Bray recalled after two-year exile

Jeremy Bray, the Ireland opener, has been recalled after a two-year exile from the side following a public outburst over the state of Irish cricket and now has the chance to earn a place in the ICC World Twenty20 squad.

Bray hit a century against Zimbabwe in the 2007 World Cup, but the following summer branded the Irish Cricket Union (now Cricket Ireland) "a joke" over their attempts to turn the game professional.

However, time has been a healer and he is back in the frame for the Friends Provident Trophy matches against Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire next weekend and Bray is grateful for the second chance.

"I'm delighted to be involved again. I said some harsh things about Irish cricket two years ago, which I've come to regret deeply," he said. "I was exhausted after all the exploits of the World Cup, and felt we weren't changing quickly enough. I've been proved wrong, and Irish cricket is now in a stronger position than ever before. I made myself available and am grateful to Phil [Simmons] for giving me another opportunity.

"I've had three months rest from cricket for the first time in over four years, and I feel refreshed, fit and raring to go. I feel I've got a good few years left in me, and reckon I can give a good deal of assistance to the talented youngsters in the set up. I feel in great touch and it's fantastic to get another crack at international cricket."

Simmons said that he has made it very clear to Bray what he expects from his players and that he must fit with the team ethos. "He's a proven performer at international level, and with us losing so many top order batsmen, I felt he would improve our squad. He made himself available, and after having had a long chat with him, I'm happy to have him back.

"He knows my philosophy about the importance of the team ethic to Ireland rather than the individual, which I stressed," Simmons added. "We also have the Twenty20 World Cup coming up, and to me he's ideally suited to that form of the game. He scores boundaries and is a powerful striker of the ball.

"He's very fit and is focused on the game now - I don't think he had that appetite and focus when he took a break from the game. He's keen and eager, and I think he'll be a big success again - we all know he can really play."