Ireland announce squad for Cricket World Cup
Wednesday, 19 January 2011 12:17 Cricket Ireland today announced their final squad for the 2011 World Cup which is being held in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka from February 19 to April 2.
The squad includes nine players who played for Ireland the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and marks the much anticipated return of Ed Joyce to the Irish fold.
Joyce declared for England back in 2007 and indeed played against Ireland in Guyana in the world cup where he was bowled by Boyd Rankin for one.
Having failed to tie down a place in the England squad, Joyce is back for Ireland after gaining special dispensation for the International Cricket Council (ICC) in an experienced line up that includes the likes of captain William Porterfield, Trent Johnston, the O'Brien brothers Niall and Kevin as well as John Mooney and Andrew White.
Amongst those who will be playing at the World Cup for the first time will be exciting teenager spin bowler George Dockrell along with Middlesex's Paul Sterling who will probably be in contention with Joyce to open the batting with Porterfield.
The one notable ommission is Regan West, who has had persistant injury problems and who indeed hasnt played for Ireland in the last 18 months.
Coach Phil Simmons commented: 'I like the balance of the squad.
'As with most Irish teams of the past few years, there are quite a few all-rounders, and that gives us plenty of options in all departments.
'This squad contains a lot of experience with nine having played in the 2007 competition - I am sure that is more than most teams.
'What is different this time from 2007 is that 13 of the 15 earn their living from cricket - that's practically a full-time squad.
'It makes such a difference having the guys full-time, and that is thanks to our team sponsor RSA Insurance, with whose support we have been able to offer the players who aren't with English counties contracts with Cricket Ireland. We were also able to spend a month in India acclimatising, and that will stand us in good stead.
'The squad all know the importance of this tournament and I'm certain we will acquit ourselves well.
'We may have lost the surprise factor, but we have earned the respect of the cricketing world through our efforts.
'We've reached the Super Eight phase of both the World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 - there's no reason why we can't make the latter stages yet again.'
Ireland captain William Porterfield is relishing the opportunity to skipper his country on the world stage saying: 'We've been waiting for this time to come around now for a while and I know the squad are just looking forward to getting out to Dubai and on to India and Bangladesh.
'There has been a lot of hard work put in over the past few weeks and months and being in India in November for the training has really helped the lads in getting to where they want to be.'
Ireland will travel to Dubai on 28 January for a pre-World Cup training camp, and have scheduled warm-up games against New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Nagpur before their first game in the competition proper against Bangladesh in Dhaka on 25 February.
Ireland have been drawn in Group B alongside Bangladesh, India, England, the Netherlands, South Africa and West Indies.
The squad in full is as follows:
William Porterfield (Warwickshire) (captain)
Andre Botha (North County)
Alex Cusack (Clontarf)
George Dockrell (Somerset)
Trent Johnston (Railway Union)
Nigel Jones (Civil Service North)
Ed Joyce (Sussex)
John Mooney (North County)
Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union)
Niall O'Brien (Northants)
Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire)
Paul Stirling (Middlesex)
Albert van der Merwe (The Hills)
Gary Wilson (Surrey)
Andrew White (Instonians)
The four non-travelling reserves are:Allan Eastwood (Pembroke)
Andrew Poynter (Clontarf)
Regan West (Civil Service North)
Craig Young (Bready/Sussex)
The Irish group matches and venues are:
Ireland v Bangladesh, Dhaka, Friday 25 February.
Ireland v England, Bangalore, Wednesday 2 March.
Ireland v India, Bangalore, Sunday 6 March.
Ireland v West Indies, Mohali, Friday 11 March.
Ireland v South Africa, Kolkata, Tuesday 15 March.
Ireland v Holland, Kolkata, Friday 18 March.
The squad includes nine players who played for Ireland the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and marks the much anticipated return of Ed Joyce to the Irish fold.
Joyce declared for England back in 2007 and indeed played against Ireland in Guyana in the world cup where he was bowled by Boyd Rankin for one.
Amongst those who will be playing at the World Cup for the first time will be exciting teenager spin bowler George Dockrell along with Middlesex's Paul Sterling who will probably be in contention with Joyce to open the batting with Porterfield.
The one notable ommission is Regan West, who has had persistant injury problems and who indeed hasnt played for Ireland in the last 18 months.
Coach Phil Simmons commented: 'I like the balance of the squad.
'As with most Irish teams of the past few years, there are quite a few all-rounders, and that gives us plenty of options in all departments.
'This squad contains a lot of experience with nine having played in the 2007 competition - I am sure that is more than most teams.
'What is different this time from 2007 is that 13 of the 15 earn their living from cricket - that's practically a full-time squad.
'It makes such a difference having the guys full-time, and that is thanks to our team sponsor RSA Insurance, with whose support we have been able to offer the players who aren't with English counties contracts with Cricket Ireland. We were also able to spend a month in India acclimatising, and that will stand us in good stead.
'The squad all know the importance of this tournament and I'm certain we will acquit ourselves well.
'We may have lost the surprise factor, but we have earned the respect of the cricketing world through our efforts.
'We've reached the Super Eight phase of both the World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 - there's no reason why we can't make the latter stages yet again.'
Ireland captain William Porterfield is relishing the opportunity to skipper his country on the world stage saying: 'We've been waiting for this time to come around now for a while and I know the squad are just looking forward to getting out to Dubai and on to India and Bangladesh.
'There has been a lot of hard work put in over the past few weeks and months and being in India in November for the training has really helped the lads in getting to where they want to be.'
Ireland will travel to Dubai on 28 January for a pre-World Cup training camp, and have scheduled warm-up games against New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Nagpur before their first game in the competition proper against Bangladesh in Dhaka on 25 February.
Ireland have been drawn in Group B alongside Bangladesh, India, England, the Netherlands, South Africa and West Indies.
The squad in full is as follows:
William Porterfield (Warwickshire) (captain)
Andre Botha (North County)
Alex Cusack (Clontarf)
George Dockrell (Somerset)
Trent Johnston (Railway Union)
Nigel Jones (Civil Service North)
Ed Joyce (Sussex)
John Mooney (North County)
Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union)
Niall O'Brien (Northants)
Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire)
Paul Stirling (Middlesex)
Albert van der Merwe (The Hills)
Gary Wilson (Surrey)
Andrew White (Instonians)
The four non-travelling reserves are:Allan Eastwood (Pembroke)
Andrew Poynter (Clontarf)
Regan West (Civil Service North)
Craig Young (Bready/Sussex)
The Irish group matches and venues are:
Ireland v Bangladesh, Dhaka, Friday 25 February.
Ireland v England, Bangalore, Wednesday 2 March.
Ireland v India, Bangalore, Sunday 6 March.
Ireland v West Indies, Mohali, Friday 11 March.
Ireland v South Africa, Kolkata, Tuesday 15 March.
Ireland v Holland, Kolkata, Friday 18 March.
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