Simmons looking for better form

IRELAND face a hectic end to their Friends Provident campaign with the first of four games in the next seven days taking place this morning when Leicestershire are the visitors to Castle Avenue in Clontarf (10.45).

With Nottinghamshire to come at the same venue on Saturday, before away games to Hampshire and Worcestershire next week, coach Phil Simmons is looking for his side to put in some improved performances after admitting they have been below par.

Even without seven of the squad who will play in next month’s Twenty20 World Cup, Simmons remains optimistic of picking up a result or two against the counties.

“I still think that the squad we have can win games in this competition,” he said. “It’s just that we haven’t played well in the first three games, so I think we just need to buckle down and play like we can play and I think we can get results out of it.”

Despite returning to action with his club following a hamstring injury, Trent Johnston is again rested for today’s game, although Simmons may bring the former Ireland skipper back for the game against Nottinghamshire.

“I prefer to give him a couple more days at least, so when he comes back he’s fully fit. He has a lot of cricket to play between the weekend and the end of the Twenty20 and he will more than likely play every game from then,” added Simmons, who also confirmed that opening bowler Peter Connell will sit out the two home fixtures after a hectic schedule.

All-rounder Alex Cusack returns from an Achilles’ injury and showed good form at the weekend with three wickets in Clontarf’s Irish Senior Cup victory over Carrickfergus.

Leicestershire enjoyed a comfortable, seven-wicket victory in the rain-shortened fixture at Grace Road 10 days ago, when HD Ackerman’s second century in three games against Ireland helped the Foxes chase down a target of 197 with 12 balls to spare in the 31-over match.

New Zealand international bowler Iain O’Brien misses the game with a rib injury, with the South African duo of Claude Henderson and Jacques Du Toit included in an unchanged 13-man squad from the one that kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals with an 18-run victory over Worcestershire at New Road on Tuesday.

IRELAND(from): K McCallan (Waringstown, capt), J Bray (The Hills), A Cusack (Clontarf), P Eaglestone (Strabane), J Hall (Waringstown), F McAllister (Malahide, wkts), J Mooney (North County), K O'Brien (Railway Union), A Poynter (Clontarf), P Stirling (Carrickfergus), R Strydom (YMCA), R West (Civil Service North), A White (Instonians).

LEICESTERSHIRE(from): P Nixon (capt, wkts), HD Ackerman, J Allenby, M Boyce, C Crowe, B Dippenaar, J Du Toit, H Gurney, C Henderson, T New, J Taylor, W White, A Wyatt.