Ireland will get an early chance to improve their form in the shortest format when they take part in a seven-team tournament in Dubai in January.

Ireland look likely to play in a T20 tournament in the UAE in January.

FOUR months ago Ireland’s rugby players recorded a momentous win over South Africa in Cape Town. But Ireland’s cricketers could emerge from the city this week with a result that will live even longer in the sport’s memory.

IRELAND came, saw and were truly conquered as their first invitation to face top class opposition on foreign soil ended in another crushing defeat.

AUSTRALIA'S big-hitting trio of David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith delivered a mercifully quick nine-wicket one-day international victory over Ireland to bring down the curtain on a miserable 2016 for the Boys in Green.

William Porterfield, the Ireland captain, was looking on the bright side when facing the media under the early-evening African sun after Ireland’s crushing 206-run defeat by South Africa in Benoni on Sunday.

Ireland lose to Australia by 9 wickets.

Niall O'Brien will miss Tuesday's ODI against Australia due to concussion protocols.

TIM MURTAGH was brought down to earth in Benoni yesterday as less than 48 hours after lifting the county championship trophy with Middlesex he was part of an Ireland team that suffered a 206-run hammering by South Africa.

IRELAND’S worst fears were confirmed as they took on South Africa in their own backyard and lost – spectacularly.

IRELAND were on the end of a heavy defeat in the first of their two ODI’s in Benoni on Sunday as a century from ODI debutant Temba Bavuma saw William Porterfield’s men lose by 206-runs against a dominant South Africa.

IRELAND will be without their star performers when they take on South Africa in Benoni this morning, but will be happy their opponents are too. Injuries have ruled out Ed Joyce and Boyd Rankin from the short ODI tour which sees the hosts without AB De Villiers, Hashim Amla and Morne Morkel.

THE Ireland cricket team are now a recognised player on the world stage, having taken part in eight global events since their dramatic breakthrough at the 2007 World Cup, but the next two games will be their biggest step yet.

Ireland's bowlers will be having a sigh of relief after the news that AB De Villiers will miss the ODI at Benoni on Sunday.

ED JOYCE has withdrawn from the ODI's against Australia and hosts South Africa later this month and Cricket Ireland have given Tim Murtagh special dispensation to join the squad late.

If the Ireland squad to face South Africa and Australia this month had been picked last night, coach John Bracewell would have insisted on Jacob Mulder and Greg Thompson making the trip.

Ireland's game against Hong Kong was abandoned at Bready today without a ball being bowled.

THE last time Ireland played Hong Kong in a Twenty20 international, William Porterfield and Andrew Balbirnie took Ireland to their target of 121 without losing a wicket.

Hong Kong have drawn first blood in their two-match KPC Group T20 series against Ireland following a 40-run win at Bready on Monday.

IRELAND captain William Porterfield met Jacob Mulder for the first time, just 24 hours before he could be leading out the North Down leg spinner when the international side returns to Twenty20 cricket at Bready

IRELAND could introduce as many as three new caps tomorrow and Tuesday when they face Hong Kong in two T20 internationals at Bready (3.30pm starts).

JACOB MULDER has been called into the Ireland squad which will play Hong Kong in two T20 Internationals at Bready next week.

There are only five survivors from the World Twenty20 squad for Ireland's return to the shortest format when they face Hong Kong at Bready next month.

JOSH LITTLE and Lorcan Tucker are named in an Ireland squad for the first time as the selectors look to inject some new blood into the ranks as they face Hong Kong in two T20 internationals at Bready next month.

GEORGE DOCKRELL returns to the Ireland squad for the upcoming ICC InterContinental Cup clash against Hong Kong, and also for the one-day internationals in South Africa next month.

Only a few of the older members of the Ireland team skittled out for a pitiful 82 all out by Pakistan at Malahide on Thursday will remember the days when these beatings were par for the course.

Sharjeel Khan blasted a brilliant 152 to set up Pakistan's 255-run rout of Ireland in the first of two one-day internationals between the sides in Dublin.

Sharjeel Khan destroyed Ireland with an extraordinary innings of 152 from only 86 balls at Malahide to set up a crushing 255-run victory and give Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the two-match KPC Group series.

SHARJEEL KHAN'S brilliant 152 propelled Pakistan to an emphatic 255 runs win over Ireland in the first KPC Group one-day international at Malahide.

After many years of justifiable complaint about the lack of ODI fixtures there is a sense of irony that when a steady stream of such fixtures has finally arrived Ireland is at its lowest cricketing ebb for the best part of a decade.

Boyd Rankin has been ruled out of Ireland's fixtures for the remainder of the season after suffering a fracture of his left tibia.

Niall O'Brien and Craig Young return from injury while Boyd Rankin is available again.

