Rankin on course for World Cup

Boyd Rankin, the Ireland fast bowler, is confident he is on track to take his place at the World Cup as he recovers from a stress fracture of his foot.

Rankin missed Ireland's recent trip to India, but is aiming to resume bowling in early December and work his way back to top gear early in the New Year. He is key to Ireland's hopes of making an impact at the 2011 World Cup to match their exploits in the Caribbean where they reached the Super Eight stage with victory over Pakistan and later beat Bangladesh.

"I started running in the last couple of days and should be bowling again next week when I go to Loughborough and it will be two weeks there, a week at Warwickshire and another week at Loughborough before Christmas to make sure I am as best prepared as I can be," Rankin told the Belfast Telegraph. "But this time we are taking it more slowly to make sure there are no more problems."

Rankin was Ireland's leading wicket-taker at the previous World Cup and adds a cutting edge to their attack that most Associate nations struggle to replicate. He also plays for Warwickshire in English domestic cricket and took 22 wickets at 27 last season before being hit by injury.