Plans to upgrade the pitch at the north Dublin facility will result in the ground meeting test match standards and so could in future play host to high-profile sides like England and Australia.

Fingal County Council has sanctioned a 40,000 sports grant to finance the extension of the boundary wall allowing the club increase the pitch size to international dimensions.

"Part of the boundary wall, about one third of the total diameter, backs onto the Malahide castle grounds which are owned by Fingal County Council, " says the club's former honorary secretary, Howard Askew. "They're giving us permission to move the wall back by between twenty and thirty feet to facilitate enlarging the pitch."

After two wins and a tie at the World Cup, Ireland has moved up to tenth position in the international cricket rankings and can expect to play more top class games in the coming years. At the moment home internationals are played either in Belfast or in Clontarf.

"When we feel we're ready to host a match of international standard, such as Ireland versus an English county side or a touring country, we'll make that known to the Irish Cricket Union, " says Askew. "We're confident of getting permission from Fingal Council to erect temporary seating on their land which would enable us to attract up to six thousand spectators. We'll throw our hat in the ring then and ask to be considered for these games along with other venues."