Although I'd love to see the likes of an Italy or Denmark (or other former non English colony) Norway (who we played in 2000 have risen quickly to Division 1 ) could be a dark horse as well. I think in all likeliness the chances of anyone not coming from the current group plus Namibia, UAE will be the likes of a Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Gibraltar, Isle of Man and so on.

Slovenia will need a couple of years as our next tournament is currently scheduled for 2009 and we are already provisonally drawn against the disgraced (but very talented Greek team). So I don't expect us to qualify immediately for the 2011 World cup, we may need a few more matches.

As long as the "minnows" are playing, they need to be kept encouraged and not left to fall away into disarray (like the USA team for example). Bangladesh are clearly improving and showing that they deserved their status, (despite initial reservation). These things take time and need to grow naturally. The Ireland and Scotland thing is a bit of a grey area though. Anyone who plays for either of them but who is then earmarked as a future England player is clearly going to have to choose the most financially rewarding path - playing for England even though in spirit they would probably rather be playing for their "own" country.

Yeah, it's a big shame about the USA. Their administrators are in a total state of flux. A few years ago the ICC saw it as a huge potential market, and now it's a constant headache. 

Angus wrote:

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Anyone know what Papua New Guinea is like these days?

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Better than anyone else in that part of the world by a long way, but not quite up to the likes of the others mentioned in other threads. I believe they thrash the likes of Fiji, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga etc on a semi-regular basis.

-- Edited by El Presidente at 20:37, 2007-03-14