Three Durham players will feature in the tri-series between Ireland, Scotland & United Arab Emirates starting in Dubai next week.
Barry McCarthy & Stuart Poynter will line up for the Irish while new Academy signing Michael Jones makes the senior Scotland squad for the first time.
The teams will face off against each other twice at the ICC Academy as a precursor to March’s ICC World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, with two spots up for grabs in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.
Ireland face off against Scotland on 16 & 18 January after playing UAE on 11 & 13 January. Scotland will play the UAE on 21 & 23 January.
McCarthy & Poynter retain their places in the 15-man squad after featuring in the turnaround 2-1 ODI series win over Afghanistan last month.
The former enjoyed a particularly successful series, taking his maiden ODI five-wicket haul in the second match before taking a further three to see Ireland to victory in the series decider.
And his performances earned him a new career-high placing in the latest ICC ODI Bowling rankings, moving him into the top 100 for the first time.
Poynter was a late call-up to the squad & returned 46 runs for just one dismissal in three innings, including a resolute 27 not out in a huge defeat during the first match.
Jones penned terms on a senior Academy contract for 2018 & will travel with Scotland’s senior side for the first time after an impressive 2017 season.
The batsman scored hundreds for & against Neil Killeen’s Second XI last season, notching three figures during April’s friendly before adding another impressive century in the 50-over friendly at Burnopfield in September.
He was an outstanding member of the Scotland ‘A’ side throughout the summer while also racking up runs for Ormskirk CC in the Liverpool & District Cricket Competition.
Jones will be skippered by ex-Durham man Kyle Coetzer in a squad also containing ex-batsman Calum MacLeod.