Ex-team-mate backs Rankin Down Under

The series which gets under way in the early hours of tomorrow (Thursday) morning sees Bready man Boyd Rankin battling with Steven Finn and Chris Tremlett for England’s third pace bowler to face Australia, at the Gabba, in Brisbane.

The 29-year-old has figured in one of England’s two warm-up games Down Under and although he hasn’t secured a lot of wickets, he has had impressive bowling figures.

Against the Australia Invitational XI, the Warwickshire man secured four wickets in both innings, but it was his tight bowling which coach Andy Fowler and skipper Alastair Cook will certainly have been impressed with.

Although bowling coach David Saker did admit that Tremlett impressed in the nets recently and because of that the Surrey man looks like getting the nod, Rankin more than likely will feature at some stage during the Ashes series.

Rankin becomes the third Irish cricketer following in Eoin Morgan and Ed Joyce’s footsteps to be part of an England Ashes squad Down Under, but the Bready man will be hoping to feature at some stage during the series unlike Morgan and Joyce.

One man who believes his former team-mate will get his chance in Australia is Ireland skipper William Porterfield.

The ex-Donemana batsman, who is currently in Abu Dhabi trying to help Ireland retain their ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier accolade, feels Rankin has all the tools in his locker to trouble the Aussie batsmen.

“He had a good last warm-up game in Australia, I think he had three wickets for 40 or 50 runs in 20 overs, so he’s obviously bowling pretty well out there,” stated Porterfield.

“England knew by picking him that they obviously had a lot of height in their attack with not just Boyd, but with Finn, Tremeltt and (Stuart) Broad and mix that in with (Jimmy) Anderson it’s a formidable attack.

“I think a lot of pitches in Australia will suit Boyd, they are quick and that pace and carry will suit him.”

The 29-year-old Ireland skipper, who has played football against Rankin during their Primary School days and played cricket together during Secondary School, concedes that he always knew the big man was destined for the top.

“He has all the attributes needed to make it at the highest level, he has always had that potential and hopefully now he can get to show that.

“He has that bit of extra height and the bounce he can get will trouble a lot of batsmen.”

Not just in the North West but throughout Irish cricket, Rankin’s decision to end his Ireland career in pursuit of trying to force his way into the England test side, was met with approval.

“I think no one held it against Moggie (Eoin Morgan) when he too decided to try and force his way into the test arena and to be honest you say good luck to both him and Boyd, because of the sheer fact that they are trying to play test cricket.”