CRICKET:ALTHOUGH THEY proved a little intimidating when they landed here in the past, there should be no real problem in dealing with the Norwegian threat today as Ireland open their defence of the European Championships at Milverton in Skerries (10.45am).

It is the first time the sides have met, with Ireland coach Phil Simmons admitting his knowledge of the opposition is somewhat limited. "We are going in to some of the games a little blind, but once you perform your skills properly there's no way they should give you trouble.

"The first two games especially (Ireland play Denmark tomorrow) are about doing the right things and if we do that we should be above them," said Simmons.

Tracing a form line on the Norwegians is far from conclusive. Although they earned their place in the European Championships by winning the Second Division in Glasgow in August last year, their more recent performances in Division Five of the World Cricket League were far from convincing.

Norway finished ninth of the 12 teams competing in Jersey back in May, beating Vanuatu, Bahamas and Japan, but shipping defeats to Nepal and Mozambique. Nine of that squad will be in action this time around, although Mubasshar Bhatti, their leading wicket-taker in Jersey with 11, has not travelled.

Simmons will be able to call on his county-based players for next week's ODI matches against the Netherlands and Scotland, but is keen to see some of his squad members stake their claims in the opening games of the tournament.

It will be Ireland's first appearance at Milverton, and Simmons will be hoping some of his batsmen will take advantage of one of the best tracks in the country.

Paul Stirling could do with a good knock, while Reinhardt Strydom and Alex Cusack will be also looking to push on to a big score after several good starts this summer.

There was bad news for Simmons on the bowling front last night with news Strabane seamer Phil Eaglestone has had to withdraw from the tournament due to his ongoing shin splints problem. "I've had an MRI scan this week, and the specialist suspects a stress fracture of the tibia," said Eaglestone last night. "This is yet to be confirmed, but it means I've had to pull out of the European Championships, and I must be rated as extremely doubtful for the Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers which get under way in just nine days time in Belfast," he added.

Uncapped fellow left-arm bowler, Gavin McKenna, replaces Eaglestone in the squad for the games against Norway, Denmark and Italy, while Gary Wilson comes in for the ODI games with the Netherlands and Scotland. McKenna joins his North Down team-mate Peter Connell, who is bound to be brimming with confidence after his hat-trick and 10-wicket haul against the Netherlands in Rotterdam recently.

IRELAND (From):W Porterfield (Gloucestershire, capt), A Botha (North County), P Connell (North Down), A Cusack (Clontarf), P Eaglestone (Strabane), T Fourie (Railway Union), A Poynter (Clontarf), G Kidd (Waringstown), K McCallan (Waringstown), K O'Brien (Railway Union), P Stirling (Cliftonville), R Strydom (North County), A White (Instonians), G Wilson (Surrey, wkts).

TODAY'S FIXTURES - European Championships (10.45):Ireland v Norway, Milverton; Scotland v Denmark, Malahide; Netherlands v Italy, Balrothery.

IRELAND UNDER-19 (Squad for European Championships, Glasgow, August 5th-7th):A Balbirnie (Pembroke, Capt), B Ackland (Merrion), J Blakiston Houston (Strabane), A D'Arcy (Clontarf), G Dockrell (Leinster), N Donnell (Brigade) R L Dougherty (Donemana, wkts), S Getkate (Malahide), G McDonnell (Pembroke), L Nelson (Waringstown), E Richardson (North County), J Shannon (Instonians), C Young (Bready).