The total air-miles for a squad member from Dublin is a stunning 26,949 - more than the circumference of the world.

The South African leg has excited captain Trent Johnston, who loves the idea of his squad doing nothing but "living and breathing" cricket for the next month. "It's been great", he said this weekend, "we've had plenty of fitness training and we're all in good nick. Kenny Carroll broke his finger six weeks ago but he's back fielding and hitting balls now so there's no worries." The squad have been training in Salem CC but seven of the squad were absent yesterday due to a virulent 'summer vomiting bug'.

While their Irish supporters are turning over this morning for a second stab at the Tribune crossword, the squad will be running up and down sand dunes - so count your blessings.

Former West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons is still mulling over the ICU's final offer of a contract as Ireland coach to succeed Adi Birrell. The ICU seem convinced Simmons was the stand-out candidate, ahead of the 60 initial applications and a shortlist that also included Australian test players John Dyson and Ashley Mallett - both of whom have coached Sri Lanka - ex-Essex batsman Paul Pritchard and Scotland assistant coach Andrew Lawson. He was offered the job on 20 November but the financial details have delayed the final signatures.

Ireland's wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien (pictured) is relieved to have organised his summer employment before the serious winter business gets going. He has signed a one year contract with Northamptonshire but fancies his chances of overtaking the incumbent, Riki Wessels, especially as the latter's father is no longer coach at Wantage Road.

"I hope my early season form will be good coming off the World Cup and if I can get a few runs I can make the job my own", he told Inside Edge this weekend.

"I'm very confident I can take it with both hands".

O'Brien is looking forward to the opportunity of keeping to several highquality spinners, especially Monty Panesar and Richard Dawson.

Ireland will be happy enough as Northants were more accommodating to Ireland over the availability of Andrew White than Kent were with O'Brien.

The best Ireland could hope for is a similar arrangement to that which they came to with last summer over Eoin Morgan. The North County batsman was allowed play for Ireland until Middlesex needed him and was thereafter cup-tied.

Irish cricket bade farewell to one of its true greats recently when former player, coach and ICU president Noel Mahony passed away. Noel would have been 94 tomorrow. There was an enormous turn out for his memorial service at King's Hospital last week, with former internationals Joe Caprani, Alan Lewis, Deryck Vincent, Alfie Linehan, Mark Nulty, Alan Hughes, Annie Murray, Stella Owens, Mary Hackett, Grainne Clancy and Mary Pat Moore among those paying tribute to a well-loved and generous man.

Signs that there's a new wind blowing for Irish cricket (No.1 in a series):

There in Hot Press magazine, on page 21, among the latest news on My Chemical Romance and Director, a 20 year old left hander from Fingal may be making a bid for rock 'n' roll stardom. With luck the half-page interview with Eoin Morgan is a taste of the new, higher profile for Ireland's players. Morgan acquits himself well and says that he would opt to play test cricket if England picked him. "If England come knocking, you can't refuse", he admits. Luckily for him he didn't have to explain the musical choices he made on the CricketIreland site recently. Even allowing that they are fellow northsiders, Aslan are way too out of vogue forHot Press readers.

Signs that there's a still a long way to go (No.1 in a series): "Andrew Strauss has passed 50 in three of England's last four wins against decent opposition - the victory against Ireland has been overlooked. . ." Angus Fraser considers Ireland 'indecent opposition' in The Independent. He must have forgotten his part in Middlesex's defeat in Clontarf in 1997.

Days to World Cup: 60. The great Jimmy Boucher played 60 times for Ireland, taking 307 wickets at 15.26.

And "nally, a chance to win a copy of 100 Greats of Irish Cricket by James Fitzgerald and Gerard Siggins (Nonsuch Publishing), which has just hit the shops (and www. amazon.

co. uk). The first correct answer drawn out of the hat on Friday wins: Name the three men who played for Trinity this century and who made their one-day international debuts last summer - for three different countries.