Counties release associate players

The best cricketers in the six associate countries are gearing up for the ICC World Twenty20 qualifier to be held in Belfast from August 2-5. The teams featuring in the tournament are Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland and Kenya and at stake will be three places in the ICC World Twenty20 2009 being staged in England. Both finalists and winner of the third and fourth place play-off from this event will qualify for the tournament which will take place at Lord’s, the Oval and Trent Bridge next June. Top seed Ireland will be led by 23-year-old left-handed batsman William Porterfield who plays for Gloucestershire. Porterfield succeeded Trent Johnston after the tour of Bangladesh earlier this year. Porterfield has not captained Ireland in a one-day international or ICC Intercontinental Cup match but has led his team in... [read full story]