Cricket: This is it. In the 150 or so years that teams have been representing Ireland at cricket, perhaps the most important selection meeting in the history of the game on this island will take place this week.

The 2007 ICC World Cup finals take place in the West Indies next March and Ireland will be there, flying the flag and showcasing Irish cricket on a huge stage.

Tomorrow evening in Ballymascanlon House, Dundalk, the ICU selection committee meet with a mandate to select the 15-man squad and five reserves for the World Cup.

The decision-makers will be assistant coach Matt Dwyer from Leinster, Ian Johnston from the NCU, Ivan Lapsley of the North-West and national coach Adrian Birrell.

As with most squads that are picked, no matter the sport, there will always be several certainties, a few probables and one or two borderline players who will be nervously making sure the phone is on the hook.

So here they are, as I see it:

Definites: Trent Johnston (captain) - consistent performer as opening bowler and a passionate team man who likes to lead from the front.

Eoin Morgan - the genuine class batsman of the squad and the heir to fellow Middlesex left-hander Ed Joyce, who has now pledged his future with England.

Andre Botha - all-rounder of unquestionable ability whose bowling over the last three years or so has had a huge influence on Ireland's success.

Niall O'Brien - the only Irish wicketkeeper of first-class standard who also averages around 50 with the bat.

Peter Gillespie - gutsy and hard-working middle-order batsman who can always be relied upon to deliver when chips are down.

Andy White - known as "the finisher", he has the uncanny knack of steering Ireland to safety during tricky run chases.

John Mooney - perhaps the best fielder in the side, he is also capable of winning matches with either bat or ball.

David Langford-Smith - a bowler of genuine pace, he has been in fine form recently and the star of the recent European Championships.

Kyle McCallan - Ireland's most capped player to date, his slow bowling has been improving steadily since he made his debut 140-odd matches ago.

Probables: Jeremy Bray - last season coach Birrell dropped Jason Molins for a similar run drought that Bray is suffering at present, but with his superior fitness and fielding, Bray is unlikely to suffer the same fate.

William Porterfield - high on reputation and, until recently, low on substance, good performances at Lord's and in Scotland over the last couple of weeks should get him a place to the Caribbean.

Paul Mooney - opening bowler who relies on line-and-length rather than pace, he has lost his way in recent weeks but his experience and excellent attitude makes him difficult to drop.

Kevin O'Brien - has taken his chance well since coming into the team earlier this season and seems to have the necessary self-confidence to avoid being over-awed by bowling to Brian Lara or facing Shoaib Ahktar.

On the fringe: Boyd Rankin - the tall North-Westerner should have done enough to warrant inclusion after impressing the coach at the under-23 and senior European Championships.

Kenny Carroll - the form club batsman in the country with five centuries under his belt this summer, he scored 90 against the MCC at Lord's and has performed well for Ireland A recently also.

Jason Molins - out of favour with coach Birrell despite scoring 79 for Ireland A in Scotland last week and an unbeaten half-century against a strong MCC team earlier in the season.

Roger Whelan - a candidate for the reserve list, it is difficult to see how the Railway Union opening bowler would get in ahead of Langford-Smith, Rankin or the Mooneys.

Dominick Joyce - dropped like a gun after a poor run of early-season form, his chance has probably gone.

Thinus Fourie - impressed for Ireland A but probably not enough.

Gary Wilson - bats, fields and keeps wicket very well and is a favourite of Birrell, but at 20 he has plenty of time to come through.