I have always found it fascinating to read the end of tournament reports because what wasn't said is almost as interesting as what was said. The reports coming out of Malaysia were that more resources need to be pumped into Under 19 level and more preparation time is needed. There were also concerns that parents were too pushy and were encroaching onto areas where they weren't wanted.

This has always been the case but the fact that it was felt necessary to include it in a report means it must have been bad. Coaches always want more preparation time and this is always difficult when tournaments happen outside of a Northern Hemisphere summer, and name a single area of International cricket for an Associate nation which isn't calling for more resources. So nothing new there.

Brian O'Rourke called for the re-introduction of the Inter-Pros. He felt it was essential that there was a level of competitive cricket between club and International level. Even the most ostrich like administrator in the upper echelons of the ICU must now see that closing the gap is essential. What Brian O'Rourke was intimating was that club cricket was soft and that many of these guys had already reached the level that they were ever going to achieve. With nothing to push them forward they effectively had reached the end of the line.

Barry Chambers went further. Reading between the lines many of our Under 19 cricketers were unfit, carrying weight and sluggish in the field. They were visibly wilting in the heat. This is unacceptable to be honest. There is no excuse at all for our players to be less fit than any other country at this level and that responsibility must come from within.

When initial squads are named for future tournaments players must undergo ‘bleep tests' to ascertain where they are. Certain minimum standards must be met and continue to be met before final selection is made and any difficult calls between players must be made on fitness grounds. That might sound tough but International cricket is tough and the weak don't survive.

Regarding closing the gap between club cricket and International cricket I have now put a number of proposals forward through these columns. Doing nothing is no longer an option because we have done nothing for years now and standards have been slowly dropping. When you compare Ireland to England you look at the number of matches England had in preparation for the Under 19 World Cup and we were grateful to get a week in India. The English lads have club cricket, district cricket, Minor Counties, County 2nd eleven and full Counties to go through before the England team.

There are 18 professional sides and we wouldn't have 18 top clubs in Ireland. Our players were all playing senior club cricket but the next stop with nothing in between is the full International side and correct me if I'm wrong but I don't believe that the Under 19 side would win a domestic league in NWCU, NCU or LCU.

It is absolutely essential that we improve club cricket and if possible provide a level in between. I have suggested we have at least an Under 19 Inter-Pro and ideally a full blown Inter-Pro. I have suggested an 8 team Ulster League with 2 up and 2 down. I have suggested a County Championship with 6 County teams in Ulster where we could have say a Semi-final for the top 2 in the North with the top 2 Counties in Leinster. So far all I have heard from the rank and file is how it wouldn't work. Change is coming whether you like it or not.

Otherwise enjoy the 2007 World Cup adventures for what they were, a one off. Keep things the way they are and hope we can squeeze a draw from the Duchess of Norfolk X1, and confine any wins over professional opposition to when we can manage to get them hopelessly drunk before some meaningless friendly.