CRICKET: The 2003 final between Gloucestershire and Worcestershire may still be two days away but Ireland's campaign for next year's Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy begins today with a tricky away tie against Hertfordshire in Bishop's Stortford in the qualifying round.
Eoin Morgan, the 16-year-old batting phenomenon who last week became the youngest Ireland international, is set to make his debut in the competition and could be joined by three of his North County team-mates, Andre Botha and the brothers Paul and John Mooney.
Ireland captain Jason Molins was impressed with the ease Morgan slotted into the team last week. He said: "Eoin is very mature for his age. He has clearly benefited from playing regularly for the Middlesex Second XI against good-quality opponents on good pitches. He doesn't say a lot in the dressing-room but his cricket does a lot of talking."
Morgan is likely to find himself batting down the order behind South Africa A captain Gerald Dros, the non-qualified overseas professional allowed in the side.
IRELAND (from): Jason Molins (Phoenix, captain), Andre Botha (North County), Jeremy Bray (Phoenix), Jonathan Bushe (Waringstown, wicketkeeper), Gerald Dros (Cliftonville), Ryan Eagleson (Carrickfergus), Peter Gillespie (Strabane), Kyle McCallan (Cliftonville), John Mooney (North County), Paul Mooney (North County), Eoin Morgan (North County), Andrew White (North Down).
