Cricket News: Kent and Ireland wicket-keeper/batsman Niall O'Brien will not play for his country during the upcoming ICC Trophy, it was confirmed yesterday.

The 14-man squad that was named by the Irish Cricket Union (ICU) selectors last night included Ed Joyce of Middlesex and Northamptonshire's Andy White as expected, but not the former Railway Union left-hander and according to the ICU, the decision was made by O'Brien himself.

"Niall said he wasn't available, not Kent," said ICU secretary John Wright. "But then, you just don't know what was said to him in private," he added.

With Kent's first choice wicket-keeper Geraint Jones on England duty for most of the summer, O'Brien would be seriously missed at Canterbury.

Earlier this month, The Irish Times reported that the Kent coach Graham Ford was confident O'Brien would play in July's ICC Trophy, provided the England and Wales Cricket Board changed its own rules to allow a replacement come in for the duration of the tournament.

The ECB agreed to this and it is thought that the president of the ICC, Ehsan Mani, even made a direct representation to make sure O'Brien was free to play.

Naseer Shoukat, Paul Mooney and Dom Joyce retain their places in the squad. A three-man reserve list has also been drawn up and is thought to include specialist wicket-keeper Stephen Ogilvy in case of injury to Jeremy Bray.

During the ICC Trophy, which will be held at various venues around Dublin, Belfast and Derry, Ireland will be striving to win one of the five qualifying positions on offer for the 2007 ICC World Cup in the West Indies.

IRELAND (squad for ICC Trophy, July 1st-13th): Jason Molins (captain), Jeremy Bray (wk), Andre Botha, Ed Joyce, Peter Gillespie, Andy White, Dom Joyce, Kyle McCallan, Trent Johnston, Eoin Morgan, Gordon Cooke, Naseer Shoukat, Paul Mooney, Adrian McCoubrey.