Porterfield targets England Test place

William Porterfield has said he will consider giving up his role as Ireland captain if handed an opportunity to play Test cricket for England. Porterfield, who recently signed up with Warwickshire, has led Ireland in 21 ODIs since 2008 but his country is not yet a Test-playing nation. Two other Ireland cricketers, Ed Joyce and Eoin Morgan, have gone on to play cricket for England with Morgan now a part of their Test line-up.

"It would obviously be a nice situation to be in if you're getting the call," Porterfield told BBC WM. "I'm looking to play Test cricket so I think it's a call you'd be doing well to turn down.

"I think it's where every cricketer wants to be, playing Test cricket and playing at the top level, and if that opportunity came along I'd be more than grateful to take that call."

Porterfield, who left Gloucestershire after their disappointing season where they finished fifth in Division 2, said the loss of Ireland cricketers to the England team was a worrying trend. "It's obviously sad to lose our players to England when you're trying to put out your best team," he said. "But I think the lad's (Morgan) done fantastically well, he deserves to be where he is and playing at that top level week-in, week-out - I hope he gets a run in the Ashes series and does pretty well."

Porterfield, who scored 531 runs at 37.92 in 15 games for Gloucester, joins country-mate and fast bowler Boyd Rankin in the Warwickshire squad. "I spoke to Boyd quite a bit when we got back from Abu Dhabi about the move up the road to Birmingham," he said. "He was pretty complimentary about the county and said I wouldn't go too far wrong if I made the move - he had a quiet word in my ear and that obviously helped my choosing."