Three players return for Ireland tour to Zimbabwe

Niall O'Brien returns to the Ireland squad

Three of Ireland's county players have returned to the 14-man squad for the forthcoming trip to Zimbabwe.

Ireland will play an Intercontinental Cup tie against a Zimbabwe XI, followed by three one-day internationals against the full Zimbabwe team.

Niall O'Brien returns after surgery on a finger and captain William Porterfield and Gary Wilson are both released to play in the full tour.

Boyd Rankin and Alex Cusack are both ruled out through injury.

Rankin is sidelined with a recurrence of a foot injury while Cusack is also recuperating following surgery on his leg muscles.

Both hope to be back in the Ireland reckoning for a planned trip to the subcontinent before the end of the year.

Ireland coach Phil Simmons said: "It's an important trip for a variety of reasons.

"We're currently ranked 10th in the world above Zimbabwe, and we want to not only keep our position but close in on, and possibly overhaul Bangladesh.

"We haven't given up hope of still qualifying for the final of the Intercontinental Cup.

"A full points win would keep us in with a chance, so we'll be striving all out to achieve that.

"The World Cup is now only five months away, and for the fringe players these fixtures represent a mammoth opportunity to convince me and the selectors that they should be on the plane to Bangladesh and India."