CRICKET:IRELAND'S PREPARATIONS for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup will ramp up in intensity today as they take on West Indies in a warm-up game at Getty Park in Buckinghamshire.
After losses to New Zealand and a PCA Invitational side, coach Phil Simmons will be able to name a starting XI from his 15-man panel for the first time against his former team.
Opening bowler Boyd Rankin has been released by Warwickshire, while Andrew White and Kyle McCallan have also joined up with the squad after work commitments delayed their arrival.
Ireland will move on to London after today’s game where they begin their official warm-up games on Monday with a game against the Netherlands at Lord’s. They complete their build-up with another meeting with the Windies at The Oval on Tuesday.
Skipper William Porterfield, Niall O’Brien and Gary Wilson will join up with the squad ahead of those games as they are in action over the weekend with their counties.
On the local scene, the first round of the Lewis Hohn Williams Senior Cup takes place today, with six ties down for decision.
Clontarf are going for a third straight title and open their defence at home to Phoenix at Castle Avenue, while cup specialists YMCA also got lucky in the draw and will entertain near neighbours Pembroke at Claremont Road.
Last year’s beaten finalists North County, along with Merrion, have received byes to the second round and they meet today at Balrothery in the weekend’s only Senior League clash.
Meanwhile, the Ireland women’s side suffered reverses in both their RSA Twenty20 Challenge matches in Rathmines yesterday, losing to Pakistan for the second time in two days, before going down by nine wickets to Nottinghamshire.
RSA WOMEN’S TWENTY20 CHALLENGE
At Rathmines
Pakistan 116-6 (20 overs) (N Abidi; J Whelan 2-26), Ireland 78-7 (20 overs) (C Joyce 29 not out). Pakistan won by 6 wickets.
Ireland 105-2 (20 overs) (C Joyce 34 not out, C Shillington 33, I Joyce 26), Nottinghamshire 107-1 (16.2 overs) (C Horton 54 not out, J Smit 32 not out). Nottinghamshire won by 9 wkts.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Saturday: LHW Leinster Senior Cup - First round (11am): YMCA v Pembroke, Claremont Road; Dublin University v Railway Union, College Park; Rush v CYM, Kenure; Malahide v Leinster, Malahide; The Hills v Old Belvedere, Milverton; Clontarf v Phoenix, Castle Avenue. Byes: North County, Merrion.
Leinster Senior League - Section A: North County v Merrion, Balrothery, 1pm.
Sunday: Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup – 2nd Rd (1pm): CYM v Limavady, Terenure; Eglinton v CIYMS, Eglinton.
