<p><strong><strong>Richard Holdsworth admits Cricket Ireland failed to </strong>compete with the lure of Test cricket – Cricket News Update</strong><strong> </strong></p>
<p>The Cricket Ireland's performance director, Richard Holdsworth, on Wednesday revealed that they had offered Rankin a "significantly improved contract" to make him remain with the Irish squad but the medium pacer turned it down preferring Test cricket over
national allegiance.</p>
<p>"...unfortunately we were unable to compete with the lure of Test cricket and the financial rewards of being a potential England cricketer," said Holdsworth while speaking to media reporters after Boyd Rankin announced his decision to quit Ireland cricket,
later this year.</p>
<p>“This further loss only strengthens our aim of becoming a full member of ICC and ultimately a Test-playing country,” he added further.</p>
<p>Ireland’s spearhead pace bowler Boyd Rankin yesterday revealed that he will quit Ireland cricket, after his national contract with Cricket Ireland expires at the end of December 2012, in a bid to earning a Test call-up from ECB (England and Wales Cricket
Board).</p>
<p>"I’ve genuine ambitions of playing Test cricket and I have to give myself the best chance to do that," said the 28-year-old right-arm medium pace bowler, who has played 37 ODIs and 14 T20 Internationals for Ireland.</p>
<p>Rankin is the third leading Irish player, after Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan, to quit Ireland cricket to join highly-ranked Test playing England.</p>
<p>The 28-year-old Co Derry-born lanky pacer, who was first capped as teenager in 2003, has picked up 110 wickets for Ireland, including a total of 60 wickets in One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals played since 2007. The gangling pacer came into prominence
during the 2007 World Cup in West Indies, where he finished as Ireland’s leading wicket-taker, after claiming scalps of some veteran batsmen from across the globe including likes of Michael Vaughan, Herschelle Gibbs, Younis Khan, Stephen Fleming, Ed Joyce
and AB de Villiers.</p>
<p>Ireland’s head coach Phil Simmons paid rich tribute to Rankin for his efforts, and described his move as a “damaging blow” for the Irish cricket.</p>
<p>"Boyd has been a superb strike bowler for us," said Simmons. "His extra pace and the lift he generates with his height made him a very dangerous proposition for our opponents and none relished facing him...It's obviously a very damaging blow for Ireland,"
he added further.</p>
<p>Since Rankin’s contract expires in December, he will be available to Ireland for the ICC World T20 Championship, next month.</p>
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