CRICKET NEWSIRELAND CAPTAIN Trent Johnston has announced he will take a break from international cricket following his side's 79-run defeat to Bangladesh in Dhaka on Saturday, a result that completed a 3-0 whitewash for the home side.
Although he informed his team-mates of his decision after the game, the 33-year-old Australian-born player had intimated earlier in the year that the rigours of the one-day game in particular were proving too much of a strain after a series of injuries.
Johnston will not feature in the coming Friends Provident Trophy games, but still hopes he can play a part for the four-day Intercontinental Cup series later in the summer.
"I've told the squad that it's time for me to have a break," remarked Johnston, who claimed one wicket during the series to bring up 100 in international cricket. "I've been struggling with various injuries and my body's telling me it's time for rest. I've been a bit of a passenger in the field, and it's not fair on the rest of the team.
"It's been no secret that I've been contemplating this for some time. International cricket places a great strain not only on the body, but also on family life, and with a wife and two young children, I've got to prioritise.
"I do feel I've still got a lot to offer, particularly in the four-day format. I suppose I could still field in the slips, and I've been in good form with the bat, so could maybe concentrate on that aspect of my game more," he added.
William Porterfield, the vice-captain on the tour, is likely to take over from Johnston for the Friends Provident Trophy in the likelihood that Gloucestershire release their new recruit to play for his country in the competition.
Ireland's bowlers struggled yet again to make an early breakthrough after Bangladesh won the toss and batted in Saturday's final game of the series. Openers Tamim Iqbal and Shahriar Nafees put on 109 for the first wicket before Alex Cusack showed his increasing value to the side by taking two wickets in three balls to get rid of Nafees for 54 and the dangerous Aftab Ahmed without scoring.
Although the home side suffered a middle-order wobble, Iqbal remained at the crease until the 48th over, while some fine late hitting by Mahmudallah (49 not out) and Mashrafe Mortaza pushed Bangladesh on to their second-highest score in ODIs.
It was to prove well beyond the reach of Phil Simmons's side, although they did go past 200 runs for the first time in the series.
Simmons admitted the series will prove a vital learning ground for a side having their first taste of cricket on the sub-continent.
"I think one of the positives is that the World Cup in 2011 will be played in this part of the world. So we know now what it is like down here and what we have to do, both from the weather, from the types of wickets and from the way how people are going to play against you," he said.
