5 players who moved from Associate to Full Member nation

Hayden Walsh Jr inclusion in the West Indies ODI and T20I set-up is another addition to a long list of players who have made the switch from playing for an Associate nation to a Full Member nation. Born in St. Croix of the US Virgin Islands, Walsh moved to his parents’ native Antigua when he was just a few months old and boasts of dual citizenship of both the United States and Antigua.

Walsh made his debut for the United States of America in a T20I against the UAE in March. Recently, he was featuring for the USA against Canada as a part of the 2020 T20 World Cup qualifiers. But his outstanding display in the recently concluded CPL, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker (22 wickets at 12.68) for the eventual champions, Barbados Tridents, earned him a call-up to the Windies squad for their ODI and T20I series against Afghanistan.

So, on this note, let us have a look at five such examples of the past. But before we do that, it is important to understand ICC’s rules of eligibility for players representing two countries. According to the rules, if a player who has represented a Full Member nation in the past wishes to go back for his native country (Associate nation), then he will have to wait for three years after their last appearance at the senior level. However, no such restriction exists for players who have played for an Associate nation and want to make a shift to a Full Membered country. They can do it instantly.

Here’s the list of 5 players who made the switch from Associate to Full Member nation:

5. Ed Joyce (Ireland to England)

Before Eoin Morgan, it was Ed Joyce who was trailblazing at Middlesex before finally making the transition. Having made his debut for Ireland as an 18-year-old against Scotland in 1997, Joyce was the heartbeat of the Irish team, playing 50 ODIs between 2001 and 2005. Joyce starred in the 2005 ICC World Cup qualifiers; a tournament where he stroked two centuries and as many fifties, helping Ireland to qualify for the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.

But, Joyce always had aspirations of playing for a full-membered nation. After completing his English residency qualification, he made his One-day debut for England in Belfast against the country of his birth. After his English International career that saw him play 17 ODIs and 2 T20Is, Joyce announced his retirement to concentrate on Irish cricket.

His first game, ironically, came against England in the 2011 World Cup; a game that will forever be remembered for Kevin O’Brien’s heroics as Ireland chased down the then highest total in World Cup history. Joyce went on to establish himself as the cornerstone of the Irish batting for the next seven years before announcing his retirement at the age of 39.