CRICKET/ Challenge Match: Weather conditions have decreed that Ireland's leading players have been deprived of much competitive cricket during this so-called summer. So, with the Cheltenham & Gloucester (C &G) first round away match against Berkshire looming large later this month, the three-day game between Ireland and the MCC which starts this morning at The Mardyke will be some sort of practice, even if the confrontation itself is hardly vital.
Coach Adi Birrell and his fellow selectors have been obliged to make three changes, as the injured Jason Molins and Derek Heasley dropped out, while Peter Davy cried off because of business commitments. This has meant a recall for Conor Armstrong and John Mooney, both of North County, a first cap for the Ballymena batsman David Kennedy, who performed well in the Inter Regional Challenge series, while Kyle McCallan takes over as captain in the absence of Molins.
Peter Such of Essex and England is included in the MCC side, which is captained by David Ward (Surrey). Alastair Fraser (Middlesex and Essex), Tom Harrison (Derbyshire) and Neil Hartley, the former Yorkshire captain, are the other first class players in the team, which also includes Danny Waugh, a brother of Steve and Mark Waugh, both of whom played for Ireland in recent years. Play begins this morning at 11.00, and the game will finish on Thursday.
IRELAND: K McCallan (Cliftonville, capt.), C Armstrong (North County), P Gillespie (Strabane), D Joyce (Merrion), D Kennedy (Ballymena), J McGonigle (Donemana), J Mooney (North County), P Mooney (North County), G Neely (Glendermott), N O'Brien (Railway Union), A White (North Down).
MCC: D Ward (capt.), L Bouter), M Cowell, A Fraser, N Hartley, T Harrison, M Harrison, R Lynch, G Prince, P Such, D Waugh.
• The MCC have been accused of doing serious damage to England's chances of reclaiming the Ashes after they gave the go-ahead for Australian captain Steve Waugh to join English county side Kent for six weeks.
Former England coach David Lloyd claims the MCC's decision will allow Waugh the perfect opportunity to study in depth England's current squad.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)