Simmons calls upon Kidd

Cricket:Ireland coach Phil Simmons will look to the left-arm duo of Gary Kidd and uncapped teenager George Dockrell to solve his immediate problems in the slow-bowling department.

The recent retirement of record cap-holder Kyle McCallan was followed by news that Regan West will require operations on both shoulders that are set to keep him out for most of the season.

Simmons has included 24-year-old Kidd for this month’s Intercontinental Cup clash against Afghanistan and the T20 quadrangular series in Sri Lanka ahead of the World T20 Qualifier in the United Arab Emirates at the start of February.

Dockrell, 17, will join up with the panel for the two T20 events after his participation in the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. He will be joined in the senior squad by Paul Stirling to bring the numbers up to 15.

Ireland squad(For Intercontinental Cup game v Afghanistan, Dambulla, Sri Lanka, Jan 23rd-26th): W Porterfield (Gloucestershire, capt), A Botha (North County), P Connell (North Down), A Cusack (Clontarf), P Eaglestone (Strabane), T Johnston (Railway Union), G Kidd (Waringstown), J Mooney (North County), K O'Brien (Railway Union), N O'Brien (Northamptonshire), B Rankin (Warwickshire), A White (Instonians), G Wilson (Surrey).

* Paul Stirling (Middlesex) and George Dockrell (Leinster) will join for the T20 Quadrangular in Sri Lanka and World T20 Qualifier in the UAE.