Alex Cusack named in Irish squad to tour Australia and New Zealand

Ireland coach Phil Simmons will give Alex Cusack every chance of making his World Cup squad after naming the Clontarf all-rounder in an 18-man panel for the upcoming month-long acclimatisation tour to host countries Australia and New Zealand.

The 33-year-old Brisbane-born player last played cricket at the beginning of May before undergoing back surgery and Simmons is hopeful Cusack will play some of the games on the second leg of the tour in New Zealand.

“Alex has been injured before tournaments in the past but topped our bowling averages, so the selectors feel given his past record he deserves the chance to prove he can be fit for the World Cup, and this is the only tour before the final squad of 15 is selected in early December, “ said Simmons.

Peter Chase's breakthrough and success with Durham has seen the 20-year-old Malahide pace bowler included, with Gloucestershire's Graeme McCarter and Eddie Richardson of North County missing out.

Merrion’s John Anderson misses out, with his opening partner from last week’s series against Scotland, Andrew Balbirnie, named in the squad.

Ed Joyce will sit out the tour after a brilliant season with the bat for Sussex in a bid to be fully fit for the World Cup, which gets underway next February. The left-hander, who turns 36 next Monday, has been managing a degenerative hip condition with the support of medical staff at both county and international level.

IRELAND SQUAD: William Porterfield (Warwickshire, capt), Andrew Balbirnie (Middlesex), Peter Chase (Durham), Alex Cusack (Clontarf), George Dockrell (Somerset) , John Mooney (North County), Tim Murtagh (Middlesex), Andrew McBrine (Donemana), Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union), Niall O'Brien (Leicestershire), Andrew Poynter (Clontarf), Stuart Poynter (Durham), Max Sorensen (The Hills), Paul Stirling (Middlesex), Stuart Thompson (Eglinton), Andrew White (Instonians), Gary Wilson (Surrey), Craig Young (Bready). TOUR FIXTURES Sept 30th: Ireland v The Bulls, Kerrydale Oval , Gold Coast Oct 2nd: Ireland v The Bulls, Redlands Oval, Brisbane Oct 7th: Ireland v NSW 2nd XI, Manuka Oval, Canberra Oct 9th: Ireland v NSW 2nd XI, Manuka Oval, Canberra Oct 16th: Ireland v Northern Districts, Seddon Park, Hamilton Oct 18th: Ireland v New Zealand XI, Seddon Park, Hamilton Oct 21st: Ireland v Canterbury, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Christchurch Oct23rd: Ireland v Otago, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Christchurch.

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