The Irish team, who fly out to London on Wednesday night en route to Trinidad and Jamaica, were treated to tea and snacks by the occupant of the house that itself hosted many great cricketers in its time.

"It was an excellent day" said Trent Johnston, clearly enamoured of President McAleese, "She's a lovely lady". The president unveiled a previously unknown interest in the game and also revealed that she had watched her daughter play the game at school in England. Her predecessor was not unknown to watch games across the road where her son, William Robinson, opened the batting for Phoenix 3rds.

McCallan revealed that the President seemed interested in whether we could get tickets for the rugby match this weekend. "She had a long chat with Andy White about the rugby" he said.

McCallan is excited about the impending tournament, "The Kenya league was very forgettable but we've come back well and everyone's in great spirits about the World Cup."

McCallan, Ireland's most capped player with 151 games, hasn't even considered whether this will be his last spell in an Ireland shirt. "I suppose I'll think about it afterwards but I've no plans to stop, " he said. Although he has been around for a long time, McCallan is still only 31.

Mystery still surrounds the bowling attack that Ireland will face on St Patrick's Day. The Pakistani fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif are still under the cloud of suspicion from their failed drugs tests and reports from Asia this weekend suggest their cricket board are terrified to select them in case they test positive during the tournament.

The pair have both got timely injuries which has kept them from playing . . . and being dope tested . . . recently.

Question: Who is the only Irishman to have a first-class cricket trophy named after him? (Answer at end of column)

Quote of the week: "The Irish are repeatedly intoxicated, drink excessively, are seen emerging from grog shops very dissolute and abandoned and are of very intemperate habits. . ."

The above report appeared in the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper in March 1842. Can't see that happening again. . .

Signs that there's a new wind blowing for Irish cricket (No.7): the BBC Sport website last week ran an interview with a member of the Joyce family who has already played in a World Cup. Ed's sister Cecilia talked about how she and her twin Isobel played for Ireland at the 2005 World Cup in South Africa.

Sadly, the sisters are travelling in Australia and won't get to see big brother turn out in the blue and red.

Signs that there's a still a long way to go: the Cricinfo website seem a bit off the mark with their coverage of the Ireland squad. The carry a photo of Mark Gillespie (New Zealand) to illustrate Peter Gillespie, while their description of Eoin Morgan baffles the player. "They have me down as being educated at Exeter University, which is rubbish, " he told Inside Edge. "And I don't know where they got the idea that my nickname is 'Mandy'. I don't mind that they have me down as 6'1" though!" said the five foot nine and a half inch Morgan.

Planning for the next generation of World Cup cricketers is clearly not being ignored by the unions. Leinster Cricket Union development officer Briain O'Rourke helped facilitate six schoolboys to spend some of their Transition Year playing cricket with schools in South Africa.

The very promising Andrew Balbirnie (Pembroke and St Andrew's College) and Sean McAuley (Malahide and Belvedere College) have joined Muir College in the Eastern Cape and have both benefited from the trip. Balbirnie made 97 against the top South African school, St Andrew's, Grahamstown. The other boys who are on the trip are Peter Reddy, Niall Kelly, Jack Brennan and William Gilsen.

The makers of that delicious Australian beverage Foster's are planning some cricket nights for fans in Ireland during the World Cup. To mark the great event Foster's are offering one lucky reader of Inside Edge the chance to win a cricket century (100! ) of Foster's cans to enjoy sensibly with your mates while watching all the action unfold.

All you have to do is answer one simple question. Which Irishman recently took part in the one-day international series down under?

Answers to the Sunday Tribune Foster's cricket quiz, 15 Lower Baggot St, Dublin 2; or the email address below. Entrants have to be over 18.

Teaser answer: Alexander Bustamante, after whom the West Indies interstate Busta Cup is named. Bustamente . . . born William Alexander Clarke to an Irish planter father and Taino mother . . .

was the founder of the Jamaican Labour Party and first prime minister of the country after independence.

Days to the world cup: 18. Peter Gillespie has scored 18 fifties for Ireland in his 116 caps, more than anyone else in the current squad. His only century, 102* in 47 balls against MCC in Bangor in 2005, was the fastest ever for Ireland.