Like Blackadder's sidekick Baldrick, Ed Joyce has a cunning plan which he hopes to finalise during the ICC Trophy tournament.
Dubliner Joyce hopes to help Ireland qualify for the 2007 ICC World Cup, and then hopefully get selected for England to face his former colleagues.
"Ideally that's the plan for me," said the Middlesex player. "To play for England is the career path I want.
"Certainly I think Ireland are one of three sides that can win this event."
Joyce, the first batsman to 1,000 runs this season in English first-class cricket, also believes that Namibia and Scotland are also in with a great chance to take the honours.
"I've played against them a bit, and they are obviously decent sides. But with Ireland at home they have an excellent chance to win the event and then qualify for the West Indies.
"To be honest, I'm probably more nervous looking forward to this tournament than I am playing county cricket for Middlesex.
"That may sound strange. But these tournaments are so important and with amateur players playing it breeds this funny sort of game," said Joyce whose average so far this season in first-class cricket is over 90.
"Unfortunately Irish people think I'm going to get runs every time I walk to the crease. But that doesn't happen to anyone in one-day cricket.
 |  We have a very good side, a lot more experience than we had in Canada |
"But hopefully I will get some match-winning scores which is the most important thing."
Joyce, who last played for Ireland in the 2001 ICC Trophy flop in Toronto, is trying to qualify to play for England.
It was thought 1 July was the day he officially becomes available for his adopted country.
But it looks like he may have to wait a further six months to complete a four-year residency.
Joyce added: "It's fantastic to be back among my friends in the Ireland team again.
"Obviously I miss playing for them when away in England.
"I don't remember a huge amount from my last match for Ireland against Canada. We won that game, but we had a very bad tournament. Hopefully it will be better this year.
"This is the year when Ireland have to qualify. If we don't get through to the World Cup this year, there is something seriously wrong.
"We have a very good side, a lot more experience than we had in Canada. We should do it."
MMIX
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