The teams will play 3 T20I's, 5 ODI's and their InterContinental Cup match in India next March.

Ed Joyce produced the perfect riposte to his unfair dismissal on Sunday by striking a magnificent career-best 160 not out as Ireland beat Afghanistan by 12 runs to earn a 2-2 draw at the end of the series.

The 31-year-old was found to be in violation of Level 1 Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel which relates to “conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game.”

Ed Joyce had the final say in the heated series between Ireland and Afghanistan with a superb unbeaten 160 as Ireland bounced back for the second time to tie the series at 2-2

Ed Joyce scored a brilliant unbeaten 160 to inspire Ireland to a series levelling win in the fifth and final ODI at Stormont.

KEVIN O'BRIEN is set to win his 100th one-day international cap for Ireland tomorrow in the fifth game of the series against Afghanistan.

Ed Joyce was the victim of a horribly controversial run out as Ireland slipped to a bitter 79-run defeat by Afghanistan in Belfast yesterday to trail 2-1 in the best of five series, with one game to play.

Afghanistan took an unbeatable 2-1 lead in the one-day international series against Ireland at Stormont but yesterday's match, which the tourists won by 79 runs, was overshadowed by a controversial run-out amid accusations of cheating.

Afghanistan have taken a 2-1 lead over Ireland with just one game of the series to play after an ultimately comfortable 79–run win in the fourth ODI, but the game was marred by the controversial run-out of Ed Joyce.

FOR only the second time in 65 one-day internationals for Ireland, and the first time in a completed match, Paul Stirling was there at the finish on Thursday, a particularly satisfying occasion as it levelled the one-day series with Afghanistan at 1-1.

Ed Joyce scored a beautifully-paced 105 not out in Belfast to deliver a much-needed six-wicket victory over Afghanistan that draws Ireland level at 1-1.

IRELAND delivered the perfect response to their defeat in the first one-day international against Afghanistan to level the four-match series at 1-1 with a six-wicket victory at Stormont.

ED JOYCE and Kevin O'Brien shared a superb 4th wicket partnership of 144 to lead Ireland to a six wicket victory over Afghanistan at Stormont.

IRELAND captain William Porterfield has confirmed that Ed Joyce will be his opening batting partner for the rest of the series against Afghanistan.

Ireland lose seven wickets for 51 runs as they hand the initiative to Afghanistan in the first completed game of the series.

John Anderson has been ruled out of the third ODI against Afghanistan on Thursday as he undertakes a return to play protocol after suffering a blow to the head while batting in Tuesday’s second ODI.

Ireland must win the remaining three games in their series against Afghanistan at Stormont if they are to regain their status as the top Associate side in one-day cricket.

Afghanistan drew first blood in today's second ODI as they posted a 39–run win over Ireland at Stormont.

WILLIAM Porterfield has insisted he will continue to captain Ireland until he is told otherwise.

The first One-Day International between Ireland and Afghanistan at Stormont has been abandoned.

George Dockrell will replace the injured Mark Adair in Ireland’s 14-man squad for the home ODI series with Afghanistan that starts this Sunday.

MARK Adair, who was due to make his Ireland debut next week, has been pulled out of the squad by his county Warwickshire with a back injury.

IRELAND have named two uncapped players in their 14-man squad to face Afghanistan in a five-match ODI Series in Belfast next month.

The sides will face off for the first time on English soil, with the first ODI at Bristol on Friday May 5 and the second two days later at Lord's.

The gulf between Ireland and the world's elite has rarely been as cruelly exposed as it was at Malahide. An Irish side confident of levelling the series were dismantled by a Sri Lanka side that had appeared to be there for the taking.

IRELAND will not be sorry to see the back of Sri Lanka who return to England to complete the one-day leg of their tour, starting on Tuesday.

SRI LANKA proved too strong for Ireland at Malahide beating the hosts by a convincing 136 runs to seal the KPC Group ODI series 2-0.

A 24-year-old debutant stole the show at Malahide but it was a Sri Lankan rather than an Irishman who proved the difference between the teams.

Barry McCarthy made a stunning start to his Ireland career at Malahide yesterday before quickly learning the hard truths of international cricket as Sri Lanka eased to a 76-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

A disappointed Ireland skipper William Porterfield said his own dismissal just before the rain came in the afternoon was a pivotal moment in Ireland's defeat to Sri Lanka in today's first of two ODI's in Malahide.

Yet again Ireland promised much but could not break their hoodoo of never having beaten a Test side in Dublin.

KEVIN O’Brien believes Ireland have a great chance of recording a first win over a top eight nation in Dublin when they meet Sri Lanka in the first of two one-day internationals at Malahide.

Can anyone imagine Ireland winning the ICC World Cup in the next 15 years? Possibly not, but the same would have been said of today's opponents in the KPC Group ODI series at Malahide when Sri Lanka took their first steps into the big time.

