BOYD Rankin has been named in the England squad for next week's two Twenty20 internationals against New Zealand.

The former Ireland opening bowler will give up any chance of playing in the next World Cup for his home country if he plays in either of the two games at The Oval next Tuesday and Thursday. Kevin Pietersen returns for the second game in a squad which is captained by another former Ireland international, Eoin Morgan, and, apart from Pietersen, does not include any of the probable Ashes line-up.

Meanwhile, Nick Larkin, the North Down Aussie with an Irish passport, makes his inter-provincial debut for the Northern Knights today as all roads lead to Dublin for the first RSA inter-provincial Twenty20 Blitz at Pembroke.

Larkin, who is eligible to play for Ireland, will keep wicket, replacing Chris Dougherty who has had to withdraw because of work commitments. But it will be his batting skills in the shortest format which the Knights will be looking to as the NCU side aim for their first win against the strong Leinster Lightning side.

The hosts, who even without player/coach Trent Johnston, Stuart Poynter and Andrew Balbirnie can still include seven internationals, play in both games today, the first at 12.30pm against the North West Warriors followed by the clash with the Knights, starting at 5pm.

The Warriors are without the injured Peter Connell and Jonny Thompson while Scott Campbell and David Barr play for the Ireland U19s today against MCC at Muckamore. But it allows the selectors to bring in T20 specialists Ryan Hunter and Gareth McKeegan in the form of the game which should give the North West side their best chance of an inter-provincial victory. Ominously, though, today's line-up lost a practice game against a North West President's XI on Wednesday night by six wickets.

Apart from Larkin, Instonians' in-form batsman, South African-born Nicolai Smith is the other debutant for the Knights in a squad which sees the return of Civil Service North skipper Nigel Jones.