It's going to be strange because I know the guys well, says Boyd Rankin on facing England

It's going to be strange because I know the guys well, says Boyd Rankin on facing England

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Boyd Rankin admits that playing against England, a side he once represented, will be strange because he is well acquainted with the members of the English team. However, he also admitted that playing in another Test match for his home country, Ireland, was a dream come true.

The tall, big frame of the 35-year-old is all set to run in for Ireland in the four day contest at Lord’s, starting on July 24. In doing so, Rankin will create history by being only the second cricketer ever to play for and against England. Nawab of Pataudi was the first to achieve this feat in 1946.

"It's going to be pretty strange for me because I know their guys so well," he said. "It is a dream come true and it is something I never thought would happen in my playing career," Rankin was quoted saying by Cricbuzz.

Rankin’s first delivery for England in Test cricket was the wicket of Peter Siddle at the SCG on England's ill-fated tour to Australia in the winter of 2013/14. However, things went south from there on. Having only bowled 21 overs in the entire match, Rankin was one of the casualties of the fall-out from the 5-0 whitewashing at the hands of Australia. Rankin, who never played another Test match for England, was eventually eased out of the ODI side after only a couple more ODIs. However, he now admits that he shouldn't have played in Sydney at all. 

"I hurt my shoulder a few days before the Test and I wasn't fully fit going into the game. I felt I had to give it a go. It was one of those that I didn't know how bad it was until I got back home. In hindsight I shouldn't have played but when you get an opportunity to play Test cricket it is one you want to take," Rankin said.

Rankin made his international debut for Ireland in 2007. But soon, he followed in the footsteps of Eoin Morgan, England’s World Cup winning captain, and Ed Joyce, in search of opportunities in Test cricket, as Ireland did not have Test-playing status at the time. Despite the difficulties that followed, he does not regret his time with England.

"At that stage of my career there were no real opportunities to play Test cricket for Ireland. That has changed now but at that time I wanted to play at the highest level and that was the only way I could do it. It was a tough tour to start with. I made my debut and it was a blur, to be honest. I have still got my shirts and caps. They will be cherished as that is a big part of where I have been. It didn't go to plan for me but that is the way it goes sometimes,” he said. 

Returning to Irish colors by the end of 2015, Rankin dedicated the rest of his career focusing solely on playing for the land of his birth. He was part of the team that played in Ireland’s inaugural Test match against Pakistan last summer. 

“That is a long time ago and now I am back playing for Ireland full-time and that is what I am concentrating on," Rankin added.

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