Ireland wait on Rankin

Ireland have delayed announcing their squad for next month's quadrangular series to allow Boyd Rankin time to secure his release from Derbyshire.

Rankin is currently out of action with a stress fracture of the fibula, but there is hope that he'll have recovered in time for Ireland's opening match against Netherlands on July 11. However, he still needs to confirm that Derbyshire will let him go even though the matches will be full one-day internationals.

Without Rankin, Ireland's attack struggled during their weekend double-header against India and South Africa. Roger Whelan and Thinus Fourie shared the new ball, but provided nothing like the threat that Rankin and David Langford-Smith did during the World Cup.

Rankin is one of a host of players who haven't been available for Ireland this week, including Langford-Smith (injury), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) and Jeremy Bray (opting out).

The quadrangular tournament also involves Netherlands, Scotland and West Indies with matches split between Stormont in Belfast and Clontarf in Dublin. Ireland's squad is now expected to be named on Friday.