Ireland to play Scotland in Stormont

Ireland will play their potentially crucial ICC World Cricket League matches against Scotland in September at the Civil Service ground in Stormont, Belfast. Ireland's four-day match against Australia A will also be held in Stormont, while two ODIs against Pakistan will be played in Clontarf and Malahide will host England for another one-dayer in September.

The fifth round of the WCL Championship will take place this month, with table-topping Ireland in action against UAE and Scotland, who sit just two points behind in second, playing Afghanistan. The top two teams earn automatic qualification for the 2015 World Cup, so the matches between Ireland and Scotland in the final round could assume great significance.

Another new Irish venue could also be inaugurated during the summer, with plans to host a repeat of last year's visit of Bangladesh at Bready Cricket Club in Northern Ireland.

"It's another incredibly important year for Irish cricket as we attempt to make it to the World Cup finals and also defend our ICC World Twenty20 qualifiers trophy in November," the Ireland coach, Phil Simmons, said. "We've been to the final stages of five world tournaments and we want to make it seven. It's fantastic that we've got the high profile matches on home soil against Pakistan and England, and we hope to get another series against Bangladesh in August as well."