.

Coach Gus Logie has been an interested observer as the Irish have progressed from Bermuda's peers to earn themselves a permanent seat at the top table.

"I think they showed that it is not a matter of individuals. Man for man I think we are on a par. But cricket is played on grass not on paper.

"West Indies can say they are on a par with some of the teams at the World Cup. New Zealand don't have any stars and West Indies have world record holders and all the rest of it.

"But New Zealand play well as a team, they are committed to what they are doing and on the field of play they get results.

"We have to learn those lessons. It's not about who you are as an individual. Ireland were last like us in Kenya, but when it came to the real stuff the tables were turned."

The Irish won permanent one-day-international status courtesy of an International Cricket Council rule that states any associate country who beats two Test playing nations in the same year gets fast-tracked to the top.

And while Logie believes Ireland has advantages that Bermuda does not - a larger domestic programme, a greater player pool, access to the English county leagues and a place in the English C&G Trophy - he believes we should concentrate on the things we can emulate rather than worry about the stuff we can't.

"If you continue to say you are small and you can't do it the I don't think you will do it.

"If you want success you've got to work for it regardless of what size you are. Don't keep saying there is a big wall in front of you. It is a wall that you have to have the will to climb.

"I keep returning to the book Building Champions, which I co-wrote. You have to have the mind to succeed. That's what it is all about."[[In-content Ad]]

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