Rankin's injury a huge blow to Ireland ahead of England match

CRICKET WEEKEND PREVIEW:IRELAND SUFFERED a massive blow ahead of next Thursday's RSA Challenge One-Day International against England at Stormont with news that Boyd Rankin is likely to miss the game with a groin injury.

The 6ft 8in opening bowler had been named by Ireland coach Phil Simmons in his 13-man squad before news came through from Chester-le-Street that the Warwickshire player had injured himself in his side’s County Championship loss to Durham at the Riverside. The injury is due to keep Rankin (25) out for two weeks and is particularly cruel after he picked up his first five-wicket haul in the County Championship against the defending champions.

Peter Connell, who has been included in the Ireland squad for this weekend’s ODI double-header against Scotland, is likely to take Rankin’s spot in the squad if he is ruled out. Rankin may not be the only talisman missing from the match at Stormont, with reports yesterday that Andrew Flintoff may undergo knee surgery upon the conclusion of the Ashes series.

Flintoff (31) is scheduled to fly to Belfast next Tuesday but a newspaper report in England claimed he will have a major operation which will keep him sidelined for nine months.

An England and Wales Cricket Board spokesman said: “We are making no further comment on his medical condition. We are leaving him to concentrate on the task at hand, which is on the field. As we have said previously an operation remains an option at the end of the series. He will be reassessed at the end of this current match.”

Simmons did get some good news ahead of this morning’s opening ODI clash in Aberdeen after Alex Cusack was passed fit to play after suffering back spasms during the drawn Intercontinental Cup match during the week.

Connell is likely to line out after playing for Ireland A in the loss to the MCC on Wednesday, with all-rounder John Mooney also joining up with the squad. Jeremy Bray and Andrew Poynter drop out from the four-day game.

Meanwhile, Merrion went top of Section A of the Leinster Senior League after a 22-run victory over Pembroke at Anglesea Road yesterday. In defending a modest total of 196, they did their best to hand the game to their near neighbours by giving away 52 extras, before eventually bowling them out for 172, well short of their Duckworth-Lewis adjusted target of 194. The two sides meet again at Sydney Parade today.

IRELAND (Squad for ODIs v Scotland): W Porterfield (Gloucestershire, capt), A Botha (North County), A Britton (Fox Lodge), P Connell (North Down), A Cusack (Clontarf), S Getkate (Malahide), T Johnston (Railway Union), K McCallan (Waringstown), J Mooney (North County), K O’Brien (Railway Union), P Stirling (Cliftonville), R West (Civil Service North), A White (Instonians), G Wilson (Surrey, wkts).

IRELAND (Squad for ODI v England, Stormont, Thursday): W Porterfield (capt), A Botha, A Cusack, T Johnston, K McCallan, J Mooney, K O’Brien, N O’Brien (Northamptonshire), B Rankin (Warwickshire), P Stirling, R West, A White, G Wilson.