We belong on big stage: Ireland

Feb 24, 2015 - 8:06 AM The Gabba was so unfamiliar to the Ireland cricket team that their captain almost got lost on the way to the media room on Tuesday.

But Irish skipper William Porterfield said his side belonged on the big stage, again taking aim at the ICC for downsizing the next World Cup.

Porterfield is eager to soak up his first Gabba match when Ireland takes on fellow qualifier UAE in Wednesday's World Cup clash - once he works out how to get to the field, that is.

"It took us 15 minutes to find the media centre," he smiled.

"But it's a pretty impressive stadium - I can't wait to get out there and play."

Ireland will be well on track to snatch a quarter-final berth if they back up last week's shock four wicket opening win over the West Indies by downing UAE.

However, No.11-ranked Ireland fear this year's World Cup will be their last after world body the ICC announced the 2019 tournament in England will be reduced from 14 teams to 10.

The 10 teams in 2019 will be made up of the top eight in the ICC rankings plus two teams from a qualifying event in Bangladesh in 2018.

"I think it's frustrating whenever you come to tournaments and the governing body wants to keep cutting teams," Porterfield said.

"I think it's the only sport in the world that does that when it comes to world events.

"You have your Champions Trophy every couple years and that's with the top eight teams.

"It wouldn't be a World Cup if you just keep reducing teams and having only the top few teams that are ranked.

"So it's very disappointing and frustrating from our point of view that that's the way ICC ...want things to be."

Porterfield supported an on-line petition asking the ICC to reverse their decision to reduce the 2019 World Cup teams.

"That's great to see. Obviously the more people that can get behind that, hopefully things can change," he said.

"It's not just a case of narrowing down the teams, but it's a case of expanding the game."

He said all four nations who qualified for the current World Cup - Ireland, Scotland, UAE and Afghanistan - had already shown they deserved to be at the tournament.

"We've got to keep that going, not only ourselves, but everyone else," he said.

"It is a global event, and it's a sport we want to grow and you're only going to grow that if you have more teams participating around the world."

Ireland have won all their 13 games against UAE, who pushed Zimbabwe before falling by four wickets in their opening game.

Source: AAP