Ireland's 15-strong squad, captained by all-rounder Miriam Grealey of YMCA, leaves Dublin Airport today for New Zealand and the Women's World Cricket Cup 20000, the fourth time that the Irish have competed in the global competition.
Ireland's priority at the tournament will be to finish in the top six. Failure to do so, under the planned format to be put into operation after this World Cup, would force them to play in World Cup qualifying tournaments in future, just as the Ireland men's team has to qualify through the ICC Trophy competition.
"We will play two warm-up matches, both against the Northern Districts in Hamilton," said Grealey yesterday. "That should be a help, because this undoubtedly is going to be a very tough contest indeed".
Having received a government grant of just £1,500, the Irish Women's Cricket Union succeeded in raising some £8,000 for tournament expenses by producing a brochure. A further anonymous donation of £10,000 has meant that the personal cost to each of the players will be about £100.
Dominic Cork's tour of Pakistan with England may be over. The Derbyshire bowler is showing little sign of recovery from the back injury that has bothered him almost since he arrived in the country four weeks ago to prepare for the first-class leg of the trip.
Only four days ago he had a cortisone injection to try to ease the condition, but it has had little effect. If he is not fit for the three-day game against a Pakistan Cricket Board XI beginning on Thursday, which would effectively rule him out of the back-to-back Tests in Faisalabad and Karachi, he will be flown home.
IRISH SQUAD: M Grealey (YMCA) capt, C Beggs (Malahide) vice-capt, S Young (YMCA), K Young (YMCA), C O'Leary (YMCA), B McDonald (Malahide), C Metcalf (Malahide), C Shillington (Malahide), N Squire (Railay Union), C O'Neill (Railway Union), L Molins (Railway Union), S Dawson (Shepperton Ladies), C Sharp (Shepperton Ladies), I Joyce (Merrion), A Linehan (Clontarf). Coach: John Wills. Manager: Grainne Medcalfe.
