Ireland survived a mid-innings wobble to record a comfortable five-wicket win over Afghanistan in the first game of their quadrangular series in Sri Lanka.

The Rugby Football Union has vowed to stage the biggest World Cup ever after unveiling details of its bid to host the 2015 tournament in England.

OUT WITH the old, in with the new — as the debate over Eoin Morgan’s future continued yesterday his replacement helped Ireland to beat Italy by four wickets at Malahide and move a game closer to retaining the European Championship.

IT WAS a tale of two county players at Clontarf yesterday as Eoin Morgan failed to show for Ireland while fellow professional Niall O’Brien eased his side to a seven-wicket victory over Holland in the European Championship.

IRELAND’S hopes of qualifying for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers received a huge boost with the news that the squad’s English-based county cricketers will be available for next month’s qualifiers as well as the upcoming European Championships.

Australia have been drawn alongside England and Zimbabwe in Group B of this year’s inaugural Twenty20 World Cup which takes place in South Africa at the end of September.