Decker Curry will be in his favoured role at the top of the order today as Ireland take on Scotland in the first of four games in five days that will determine whether they can start planning for the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.
Ireland begin the Super League stage in fifth place, needing to move up the ladder to have any chance of qualifying for the World Cup. The top two teams at the end of the week are automatically through and play off for the ICC Trophy on Sunday, while the third and fourth teams go into a sudden death decider on Tuesday week.
The consensus seems to be Ireland need to win three of their four remaining games, against Scotland, the United Arab Emirates, Holland and Canada. Victory today would put the campaign back on track but going by recent results between the two and form so far in this tournament Scotland only have the 'Hendo factor' to overcome.
Mike Hendrick has never tasted victory in a match between the old rivals since his appointment as Ireland coach in 1994. Scotland frustrated Hendrick in the 1997 World Cup qualification final and did not succumb during successful Irish campaigns for the Triple Crown and European Championship.
Yet as soon as Hendrick swapped sides to become Scotland bowling coach and assistant to head coach Jim Love, Ireland ended a five-year losing sequence.
Scotland did beat Ireland in last summer's European Championship but only after Love had dispatched Hendrick abroad with a junior side. Given the superstition of professional cricketers, Love may well decide his fellow Englishman should take another look at Niagara Falls today.
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