The win came courtesy of a superb unbeaten century from Dinesh Chandimal and a five-wicket haul for ODI debutant, Dasun Shanaka.

Pembroke's Barry McCarthy is ready to take his chance if chosen for tomorrow's first game in Ireland's two match Series against the Touring Sri Lankans.

Kevin O'Brien has played games for Ireland all over the World. However, the Irish talisman has yet to taste victory in his home town of Dublin.

History will be against him, as Ireland have yet to beat a Top Nation in Dublin, but Porterfield feels the time could be right this time around with conditions likely to suit the home team.

JOHN ANDERSON and Max Sorensen have been called into Ireland's squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka, which starts at Malahide on Thursday, replacing Niall O'Brien and Stuart Thompson.

CAPTAIN William Porterfield says he will be disappointed if Ireland do not win at least one of their four home games against Sri Lanka and Pakistan this summer.

That’s partly because, for all the stirring giant-killings at each World Cup appearance, Ireland have yet to topple a full member on Dublin turf.

MAX SORENSEN proved the hero for Ireland A as they won a thrilling encounter with their Scottish counterparts by 33 runs.

NIALL O’Brien is an injury concern ahead of Ireland’s one-day series against Sri Lanka next week after he retired injured with a torn muscle during Leicestershire’s match against Warwickshire.

IT WAS not how the Ireland A team had planned it on Monday night, but day two of their game against Scotland A could hardly have gone any better.

Sean Terry's innings for Ireland A is the 3rd highest for an Irishman outside Ireland.

ANDY MCBRINE led from the front as Ireland A maintained their grip on the second day of their clash with Scotland A at Ayr.

SEAN TERRY'S ambitions to play senior international cricket with Ireland moved a step closer after he scored a record-breaking magnificent double hundred for Ireland A against their Scottish counterparts in Ayr.

BARRY MCCARTHY has been rewarded for an outstanding start to the season with an Ireland call-up for the KPC Group One-Day International Series against Sri Lanka in two weeks time.

MAX SORENSEN has been named in the Ireland A squad to face their Scottish counterparts in Ayr next week, having missed the win over MCC due to a combination of illness and injury.

A century from Jack Tector and a four-wicket blitz from Stuart Thompson took Ireland A to the brink of a two-day win over a hapless MCC side at Bready.

IRELAND A completed an emphatic 10 wicket win over MCC at Bready shortly before lunch on the third and final day.

STUART Thompson and Peter Chase produced a sensational burst of new ball bowling to reduce MCC to six for five but, despite taking the extra half hour, Ireland A could not finish the game at Bready in two days.

A stubborn, last-wicket partnership between Dannyjo Cox and Chris James helped the MCC to recover from an early wobble to end a truly turgid first day of three against Ireland A on level terms at 177-9.

ANDREW MCBRINE will captain a youthful Ireland A squad in their upcoming matches against the MCC.

Ireland A will play against their Scottish counterparts in Ayr in early June.

IRELAND head home winless from another World Twenty20 tournament after a game that summed up their struggles in the shortest format for the last two years.

George Dockrell can hold his head high when Ireland fly home from India today but his team-mates will want to forget their miserable World T20 campaign as quickly as possible after losing to the Netherlands in Dharamsala to finish rock bottom of qualifying Group A.

And as the cold grey blanket settled over the town, something similar was being laid on Ireland’s faint hopes of progress at the ICC World Twenty20.

IRELAND coach John Bracewell does not believe there is a quick fix to Ireland’s toils in the shortest format of the game.

The weather gods that seem to follow nearly every Ireland campaign in the World T20 struck again in Dharamsala to consign Ireland to an early flight home from India after their must-win match with Bangladesh was abandoned.

Ireland are out of the ICC World Twenty20 after heavy rain prevented a result in their match against Bangladesh in Dharamsala.

Oman shock Ireland in opening game of T20 World Cup.

William Porterfield was, as usual, on the attack in the captain's pre-match Press conference ahead of Ireland's first game in the World Twenty20 against Oman.

IRELAND’S chequered preparations for the ICC World Twenty20 took a down-swing in Dharamsala when they went down to a six wicket loss with 13 balls to spare.

William Porterfield led from the front as Ireland enjoyed a stunning opening warm-up victory ahead of next week's World Twenty20 in India.

A number of the Ireland squad will have a familiar face in the opposition when they meet Zimbabwe in their second warm-up match ahead of the World Twenty20 in India.

WILLIAM Porterfield could not face the post-match captain’s interview after Ireland’s final game of their pre-World Twenty20 tour of Australia and the UAE.

