Foursome ready for Ireland’s call

Ireland, who have four men from the area in their squad - William Porterfield, Stuart Thompson, Andrew McBrine and Craig Young - face Zimbabwe in their opening ICC World T20 Pool B match in Bangladesh next Monday. The outcome of next week’s game, which incidentially will be shown live on Sky Sports 2 from 9am, could go a long way into whether Phil Simmons’ side book their place in Group 1 alongside England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka. For skipper and ex-Donemana man William Porterfield he’s hoping a new face can help their country win cricket matches. “I think that we have a few fresh faces coming into the side and a couple of lads who are involved in their first World Cup is always good. We are an evolving side and everyone is excited and looking forward to another world event,” he stated. “The young lads who are in the squad have to try and learn quickly what international and World Cup cricket is about. “I think the competition is a great opportunity for a few lads to go out and showcase what they have got. “They wouldn’t be in the 15 man squad if they hadn’t have got the ability, the talent and the potential which we see in them. “I feel it’s a great opportunity for them to go out there and whoever gets that chance, on any given day that they go out and showcase what they can do and go out and win games for their country.” Eglinton’s Stuart Thompson, who had a successful tour in the West Indies last month where he took a few wickets and scored some runs, knows how important the St Patrick’s Day clash. “We know that we can play at this level, if the bowling and batting units can perform the way they can do then we are a match for any world team,” stated Thompson. “That’s confidence we have in the squad and that’s the confidence that we’ll take to the World Cup. “A lot of people are building up the Zimbabwe game but obviously the squad is focused on a lot more and there’s two other teams in the group, we are capable of winning as well. Holland and the UAE are going to be tricky games as well and we are focusing on all three games at the minute. “We can’t put a single aim on it at the minute, obviously we have to look at those three games first and take it from there, every game after that will be a final if we qualify. “The way we played against the West Indies and take that form on then there’s no reason why we can’t progress even further and that’s what we’ll be looking to do.” Since the great Trent Johnson retired from international cricket, Thompson has been muted about a replacement, but the 23-year-old is only focusing on his own style of cricket. “I think someone like Trent Johnson is going to be very difficult to replace and it might take more than one person, but at the end of the day I’m not going to try and be anyone else, I’m going to be Stuart Thompson for the team, play my way and play my brand of cricket. “I have been away for most of the winter training hard and playing games and it has been a nice insight to life as a professional cricketer. “Thankfully this winter I also signed an A contract with Ireland so things are going pretty well at the minute. “We have had a busy schedule but that’s what we all signed up for and that’s what we all dreamt about as kids, and hopefully it’s something I can do for the next 10 or 15 years and get used to it.” As for McBrine, the Donemana man has also started to make the break through into the Ireland set-up over the last 12 months. “I’m really looking forward to the tournament and I was quite happy that I got a few games in the West Indies in the last trip and we got a couple of victories. “I have to keep going and keep knocking on the door by training hard and hopefully then I just get the chance. “We have a few warm-up games before the tournament starts so if I get a chance then I have to grab it with both hands. “We play Nepal and Bangladesh before the competition and if I manage to get selected then I have to really try hard to shine.” McBrine was also happy that the North West had a good representation in the squad. “It’s a good sign for the North West to have four men in the Ireland squad for a World Cup, it’s exciting times for the North West with the Warriors Academy now started, so hopefully we can get a few more players from the area to break into the Ireland squad in the future.” Bready man Young has also had an action packed winter, where he was rubbing shoulders with Australia’s Ashes winning team. Now that he has forced his way into Phil Simmons’ plans he intends to make sure that he stays in the side. “Things really couldn’t have went better for me during the winter,” he stated. “I really enjoyed my time in Australia and now to force my way into the Ireland squad has just capped things off nicely, but I want more, I’m not just setting for getting into the squad, I want to force my way into the side. “I know that I need to keep working hard and just like other players on the fringes of the squad I need to take my chance when I get it.”