Ireland's top young players will take the field against Holland at Comber today in the first of five matches in the European Colts Championship which will decide if they qualify for the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka next January.

The round-robin matches against England, Denmark, Scotland and Holland as well as the one-day play-off game will be vital. England qualify automatically for the World Cup and they will be joined by the other countries finishing highest in this inaugural Colts competition which has been organised by the Irish Cricket Union for the European Council.

ITINERARY: Today: v Holland, at Comber; Tomorrow: v Denmark, Woodvale; Monday July 19th: v Scotland, Downpatrick; Tuesday July 20th: v England, Cliftonville; Wednesday July 21st: 1st & 2nd place play-off, Ormeau; 3rd & 4th place play-off, Newforge.

IRELAND UNDER-19 SQUAD: P Shields (North Down) capt, C Armstrong (North County), D Gaughran (Clontarf), R Haire (North Down), K Hogg (Cliftonville), Dom Joyce (Merrion), R Kee (Donemana), J Mooney (North County), A McCoubrey (Ballymena), D McGerrigle (Donemana), A O'Prey (North Down), K Spelman (Clontarf), A White (North Down).