William Porterfield watched on in dismay as an epic batting collapse saw Ireland throw away the strongest of positions and end their tour with a five-run loss to the UAE and a drawn T20 international series.

A dramatic collapse saw Ireland slump to a five run loss against the UAE in their second T20 International in Abu Dhabi.

IRELAND won their opening Twenty20 international against UAE in Abu Dhabi by 34 runs but yet again it was the bowlers who were the stars – and this time also with the bat!

Ireland will play Hong Kong and Zimbabwe in their two warm-up games in the World Twenty20 finals in India next month.

IRELAND'S seam bowling quintet led them to a 34 run victory against the UAE in the first T20 International in Abu Dhabi. Kevin O'Brien led the way with 3 for 14 as Ireland successfully defended 134.

A fine all-round display from Kevin O'Brien plus a half century from skipper William Porterfield saved Ireland from an embarrassing loss to Emirati club side Danube.

John Bracewell says Ireland must be more ruthless if they are to have any impact in next month’s World Twenty20.

THE Ireland squad will be keen to return to winning ways when they play two more Twenty20 internationals, against UAE in the impressive Sheikh Zayed Stadium, starting on Sunday.

The Ireland squad fly to Abu Dhabi tonight, grateful to have three games in the next week to try and right the wrongs that surfaced again in their final Twenty20 international against Papua New Guinea in Townsville.

It promised to be a very special day for Gary Wilson when he not only played his 200th game for Ireland but, for the second time in his international career, captained the side.

Gary Wilson's 200th appearance for Ireland ended in defeat as they slipped to an 11 run loss to Papua New Guinea in the final T20I match of their series.

Ireland have named an experienced 15-man squad for the next month's ICC World Twenty20 in India, with captain William Porterfield one of five players ready to embark on a fifth campaign in the biennial tournament.

WILLIAM Porterfield recorded his 100th win as captain as Ireland took an unassailable 2-0 lead in their Twenty20 series against Papua New Guinea in Townsville.

GEORGE DOCKRELL and Max Sorensen took three wickets apiece to bowl Ireland to a seven run win in a rain affected T20I against Papua New Guinea in Townsville.

Well, at least Ireland can now say their career record in Twenty20s against Papua New Guinea is 1-1. After the shock defeat in their first ever encounter in Belfast last summer, William Porterfield’s side made no mistake in the return game in Townsville.

GARY WILSON stroked six boundaries in a top score of 45 as Ireland strolled to a five wicket win in the first game of their three match T20 international series against Papua New Guinea in Townsville.

Match preparation for the World Twenty20 starts now with three matches against Papua New Guinea

Even the most extreme conditions experienced by any Ireland squad could not stop William Porterfield leading his side to another maximum points victory on their journey towards Test match cricket.

KEVIN O'BRIEN struck a rapid 75 not out against Papua New Guinea in Townsville yesterday (TUES) as Ireland gambled in search of a victory that would send the Boys in Green clear at the top of the InterContinental Cup table.

BOYD RANKIN grabbed three wickets in 16 balls to break the back of a stubborn PNG rearguard in Townsville and deliver a 145-run ICup victory that maintained Ireland's 100 per cent start down the road to Test cricket.

William Porterfield backed his bowlers to dismiss Papua New Guinea for less than 345 to make it three straight maximum points victories at the start of their Intercontinental Cup campaign.

Boyd Rankin bounced back into action for Ireland with two wickets that helped the Boys in Green stay on top of Papua New Guinea at the halfway stage of their InterContinental Cup clash in Townsville.

THE bowlers hauled Ireland back into pole position at the halfway stage of their Intercontinental Cup clash with Papua New Guinea in Townsville and leading from the front was the returning hero, Boyd Rankin.

IRELAND endured their hardest day of the Intercontinental Cup campaign on a surprisingly overcast day in Townsville which favoured the bowlers.

Niall O'Brien was kicking himself for missing the chance to equal the record number of individual ICup centuries after Ireland shaded a rain-curtailed first day of their clash with PNG in northern Queensland.

IRELAND coach John Bracewell believes the return of pace bowler Boyd Rankin will make a huge difference to Ireland’s campaign.

IRELAND'S two-day practice match against Queensland ended in a draw after the teams shook hands with a session remaining.

IRELAND'S batsmen showed signs of rustiness as they were dismissed for 155 on the first day of their game against a Queensland XI in Brisbane.

Chaminda Vaas will help Ireland prepare for the ICC World T20 tournament in India when he joins the squad as a consultant bowling coach next month.

Ireland have confirmed their warm-up fixture ahead of their InterContinental Cup clash with PNG, and their three T20 matches in Abu Dhabi.

Boyd Rankin will meet up with the first of his Ireland team-mates on Wednesday in Dubai en route to Australia, where the now former England fast bowler will return to the fold.