Ireland have repeated their demand for the International Cricket Council to help speed their development by considering their promotion into a full cricket nation.
Despite considerable success against the major nations of the world, reaching the second stage of both the 2007 World Cup and this year's ICC World Twenty20, Ireland are still considered an associate nation.
It leaves them needing to qualify for the major events and, more importantly, starved of fixtures against leading sides that would help their progression as players and a team.
Their only fixture against a major nation this year is the 27 August one-day international against England at Stormont but, after that, they may have to wait until the next ICC World Twenty20 tournament in West Indies next April for their next exposure to top-ranked opposition.
Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom has already revealed his frustration at the situation, and the players are similarly irritated at their lack of opportunity at the top level.
'I think we're in a position where we can push for Test cricket,' said captain William Porterfield. 'It might be a while off but I'm sure we could be included in the tours programme and play more Twenty20 matches and one-dayers against touring sides or even getting involved in tours ourselves.
'That would be great and we're at that level now where we can go and play in a tournament or a tri-series like that. That's the sort of exposure we need now to keep progressing.'
In the last two years Ireland have beaten Pakistan at the World Cup in the Caribbean and followed that with a victory over Bangladesh at the ICC World Twenty20.
That triumph earned their qualification for the Super Eights stage and, although they lost their three matches against New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, they remained competitive in them all.
'From the players' perspective, we just want to keep putting the performances in on the pitch,' said Porterfield.
'I know Warren is working day in and day out and doing his utmost for Irish cricket and I think he's done a lot since he took over the role as chief executive.
'We've just got to focus on what we're doing on the pitch and keep putting performances in against the big nations and keep competing against them.
'If we keep doing that then sooner or later we have to make progression within the ICC and play more bigger games more often.'
For the time being, Ireland's best chance of competitive opposition is their continued participation in the Friends Provident Trophy, although they lose some of their best players to opposition counties.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Niall O'Brien is on Northamptonshire's books and seamer Boyd Rankin is at Warwickshire, while they have lost Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan to England.
But Porterfield believes the loss of those players gives opportunities for some of their younger players, including 19-year-old batsman Paul Stirling, who featured in their final World Twenty20 match against Pakistan yesterday.
'We've been playing in it for a few years now and we do lose a few players to the counties but I think that's great for ourselves because the young players get a chance,' added Porterfield.
'Players like Paul Stirling have had a bit of exposure and had a few good matches against the counties this year, so, when those young players get that experience against first-class opposition, that's only going to stand them in better stead when it comes to a stage like the World Twenty20.'
