Simmons's rebuilding phase full of positives

EMMET RIORDAN ON CRICKET: ALTHOUGH IRELAND'S summer campaign ended on a wet note in Belfast last week, there have been plenty of positives to take out of what has been, in many respects, a rebuilding phase for coach Phil Simmons.

In noting that, Ireland still finished the summer campaign with 10 straight victories, including defending their European title and qualifying for next summer's Twenty20 World Cup.

With a 50-over World Cup qualifier also on the cards next year, Simmons used a total of 26 players in the 27 games stretching back to the beginning of March.

The encouraging thing is that nine of those were debutantes at international level, and although a few of them were foisted on Simmons due to player unavailability, it gives Ireland a good size panel of players to choose from.

Simmons has also shown patience with some of the newcomers; for instance, Paul Stirling was given an extended run in the team, even when he struggled to get runs.

It will prove invaluable experience for the Belfast student, who only turns 18 today, but he already has 19 international caps to his name.

He will take many memories from his first year at international level, not least his innings against Northants at Wantage Road, where he had the audacity to hit England spinner Monty Panesar for six on his way to his best score of 70.

With Eoin Morgan's future availability far from clear, Stirling, who is also on the books at Middlesex, looks like having a key role to play in the next few years.

Gary Wilson is another to benefit from a run in the team and now earns his place on batting alone, as well as being an able deputy for Niall O'Brien behind the stumps and a fine outfielder to boot.

Rush's Fintan McAllister also took the gloves during the season and gives Simmons plenty of depth in that area.

Reinhardt Strydom has been an ever-present since his debut against Bangladesh back in March, while Andrew Poynter and James Hall have come into the senior set-up and looked comfortable.

If batting depth was never going to be a problem, Simmons was well aware that he had to unearth some strike bowlers after the retirement of David Langford-Smith and Trent Johnston's unavailability in 50-over cricket.

Peter Connell came back from a nightmare debut against New Zealand to bowl some vital spells for Ireland and looks set to take the new ball for a long time to come, while Phil Eaglestone's early performances must be measured against the fact he was bowling with a stress fracture in his leg.

Gary Kidd bowled some fine spells during the season, although he lacked the level of consistency required at international level, while fellow left-arm spinner Regan West was unlucky that the weather prevented him from making a contribution against Kenya last week.

Simmons also has a few familiar names that have stuck their hand back up in terms of selection over the summer.

John Mooney's performances in last week's European A Championship victory, where he finished as top run-scorer and wicket-taker, will be hard to ignore, while his competitiveness on the pitch is another huge asset for the team.

Kenny Carroll is another who has shown good form of late, although he may find it hard to break back in at the top of the batting order.

Mooney, though, may well come back into the reckoning for Ireland's much anticipated tour to Namibia and Kenya in October and end a 17-month gap since his last international cap.