Ireland returns to Gloucestershire

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Gloucestershire have re-signed Anthony Ireland on loan from Middlesex until the end of the season.

The 27-year-old seamer, who featured at Bristol between 2007 and 2010, will play for the second XI this week with a view to being available for the next LV= County Championship fixture against Yorkshire at Scarborough, starting on 28 August.

Zimbabwean Ireland will fill the void left by Ian Saxelby after the influential paceman was ruled out for the rest of the campaign through injury.

Gloucestershire director of cricket John Bracewell said: "Anthony has been told that he is not part of the long-term plans at Middlesex, who have kindly released him to us on loan.

Anthony Ireland, who played for Gloucestershire between 2007 and 2010, has returned to Bristol on loan for a second spell

"With the loss of Ian Saxelby for the rest of the season through injury, it will be handy to have someone with miles under his belt in terms of experience and who knows our systems pretty well.

"He will play in the seconds to get some overs and if he bowls well he will be an option for Scarborough."

Gloucestershire have also revealed Ed Cowan will return to the club to play in the championship match against Northamptonshire on September 4.

The Australian left-hander will replace Rob Nicol when the New Zealander leaves to start preparations for the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

Cowan was part of an Australia A squad that toured England earlier this month and has decided to stay in the country until his wife gives birth.

Chief executive Tom Richardson told the club's official website: "We are delighted that Ed Cowan is going to play for us again. We would have liked him to be with us until the end of the season, but he will be flying back to Australia after the Northants game.

"It's good that we are going to maintain our ties with Ed because he is a player we might well be interested in signing again in the future.

"When Rob Nicol arrived we hoped he would be available for all our remaining games. But there are so many international commitments for overseas players these days that there is always a chance they will be selected by their countries."

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