Kyle McCallan reaches a notable landmark when he pulls on an Ireland sweater for Thursday's important ICC Trophy game against Denmark. But the 29-year-old Belfast-born all-rounder is coy about equalling Alan Lewis' record of 122 appearances for his country in the Waringstown game.
"All I wanted to do was play for Ireland. The number of caps doesn't really come into it," says McCallan.
The Waringstown clubman made his Ireland debut against Wales in 1996.
The player's nine-year stint with Ireland has coincided with a huge development in the country's cricketing fortunes.
"I was fortunate when I came in that Mike Hendrick had just arrived and he made tremendous changes here," says McCallan, a physical education teacher at Grosvenor Grammar school in east Belfast.
"Mike brought a professional outlook to cricket in Ireland. He took it to another level.
"Ireland stood still for a while when Kenny Rutherford took charge, but since the arrival of Adi Birrell as coach we have moved up the gears.
 |  Adi is looking very much at having all-rounders in the team |
"His man-management is superb and he goes into things in great detail. He has brought about a tremendous transformation."
When McCallan began his career he was an opening batsman who made the first of his two international centuries while winning his second cap.
"It's a bit of a joke in the camp. I start off as an opener, now I'm a slow bowler batting at number nine!
"Naturally I don't look on that as a negative rather as a huge positive for the side.
"Adi is looking very much at having all-rounders in the team and having strength in depth. It's good to be three or four wickets down and still be able to hit big totals and reach big targets as we did against Scotland recently.
"That's all part of Adi's strategy. He just looks at things so differently than any other coach that I played under," said McCallan whose recent heroics are obviously freshest in his mind.
"While my first hundred against the MCC stands proudest of all, I don't dwell on personal things.
| I'm now hoping that I can look forward to a World Cup in West Indies in 2007 |
"Beating the West Indies by six wickets at Stormont last June was a bit special and a massive honour.
"Then taking the team home with Andrew White in the C&G Cup against Surrey when we needed 35 off the last few overs was also a highlight last May."
Does he not regret dipping into the professional game earlier?
"Yes. It was probably one of my regrets. When I was Eoin Morgan's age of 18, I never saw county cricket as a realistic outlook for me.
"I didn't really think it was possible, so at the outset I never set my goals accordingly. I did tinker with it, but I never had any belief in myself at the time.
"I just didn't think there were the opportunities when I was young. But I'm happy now with the job I have. The school is brilliant and allow me time off to play international cricket.
"At the minute I'm now hoping that I can look forward to a World Cup in West Indies in 2007. We just have to keep our feet on the ground now to achieve that goal."
MMIX
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