A look at the Irish cricket squad
ANDREW WHITE
Club: Unattached
Age: 26 Caps: 76
Occupation: Has just been released after two years at Northants; former full-time cricket coach
Another of the Irish squad on the fringes of county cricket, White has been present for all the big victories since his debut in 2000.
He hit the winning runs in the famous victory against West Indies in the 2003 ICC Trophy. Perfect example of Adrian Birrell's approach, White works hard to get the best out of his game as a middle-order batsman, off spinner and athletic fielder.
DAVE LANGFORD SMITH
Club: Phoenix (Right-arm, fast-medium bowler; right-hand bat)
Age: 30 Caps: 19
Occupation: Delivery driver for Dublin Grass Machinery and part-time cricket coach.
Opening bowler and useful, hard-hitting, late-order batsman. Langford Smith will need to keep his line and length right on the slow, flat wickets of Jamaica.
Works hard at his game and is a popular team man. He has taken 32 wickets at 23.31 apiece.
His best bowling spell is 5 for 65 versus Scotland.
BOYD RANKI N
Club: Derbyshire (Right-arm fast bowler; Left-hand bat)
Age: 22 Caps: 5
Occupation: Student; farmer in off-season
One of the most intriguing elements to the World Cup games will be to watch how Rankin performs against high-class opposition. His height, 6ft 8ins, means he generates considerable bounce and if his line and length are good he will contain and trouble many.
Has taken nine wickets at 19.22, with best figures of 4 for 56 in the recent win over UAE.
WILLIAM PORTERFIELD
Club: Rush (Left-hand bat)
Age: 22 Caps: 15
Occupation: Graduated from University; aims to play county cricket
A product of the Ireland schools system, he has played representative cricket at every age grade since his early teens. Really came of age at the recent WCL tournament, where he scored two centuries.
He scored 332 runs at an average of over 110 in five games of the tournament and has an enviable record overall: 703 runs at an average of 54.08.
NIALL O' BRIEN
Club: Railway Union (Left-hand bat, wicketkeeper)
Age: 25 Caps: 30
Occupation: professional cricketer with Northants CCC
This is a big year for O'Brien, who has moved from Kent to Northants during the winter and will be keen to make an impact with the bat during the tournament. His role as second string to Geraint Jones behind the stumps at Kent was curtailed by a lack of runs.
He jointly holds the Irish record for most catches in an innings, (six) with Paul Jackson.
KEVIN O'BRIEN
Club Railway Union (Right-hand bat; right-arm, medium-pace bowler)
Age: 22 Caps: 13
Occupation: Student and part-time schools hockey coach in Dublin
A big all-rounder who has
the ability to be a mainstay of the team over the next decade if he can continue the improvement shown this past year.
Gave a sample of his potential in the World Cricket League in January with an outstanding innings of 142 against the eventual winners, Kenya.
EOIN MORGAN
Club: Middlesex CCC
Age: 20 Caps: 34
Occupation: Professional cricketer
Ed Joyce Mark 2. An outstanding talent, Morgan is a left-handed opening batsman who possesses the asset of seeming to have plenty of time to play his shots.
His 209 not out in the Intercontinental Cup in February broke the record for the highest individual score by an Ireland player, previously held by Ivan Anderson (198 against Canada in 1973).
JOHN MOONEY
Club: North County (Right-
arm, medium-pace bowler; left-hand bat)
Age: 25 Caps: 34
Occupation: Electrician
Brother of Paul and plays a similar role as bowling all-rounder. Bowling slightly quicker than his brother, but with less consistency.
Useful change bowler and partnership breaker, taking 29 wickets at an average of 30.69. Effective late-order batsman, has scored 254 runs at average of 18.14. Top score of 34 against Sussex in C&G Trophy last year.
PAUL MOONEY
Club: North County (Right-arm, medium-pace bowler; right-hand bat)
Age: 30 Caps: 83
Occupation: Storeman
One of the most consistent bowlers in taking 103 wickets for Ireland at 26.26. His best bowling spell came against Scotland in 1999, when he took 4 for 12.
A more-than-capable batsman, he has made 766 runs at 17.41 with a highest score of 66 not out.Bats at five for his club, but at 9 or 10 for the national team, emphasising the depth of the Ireland batting line-up.
KENNY CARROLL
Club: Railway Union (Right-hand bat; left-arm-wrist spin bowler)
Age: 23 Caps: 5
Occupation: postman
Carroll is testimony to the benefits of exposure to high- quality training.
In 2005 he was chosen to attend the ICC winter training camp, aimed at young players from Associate countries.
He followed that with an outstanding 2006 season for his club, Railway Union, when he averaged over 50 and scored 5 centuries, earning him Leinster's Player of the Year gong.
ANDRE BOTHA
Club: North County (Left-hand bat; right-arm, medium-pace bowler)
Age: 31 Caps: 61
Occupation: Works for Derek Plant Farm and Machinery.
Born in South Africa and now living in Dublin, Botha is one of several all-rounders in the squad. His bowling offers control and consistency through the middle of the innings, even against high-quality opposition.
Tends to bat at first wicket down. Scored 159 not out against Abu Dhabi in a record partnership with Eoin Morgan.
TRENT JOHNSTON
Captain
Club: Clontarf (Right-hand bat; right-arm, fast-medium bowler)
Age: 32 Caps: 41
Occupation: logistics manager for a clothing company
Johnston was born in Woolongong outside Sydney and played state cricket for New South Wales before moving to Ireland. Has led the side 22 times since coach Adrian Birrell made him captain in 2004.
Part of the team's game plan is to have Johnston guiding the innings through the last 10 overs, where he can be destructive.
KYLE McCALLAN
Vice-captain
Club: Waringstown (Right-
hand bat; right-arm off spinner)
Age: 31 Caps: 151
Occupation: PE teacher
Ireland's most capped player, McCallan led the side in the 2001 ICC Trophy under the previous regime of coach Ken Rutherford.
His bowling gives relief from the diet of medium pace and can be penetrative, as was shown by his spell of 3 for 8 off 6 overs in Ireland's win over Gloucestershire in the C&G Trophy. In all, he has taken 166 wickets for Ireland.
PETER GILLESPIE
Club: Strabane (Right-hand bat; right-arm medium bowler)
Age: 32 Caps: 116
Occupation: Civil servant in the Pensions Department
Scorer of the fastest century by an Irishman - against the MCC he reached three figures in 47 balls - Gillespie has built a reputation for himself as a reliable five or six bat, excelling in a crisis.
He has scored 2,599 runs at an average of 27.65, contributing 18 half- centuries and one century.
He started his career as an opening bowler.
JEREMY BRAY
Club: Eglinton (Left-hand bat)
Age: 33 Caps: 58
Occupation: Fitness instructor
Big, fluent left-handed opening batsman who has been the rock at the top of the order, playing an influential role in recent success. When he scores runs Ireland tend to build match-winning totals, his presence allowing the top six to bat around him. Has scored 2,100 runs at 33.87, including 5 centuries and 11 half-centuries.He is reserve wicketkeeper to Niall O'Brien.
