Rankin to make Ireland farewell at World T20

By Paul Bolton, County News Correspondent

Warwickshire pace bowler Boyd Rankin will make his farewell appearance for Ireland in next month’s ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

Rankin announced last week that he had decided to stop playing international cricket for Ireland to reduce his workload in order to improve his prospects of playing Test cricket for England.

The 28-year-old Ulsterman came close to being called up to England’s Test squad against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates last winter after he had impressed bowling against them for an ICC Affiliates and Associates XI I Dubai.

Rankin subsequently toured Bangladesh with England Lions but missed the first three months of the county season after he suffered a stress reaction in a foot playing for Ireland in the World Twenty20 qualifiers in the United Arab Emirates in March.

Warwickshire were keen for Rankin to stop playing for Ireland to improve his chances of staying fit for county duty and to improve his Test prospects.

Rankin agreed to do that but made himself available for selection one last time for Ireland for the World Twenty20, and he has now been named in the squad which will be captained by his Warwickshire team-mate William Porterfield.

Ireland’s squad also includes Northamptonshire wicketkeeper-batsman Niall O’Brien, Somerset slow left-armer George Dockrell, Sussex batsman Ed Joyce, Middlesex pair Tim Murtagh and Paul Stirling and Surrey wicketkeeper Gary Wilson.


Date: 17/08/2012 11:30:22 by Paul Bolton
In: Warwickshire | Today | England |