CRICKET/Ireland v Scotland preview:Ireland take on a weakened Scotland team in Belfast today, the start of a journey they hope will take them to their third consecutive ICC Intercontinental Cup come November next year.
Several Scotland players have cited work commitments in crying off, and certainly the off-spinner Majid Haq has grounds for dispensation if his colourful explanation is even half accurate: "My dad runs a takeaway in Paisley and I have to help out this weekend because my mum and brother are both away in Pakistan, one of our chefs is unavailable and our delivery driver has gone to jail for three weeks."
Earlier this year Ireland beat Canada in the final at Leicester and in 2006 beat Kenya at the same stage.
They have announced a strong-looking squad including county-based players Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) and Niall O'Brien (Northamptonshire).
Opening bowler Boyd Rankin, who has been out for much of the season with injury, and opening batsman Jeremy Bray are the only notable absentees.
Leg-spinner Greg Thompson, who did well in the Ireland A fixture against the MCC in Malahide last week, is named in the squad and it will be intriguing to see if coach Phil Simmons gives the Ireland under-19 captain his first senior cap since the semi-final of this competition against the United Arab Emirates in 2005.
"Unfortunately, Boyd hasn't fully recovered," said Simmons of Rankin's prolonged absence. "He bowled last week, but experienced a little bit of pain.
"Thompson has impressed me greatly. He turns the ball a lot away from the bat, and he's a wicket-taker, which is exactly what we need."
Scotland's other notable call-offs include Fraser Watts, Glenn Rogers, Paul Hoffmann, Gordon Drummond and Gregor Maiden. Like Haq, are all absent because of work commitments.
"We have had a few guys pull out . . . The season has caught up on us I suppose and some of the fellas are struggling to get time off to play," said the captain, Ryan Watson.
"But this has allowed us to bring in a couple of four-day specialists for this game so it's not all bad. Steve Knox and Neil MacRae have both played a lot of four-day cricket so their added experience is a boost for us."
In addition, Richie Berrington, Gordon Goudie and wicketkeeper Simon Smith have been called up.
Ireland will, however, need to guard against complacency, particularly when facing the opening pace of John Blain. Blain posted figures of eight for 118 against the Netherlands in Aberdeen last week, while Watson (154) and Neil McCallum (181) struck big hundreds in what turned out to be a comfortable victory.
Scotland won the first ICC Intercontinental Cup, in 2004, beating Canada in the final.
Ireland versus Scotland is, incidentally, one of the oldest fixtures in international cricket: the first time the sides met was in 1888 when Ireland won by an innings and 26 runs at Rathmines.
The rivalry has endured, Scotland having won 37 and Ireland 26. There have been 38 draws over a 101-match history.
The final of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2007-2008 will take place in November 2008 at a venue yet to be decided.
IRELAND (from): Trent Johnston (captain), Andre Botha, Alex Cusack, Thinus Fourie, Dave Langford-Smith, Eoin Morgan, Kyle McCallan, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, William Porterfield, Greg Thompson, Andrew White.
SCOTLAND (from): Ryan Watson (captain), Richie Berrington, John Blain, Gordon Goudie, Gavin Hamilton, Steve Knox, Ross Lyons, Neil McCallum, Neil MacRae, Dewald Nel, Simon Smith, Craig Wright.
Umpires: Billy Doctrove and Niels Bagh.
