Rankin planning for the future

In fact the Bready man is already thinking about returning and bowling at the likes of Beechgrove, The Holm and John Hunter Grounds as he also wants to put something back into North West cricket.

The 27-year-old, who played a major role in Ireland’s recent ICC World Twenty20 Qualifiers success and is sure to play against the West Indies and Australia in the ICC World T20, in Sri Lanka, in September, is hoping whatever experience he continues to gain both at County Cricket or international level he will be able to use whenever he does return to Bready.

“Once I finish playing full-time in England, my aim is to go back home and work on the farm and hopefully if I’m still fit I’ll be able to play for Bready again,” admitted Rankin.

“At the minute I’m just happy with the way things are going at Warwickshire but if it gets to that stage I would love to put a lot back into North West cricket with... like coaching and stuff.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what the body is like, if I’m unable to play then hopefully I’ll be able to pass on my knowledge that I have gained over the last three or four years and over the next five or six years. Hopefully I’ll have plenty of knowledge that I’ll be able to take back and can pass onto the young guys coming through.

“I keep up to date with all the scores every weekend and I always ring home and see how my home club is doing, I’m keen at some stage to come back to Bready and play again.

“I think the club cricket in the North West is pretty good and hopefully that will keep bringing the young guys through.”

However before that the Warwickshire man has more pressing matters with Ireland and more importantly helping his country continue their recent good form and help them finally gain test status.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves, we have to qualify for every tournament now because our ultimate aim is to become a full test nation and although there is a lot of pressure on us, we just have to keep going.

“I feel we are an all round good team and hopefully we can keep just pushing forward over the next few years and we’ll get to that full test nation stage.”

Incredibly this will be Rankin’s fifth World Cup campaign, but the big modest bowler isn’t already thinking of bowling to the likes of Aussie trio George Bailey, Travis Birt and David Hussey or West Indies duo Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard.

“If I go to Sri Lanka then it will be my fifth World Cup, which would be brilliant,” he added.

“Our main thing was to come to Dubai and qualify for the T20 World Cup and we did that, but we also wanted to win the tournament, so we were all delighted to have done both.

“We had a lot of big performances after losing our opening game and everyone played their part throughout the competition from Paul Stirling opening the batting, while Trent Johnson, Kevin O’Brien, George Dockrell and Max Sorensen all bowled very well, Ed Joyce and William Porterfield also did well with the bat, but as I have already said it was the whole squad who performed well, for us to win the T20.

“I think after the opening defeat to Namibia we all really seemed to get our act together and we seemed to peak at the right time, to secure the title. The bowlers seemed to do well throughout the competition and the batsmen came to the party whenever they were needed, so we were all really pleased with the way things went.”

Rankin hopes that in years to come he, along with William Porterfield will be joined in the Ireland squad by a few more cricketers from the North West area.

“It’s nice to have a few guys coming from the North West who have helped Ireland qualify for another World Cup, as it gives the younger guys something to aim for and hopefully there will be a few more coming through over the next few years.

“I know the likes of Graeme McCarter, Andy Britton to name but two, but there is a lot of talent in the North West.

“Hopefully the guys in the North West can keep working hard and push their way into the Ireland side.”

Over the years the former Derbyshire man has picked up numerous injures, but he’s keeping his fingers crossed that those days are behind him as he prepares for another County Championship season with Warwickshire.

“I have got over a few serious injuries over the last few years and I have stayed playing pretty much over the last couple of years and I think that has helped with my bowling. I have learned a lot over the last few years and it’s just nice staying fit and bowling well. Playing day in day out has also helped, it’s very professional in England and you can only become a better cricketer for that.

“Touch wood I can keep injury free and keep taking wickets for Warwickshire as well.”