Our first-time top ranking - which equates to 12th place overall in the world game - lasted two days until Scotland beat Canada in Mombasa to draw level. The rankings are sure to change frequently over the coming months with the World League and World Cup.

Once an associate has played at least 10 matches it will be promoted to the full ODI rankings if it wins two games against full members and has won more than 60% on the associates table.

With games against Kenya and Zimbabwe coming up - and a current 75% against associates - the full ranking is very attainable.

The Irish squad spent the last week training hard in Port Elizabeth, where they play a four games against an Eastern Province representative side, starting Tuesday. They spent yesterday watching day two of the 2nd test between Pakistan - who they play in Jamaica - and South Africa. They are due to enjoy the third day's play today but an early finish looks on the cards.

The ICC individual ODI rankings have also been updated and show Kyle McCallan as our top batsman with a rating of 274, ranked 125. The figures should be taken with a sack of salt as Ireland have only played three one-day internationals, but it is interesting nonetheless to see our players ranked in the same table as Ponting and Pollock.

Eoin Morgan, whose only ODI appearance saw him score 99, is rated 242.

Other Irish players: Andre Botha 234, Niall O'Brien 213, Andrew White 187, Kevin O'Brien 180, William Porterfield 156 and John Mooney 111. Ed Joyce's appearances for England so far have earned him a rating of 96. Mike Hussey tops the table with 821, ahead of Kevin Pietersen. Dave Langford-Smith is our highest rated bowler, his nine wickets earning him a rating of 282 which puts him 105th in the rankings. Other Irish include: Trent Johnston 181, John Mooney 153, Kyle McCallan, 129 and Kevin O'Brien 110. Shaun Pollock is top of this table by far with 910 points, more than 100 clear of Glenn McGrath.

Pressure from players prevented the North West clubs pulling out en bloc from the Irish Senior Cup this summer. On the surface their gripe was with the introduction of expensive coloured gear - the NCU and LCU already play some tournaments in pyjamas - but that was a red herring. The clubs feel Leinster cricket has become too strong with the arrival of dozens of non-professional imports - the Derry region has not had the same level of immigration as Dublin has on the back of the Celtic tiger. The North West clubs want their professionals to be allowed play in an effort to narrow the gap, or else for all non-Irish qualified players to be banned. The clubs have mandated their ICU rep, Bob Kerr, to lobby for these changes.

It has been a bad winter for saying farewell to cricketers. Ham Lambert was Ireland's oldest living international when he passed away aged 96 years, 126 days in October. He was succeded by Noel Mahony, who held the honour for just ten weeks when he died in December, aged 93. Former Merrion batsman Paddy Waldron is now our oldest player - the Limerick-born Waldron will be 90 on 5 February.

Signs that there's a new wind blowing for Irish cricket (No.2): There are at least two documentaries being made about the Irish team going to the World Cup - one by the national broadcaster (who haven't shown a ball bowled live since 1980) and a Sligoman called Paul Davey who is an independent filmmaker based in Australia, while a third project is also in the planning stage. Maybe there's a reality tv show to made called 'Big Brother's big brothers' in which Paul and John Mooney, Ed and Dom Joyce, Greg and Jason Molins and Niall and Kevin O'Brien sit around throwing racist insults at each other. I wonder who'd do the washing up?

Signs that there's a still a long way to go (No.2): The BBC Northern Ireland website has been gearing up its coverage for the World Cup, but the excellent interview with Peter Gillespie (below right) was spoiled by illustrating it with a photo of Jeremy Bray (below left).

Obviously another subscriber to Adi Birrell's theory that the pair were separated at birth.

Anyone contemplating a late dash to the Caribbean should run along to the Holiday World exhibition in the RDS, Dublin next Thursday and Friday. The Jamaican Tourist Board will be there on stand CN9 doling out advice - and rum - to prospective travellers.

Congratulations to Jim Collins of Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, for being the first name out of the hat in our quiz last Sunday. He correctly identified Dominick Joyce (Ireland), Ed Joyce (England) and Danny Morgan (Bermuda) as the three former Trinity players who made their ODI debuts last summer. He wins a copy of the newly-published '100 Greats of Irish Cricket' (Nonsuch) which is available in all good bookshops and some dodgy ones too.

Days to the World Cup: 53. Stanley Bergin won 53 caps for Ireland between the years 1949 and 1965. He scored two centuries, against Scotland, and 15 fifties in his 2,524 runs.