CRICKET NEWSIRELAND LANDED a big fish yesterday with the confirmation that world champions Australia will play a One-Day International here in 2010.
The deal was struck after a joint approach from the Irish and Scottish cricketing authorities to the ECB and Cricket Australia that will also see Scotland take on Australia next summer.
Scotland will play host to the Aussies on August 28th between the conclusion of the Ashes and the start of their ODI series with England. They will then play Ireland in June of 2010 before an ODI series against England.
These will be the first official ODIs against Associate nations that Australia will have played outside of ICC-sanctioned events.
Commenting on the announcement, Cricket Ireland chief executive Warren Deutrom said: "Attracting Full Member countries to play in Scotland and Ireland is one of the key objectives of our respective cricketing and commercial strategies, and for both of us to secure such a high-profile team as Australia in consecutive years is a great coup. It is only by testing ourselves against the very best that we will understand how far we need to progress.
"We are also indebted to ECB for their support to both Scotland and Ireland in helping to bring about this excellent agreement for Associate Cricket," he added.
Meanwhile, Ireland coach Phil Simmons has named an unchanged squad for this weekend's Friends Provident Trophy matches against Warwickshire and Leicestershire at Stormont.
Phil Eaglestone has recovered from a knee injury picked up in the away clash against Leicestershire and was in action for Strabane over the weekend. Teenager Paul Stirling is also available despite sitting exams and, after his innings of 70 against Northants in the last outing, is bound to attract plenty of support as he plays his first international game at Stormont.
"I'm happy to be able to name an unchanged squad for these two games," said Simmons. "Although we have been beaten in our opening three games, we have played some good cricket, and I can see an improvement in the young guys.
"It's always difficult playing against the counties, but it's the only way you are going to learn. Paul Stirling and James Hall showed their potential against Northamptonshire, and you can see we have a lot of talent in this squad."
Ireland face Warwickshire on Friday at noon before taking on Leicestershire on Sunday at 11am.
IRELAND(squad for FP Trophy games v Warwickshire and Leicestershire): W Porterfield (Gloucestershire, capt), A Cusack (Clontarf), P Eaglestone (Strabane), T Fourie (Railway Union), J Hall, G Kidd, K McCallan (all Waringstown), K O'Brien (Railway Union), R Rampaul (Overseas), P Stirling (Cliftonville), R Strydom (North County), A White (Instonians), G Wilson (Surrey).
• LOCAL CRICKET fans will get a chance to see former Ireland star Ed Joyce in action today when he lines up for the Dublin University President's XI against the Trinity first team at College Park. The Middlesex and England batsman played 21 times while an undergraduate at Trinity, scoring one century and six half-centuries. The 40-overs match gets underway at 2pm.
