The task of rebuilding an Ireland cricket team which last month failed miserably to qualify for the 2003 World Cup begins today in the south of England with the first of three Triple Crown matches, against Wales.

Seven of the squad that under-performed in Toronto are unavailable this week for reasons which vary from work commitments to having accosted the national coach, and the selectors have taken the opportunity to give first caps to John Mooney and Jordan McGonigle .

North County all-rounder Mooney, whose brother Paul played against Australia on Sunday but could not make the trip, has shown considerable promise this summer, captaining the under-19s, and slow left-armer McGonigle has followed the same route into the senior team.

There is no Decker Curry, of course, after his bust-up with coach Ken Rutherford in Canada, but the North West have three representatives in the party: Peter and Mark Gillespie and Limavady paceman Richie McDaid.

Ireland have not won the Triple Crown since 1996 when victory in Wales provided the springboard for a European Championship triumph and fourth place in the ICC Trophy, and it would be an extraordinary achievement to take the title this time against a strong Scotland side and an England Cricket Board XI that no longer views the tournament as a chance to socialise.

After today's game at Horsham, Ireland play the ECB XI at Stirlands and then face old rivals Scotland at East Grinstead on Thursday.

Ireland (from): K McCallan (capt), C Armstrong, P Davy, A White, D Joyce, M Gillespie, P Gillespie, P Shiels, A Patterson (wkt), R McDaid, J Mooney, J McGonigle, A McCoubrey