Ireland could face Sri Lanka in Scotland tri-series

Sri Lanka are in discussions with Cricket Scotland over the possibility of a tri-series with Ireland to be held after Sri Lanka's England tour in July.

It would be welcome news for both Associate nations because Scotland are facing financial difficulties and Ireland have just a single home fixture confirmed for next season - the ODI against England at Clontarf on August 25.

A game against Sri Lanka, who Ireland last played in Grenada at the 2007 World Cup, is the only other chance of a home game against a full member, following the World Cup, though the squad will go to Zimbabwe for the second successive year for a multi-day game and three ODIs.

The rest of the schedule is made up of Intercontinental Cup games, with ODIs tagged on either before or after the four-day matches. The 2011-12 Intercontinental Cup will revert to an eight-team round-robin format with the other five high-performance countries (Canada, Kenya, Holland, Afghanistan and Scotland) being joined by the two teams from World League Division Two, possibly Namibia, beaten finalists in 2008, and UAE.

Ireland are due to travel to Kenya and Holland and host Canada, Afghanistan and Scotland, the reverse fixtures in the 2009-10 tournament. Ireland will also be given two or possibly three fixtures in Dubai at the end of January to begin their build-up for the World Cup - Ireland's first match is in Bangladesh on February 25.

All four associate teams meet in Dubai, which means at least one of the games will be against either Canada or Kenya, the two qualifying teams who are not in Ireland's group at the World Cup. Ireland are also hopeful at least one other game can be arranged against a Full Member side preparing in Dubai ahead of the official warm-ups in India, against New Zealand and Zimbabwe on February 12 and 15.