We're very much into domestic pre-season mode now as preparations for the 2016 campaign should really be starting to take shape up and down the country.

It's been a strange sort of close season this time; not least because the current widespread media coverage means our sport is pretty much now of the all-year-round variety.

Headlining the winter programme this time was the World T20's- a competition that offered Irish cricket  little comfort with both the men's and women's teams failing to win a game between them.

The post mortems ensued quite quickly, in terms of the men's team at least, with any number of reasons mooted for the failure.

For some it was squad selection, for others team selection while bowling rotation, batting failures, inept fielding and of course the weather all got mentions as well.

To be fair there could be yardage in any or all of those.

Whatever the reason it is difficult to argue that Ireland has substantial ground to make up in this format, although Sri Lanka and to a lesser degree Australia and South Africa were only marginally better than us.

On a personal note, I don't like much of what T20 cricket stands for. I don't mind watching it at local level but Franchise T20 cricket has spoiled the sport for many people.

Case in point is the West Indies side who, irrespective of their semi-final joust with the hosts, have lit up the competition. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't love watching Phil Simmons' boys strut their stuff in any format of the game, but this is pretty much the only time we get to see them at or near their best.

Because while this tournament is on there are no other distractions in Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India itself or even England dangling the fistful of dollars that has the Caribbean's finest heads' turned.

That's not to criticise the guys who have seized their opportunity of course- no-one can begrudge top sportsmen the chance to earn the big bucks if somebody is willing to stump it up.

Unfortunately however, anyone who sat up to watch the Windies 2nd XI being torn a new one in the Australia Test series over Christmas will have seen the price that has to be paid.

While he will be thrilled with their showing in the T20's, Simmo knows the next time he sits down to fill out a team sheet to face Australia, New Zealand or England, at least half of the guys we're lapping up at the minute will be off taking their place with the Bangalore Blindwipes or whoever has coined up enough for them on market day.

Neither do I buy the "pay 'em enough to stay" argument either. Agreed it's easy for Warner, Clarke, Kohli, Root, Morgan and company to turn their backs on the Franchise riches as they get paid a king's ransom to play with the "Big 3".

When, however, was the last time you saw De Villiers, Amla and De Kock tell South Africa that they weren't available to play an ODI series because they were going to the Bangladesh Premier League.

Or Williamson, Guptill and Taylor tell New Zealand.

And yet these countries all have pretty much the same share of the ICC pie as the Caribbean outfit.

Considering they made their names and reputations on the International stage it seems ironic that so many are happy to turn their collective arses to the "ultimate dream" of representing your country at the highest possible level.

I wonder how many times the Head Coach has wished he was in the position to tell them all they wouldn't be needed again and thanks for your services.

Ireland's T20 problem is obviously an altogether different one of course. On the face of it, the most likely explanation at the minute is that we're rubbish at it.

The fact that Cricket Ireland clearly have a different agenda could well be part of that but I honestly believe that we're on the right path.

T20 cricket is fun. It attracts big crowds, most of whom are new to the sport, and most of whom go home probably oblivious to who has won, or how.

It is microwaved cricket. It is the equivalent of Premier League teams playing indoor football. It is part concert, part office night out, part sport.

That doesn't mean it isn't vital to our lifeblood either by the way. The revenue generated by T20 could well be the cash that supports every other format for years to come.

For that, T20, we salute you.

For everything else- bah humbug!