CRICKET: Ireland have lost two of the squad's most experienced players, all-rounder Paul Mooney (North County) and middle-order batsman Peter Gillespie, for the vital three-match qualifying series against Denmark for the Intercontinental Trophy 2004 to be played at Castle Avenue and Malahide on Friday, Saturday and Monday.

Both were injured playing for their clubs over last weekend.

The selectors have called up former Ballymena seamer Adrian McCoubrey, now with Essex CCC, and seasoned middle-order batsman Dom Joyce of Merrion. McCoubrey made 23 international appearances between 1999 and 2002, while Joyce, first capped in 2000, last played for Ireland in the three-match series against the English Cricket Board (ECB) in July.

Meanwhile, Peter Thompson, chief executive of the Irish Cricket Union (ICU), yesterday announced the union's first major sponsorship for the 2004 season, as Synergy Sports became the official kit sponsor to the Ireland senior men's team in a three-year deal.

As part of the sponsorship the ICU and Synergy Sports have linked up with Lion Sports to sell official ICU replica clothing and merchandise.

In England, Graham Thorpe returned to the Test scene, admitting he had no idea if he still had what it takes to succeed after a year's exile.

The Surrey left-hander's comeback began yesterday when he trained with England for the first time since taking a break from international cricket following the breakdown of his marriage.

Now, Thorpe has sorted his personal life out and has returned to the squad for the final npower Test against South Africa wondering whether the desire remains for a player who averaged over 40 from his 77 previous appearances and has 11 centuries to his name.

"I don't think you realise how much you miss it until you play again," he said. "These next five days will tell me a lot, but I'm under no illusions about how tough it's going to be.

"I've played county cricket this summer and I've enjoyed it and to get a call now from England is going to be tough and it's going to be a real challenge for me. I've had some hard challenges before on a cricket field but it's one I'm looking forward to.

"I'm 34 years old and I might have four years cricket left in me and from that point of view I don't want the days to slip by. A bad day is a bad day but it's not the end of the world."