From around the world,an Associate XI full of hope

It's the morning of the final day in 2011 and William Porterfield is just getting ready for his morning jog in London.

It’s the morning of the final day in 2011 and William Porterfield is just getting ready for his morning jog in London. There are no elobarate new-years plans for the Ireland cricket team captain. A few drinks with a couple of friends at the most,he insists.

Around 300km away in Manchester,Mudassar Nazar,ex-Pakistan cricketer and renowned coach,is just trying to catch up on some lost sleep. The last few nights have been spent in front of the television at home,watching the live coverage of the Australia-India Test match in Melbourne. Like Porterfield,he too will be bringing in the new year without much fuss.

Meanwhile,the sun has already begun its descent in Jalalabad,Afghanistan,where team mates Mohammad Nabi and Hamid Hassan are preparing for an early dinner. Its unlikely that either of them will be up to witness the various countdowns that will sound around midnight. They cannot afford to.

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By the time,the rest of the world awakens and soughts out remedies to treat their inevitable hangovers the following morning,this motley crew from different parts of the world,who will converge in Dubai,would have commenced their journeys. None of them is complaining,however.

For,starting from Saturday,Porterfield and the rest of his Associate XI teammates will realise a common dream of playing the No.1 Test team in the world. And while they have spent the last six days training vigorously,its been difficult to overcome the awe-inspiring enormity of the three-day contest against England at the ICC Global Cricket Academy ground,according to the skipper.

They have clearly been the best side in the world for a while now. And we cannot ask for a better opportunity to showcase the talent that is prevalent in the Associate teams. We all know we are just a step away from playing in the big league,and making a good impression against the top-dogs will really count, says the 27-year-old Porterfield,who already has experienced pulling a fast one against his fancied neighbours during the World Cup last year.

The first few days,says Namibias Craig Williams,however,has been focused around gelling as a team. It has been exciting to get to know the guys. We (the Namibians) have always got along with the Irishmen and the Scots,but we have found out how terrific the Afghans are over here, says Williams.

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55-year-old Nazar,the Associate XI coach,has high hopes from his motley bunch.

The Irishmen are obviously more skilled because of the exposure they get in England. But it is great working with these guys,and I am hoping they give England a fight, he says.

IPL dreams

Though he too fosters Test dreams,for now,Afghanistan pacer Hassan believes his team mates were looking to further their unprecedented rise at the Associate level to attract IPL contracts.

I think we have proved ourselves worthy to play in the IPL. Good performances in this match will go a long way we hope in that quest, Hassan says.

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In two months time,the same lot will be back in Dubai,but as opponents competing to qualify for the World T20 later in the year. For the next three days,however,they will be a band of brothers,like Hassan puts it,fighting away under one banner.