Kyle McCallan will captain Ireland in their European Championship opener against top flight new boys Norway at The Hills tomorrow (11am start).

Ireland’s most capped player is currently on holiday and not due back into Dublin until after midnight tonight but with William Porterfield likely to be playing for Gloucestershire until tomorrow, McCallan will continue to lead Ireland, as he has done for the last seven games in the skipper’s absence.

It should not be an arduous task and, indeed, before he left on holiday, McCallan was keen to stress he was available to play his 190th game for his county against the minnows of the competition.

It is also likely that North Down left armer Gavin McKenna will be given his Ireland debut, having been called into the squad as replacement for fellow left armer Phil Eaglestone. Club team-mate Peter Connell may get an extra day off and come in for Saturday’s game against Denmark when Porterfield will captain the team.

Ireland’s first ever game against the Norwegians, who were promoted from the second division two years ago, could be one of the mismatches of the tournament but national coach Phil Simmons is expecting his squad to do a “professional job”.

Commenting on Ireland’s role as favourites, defending the title they won in Scotland in 2006, he said: “If we don’t play well on the first two days, then it is a waste of time thinking about next week’s matches.

“Victory against Norway and Denmark will boost team-spirit and confidence but the first thing is to play proper cricket. Scotland (next Thursday) will be the hardest match but first we have to make sure we are in pole position going into that match.”

Simmons also confirmed that Gary Wilson would open the innings with Reinhard Strydom today and tomorrow to decide who opens with Niall O’Brien when the Northamptonshire opener joins up with the squad in time for Monday‘s first one day international of the tournament, against Netherlands.

Because Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands are among the six ICC High Performance teams, games between the teams are classified as official ODIs and the three countries have been permitted to select different squads for the games.

So, although Porterfield has been named as captain of both squads, O’Brien and Middlesex’s Eoin Morgan can play only against the Dutch and Scots, as were not named in the “other squad” for the games against Norway, Denmark and Italy.

Kevin O’Brien and Alex Cusack missed Ireland’s last one-day match, the five wickets defeat to Scotland three weeks ago, but both are available for selection although Simmons may choose to make only the one enforced change, with Ryan Haire not in the squad.

Apart from the game against Italy, back in the top division in Europe for the first time since 2004, whom they meet on Tuesday, it promises to get harder for Ireland as the tournament progresses.

After what should be a gentle return to action tomorrow, it is unlikely to be much more difficult at Rathmines on Saturday against a Denmark team which lost twice to the Ireland A side last year.

The first ODI on Monday will give Ireland the chance to complete the double over the Dutch, just a fortnight after their Inter-Continental Cup success in Rotterdam and after a day’s rest, it will be the big finale against Scotland at Clontarf.