CRICKET NEWS: IRELAND COACH Phil Simmons will have his full Twenty20 World Cup squad available to him for the first time today as they open their official warm-up campaign against The Netherlands at Lord's.
Skipper William Porterfield, Niall O’Brien and Gary Wilson arrive from their counties and will add considerable strength to a batting line-up that failed to fire in Saturday’s tame five-wicket defeat to West Indies at Wormsley Park.
John Mooney (20) and Kyle McCallan (25 not out) were the only scores of note as Ireland were bowled out for 119 with four balls left in the innings.
The positives for Simmons came from his bowlers, with Boyd Rankin taking two wickets for 18 from his four overs on his T20 debut for Ireland, while McCallan troubled the Windies batsmen throughout his spell, finishing with one for 14.
Wicketkeeper O’Brien joins the squad in buoyant form after his unbeaten 48 from 38 deliveries helped Northamptonshire continue their unbeaten start to their Twenty20 Cup came with a six-wicket victory over Worcestershire at New Road.
O’Brien has been batting at number three in the competition and Simmons may keep him at that spot today, with Porterfield opening with either Jeremy Bray or Paul Stirling.
Peter Connell is likely to take the new ball alongside Rankin after being rested on Saturday, while Andre Botha and Alex Cusack, who both sat out that game, come into contention for a starting spot.
Ireland will have another pop at the Windies at The Oval tomorrow and Simmons has also pencilled in a further warm-up game against South Africa on Thursday, with Middlesex’s ground at Southgate the possible venue.
Meanwhile, the sunny Bank Holiday weekend weather saw batsman cash in during the first round of the Lewis Hohn Williams Senior Cup, with five centuries scored in six games.
Two of those belonged to players from The Hills as Patrick Byrne (101 not out) and Max Sorensen (101) helped their side to a mammoth total of 294 for four against Old Belvedere at Milverton, with the Skerries side going on to win by 83 runs.
The performance of the first round came from Malahide’s Jim Govan, who followed his unbeaten 116 by taking five wickets for 44 in their home victory over Leinster. Chasing 284 for victory, Mark Jones’s 104 wasn’t enough for the visitors as they came up short by 50 runs.
Pembroke’s Australian professional Anthony Brooks was the other man in three figures as his 114 helped Pembroke record a 51-run triumph over YMCA at Claremont Road.
Defending champions Clontarf proved too strong for Phoenix at Castle Avenue, where Bill Coglan’s 81 and a fine all-round performance from Joe Morrissey helped them to 74-run victory.
Railway Union bowled Dublin University out for 101 before going on to secure a five-wicket win, while Rush are the other team through to tomorrow’s quarter-final draw after they saw off CYM by seven wickets at Kenure Park.
