We've got to have professional contracts put in place so players can get back to the standard we set in the West Indies Trent Johnston

Ireland captain Trent Johnston believes only a professional structure will see the cricketing minnows relive the highs they experienced at the World Cup.

The Irish stunned Pakistan in March in Jamaica but were easily beaten on home soil by India on Saturday.

Six members of the squad that beat both Pakistan and Bangladesh at the World Cup were unavailable for the match.

"In the World Cup, when we were 24/7 cricket, we were a different side," said Johnston after the defeat.

Boyd Rankin, Dave Langford-Smith and Andre Botha were all injured for Saturday's match, leaving opening bowlers Roger Whelan and Thinus Fourie to make one-day international debuts.

But Eoin Morgan opted to stay with his English county Middlesex, and prolific opening batsman Jeremy Bray asked not to be considered.

"It's very difficult. We are amateur cricketers," said Johnston.

"We get together for two or three hours a week as a squad to train and it's impossible to compete against these guys.

"There's a lot more pressures when you are back here - you've got kids, you've got families.

"We've got to have professional contracts put in place so players can get back to the standard we set in the West Indies."

Ireland, before the World Cup, enjoyed a training camp in South Africa before taking part in a triangular series in Zimbabwe and the International Cricket Council World Cricket League in Kenya.

"Four months we were away playing cricket and you could see in our performance over there we were a much better team," said Johnston.