Welcome to a vision of the not-too-distant future. In a little under nine months' time, the ninth cricket World Cup will be getting underway in the Caribbean, and on today's evidence it promises to be an event of unrelenting tedium

England arrived in Belfast to a low-key welcome - like most other places, the World Cup is shunting other sports into the twilight - but on Tuesday more than 6000 are expected at Stormont for the first match between them and Ireland

The Irish Cricket Union have confirmed that William Porterfield has been called up to the Ireland squad for the one-day international against England, at Stormont, on Tuesday