Cricket News:With Jeremy Bray unavailable because of injury, Ireland coach Phil Simmons has catapulted the 17-year-old opening batsman Paul Stirling into his squad for next month's tour of the United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh.
Simmons was present yesterday as Stirling top-scored with 72 for the Ireland Under-19s in their 181-run defeat to New Zealand in a World Cup warm-up match in Kuala Lumpur.
Bray has been playing cricket in his native Sydney over the winter months but informed Simmons of his unavailability with a shoulder injury.
The talented 34-year-old has not played for Ireland since last May, when he scored 146 against Canada in the Intercontinental Cup final in Leicester. The Hills batsman then decided to take a break from international cricket.
Andrew White is the other notable absentee from the squad; he is getting married next month.
With David Langford-Smith ruled out because of business commitments, Simmons includes two uncapped bowlers: Phil Eaglestone of Strabane and Reinhardt Strydom of North County.
Both are left-arm seamers and should provide the Ireland bowling attack with some variation, especially for the three one-day internationals against Bangladesh.
Simmons is boosted by the inclusion of Ireland's four full-time county stars - Niall O'Brien, Eoin Morgan, Boyd Rankin and William Porterfield all being named in the 15-man squad.
Trent Johnston has again been named as captain, while Porterfield, who has signed a contract with Gloucestershire, will take over the vice-captaincy from Kyle McCallan.
Ireland take on the UAE in an Intercontinental Cup tie in Abu Dhabi from March 6th to 9th, and are also lining up some practice matches against Essex while in the Emirates.
The squad travel on to Dhaka on March 15th, where they will play one-day internationals against Bangladesh on March 18th, 20th and 22nd.
IRELAND SQUAD:T Johnston (Railway Union, capt), A Botha (North County), A Cusack (Clontarf), P Eaglestone (Strabane), T Fourie (Merrion), G Kidd (Waringstown), K McCallan (Waringstown), E Morgan (Middlesex), K O'Brien (Railway Union), N O'Brien (Northants), W Porterfield (Gloucestershire), B Rankin (Warwickshire), P Stirling (Cliftonville), R Strydom (North County), G Thompson (Lisburn).
