Boyd Rankin

His performances in for Ireland's U-19s and the Ireland A team to attracted the attention of county scouts and prompted several offers of trials. In an interview, Rankin stated that he chose to join Middlesex "because of the Irish connection, with Ed Joyce and (Eoin) Morgan there, I wanted to be some place where I knew a few faces". During his two-season stint at Middlesex, from 2004 to 2005, Rankin played several times for the second XI but failed to break into the first team.

In an effort to experience more first team cricket, he signed a deal with Derbyshire for the 2006 season, encouraged by Mike Hendrick, Derbyshire's bowling coach. Although Rankin played a first team match and a Pro40 match in which he took a wicket with his first over, his season was prematurely cut short by a side strain.

Derbyshire renewed his contract for the 2007 English season, though his opportunities were limited due mainly to injury.{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/298125.html |title=Depleted Ireland announce ODI squad |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}} Retrieved on 16 June 2007. He played just three first-class matches taking 10 wickets at an average of 29.20 with best figures of 4/41 which was against his old county, Middlesex; in that match he finished with his best first-class match figures of 8/121.{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/fds/hi/statistics/cricket/scorecards/2007/5/13657/html/scorecard.stm |title=LV County Championship – Division Two: Derbyshire v Middlesex scorecard |publisher=BBC online |date=16 May 2007}} Retrieved on 26 August 2008.{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/60/60782/f_Bowling_by_Team.html |title=First-class bowling for each team by Boyd Rankin |publisher=CricketArchive}} Retrieved on 11 March 2008. He also played five one day matches taking 4 wickets at an average of 50.50 with best figures of 2/56.{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/60/60782/a_Bowling_by_Team.html |title=List A bowling for each team by Boyd Rankin |publisher=CricketArchive}} Retrieved on 11 March 2008.

At the end of the 2007 season, Rankin turned down a new contract with Derbyshire in favour of a two-year contract with Warwickshire. Rankin explained his choice as a difficult one, but the opportunity of working with Allan Donald was too good to miss. He was contracted to play in the controversial Indian Cricket League for the Kolkata Tigers;{{cite news |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/icl/content/story/320289.html |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |title= Lara and Inzamam named in ICL teams |work=ESPNcricinfo |date=14 November 2007}} Retrieved on 20 November 2007. fellow Irishman, Niall O'Brien also participated in the tournament.{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/315556.html |title=Rankin joins Warwickshire |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=15 October 2007}} Retrieved on 15 October 2007.

Rankin jeopardised his season when in April 2008 he injured himself during fielding practice before a County Championship match against Worcestershire. He dived to stop a ball and landed awkwardly on his shoulder, suffering a SLAP tear to his right shoulder. He underwent an operation and was expected to be on the sidelines for about six months.{{cite web |url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/347640.html |title=Rankin's season under threat |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=26 April 2008}} Retrieved on 26 August 2008. After just four months, Rankin was back playing cricket. In August 2008, he made his debut for Warwickshire in a first-class match against Essex. He finished with figures of 4/80 in a drawn match as Warwickshire only bowled once.{{cite web |url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/365097.html |title=Langeveldt and Hinds ruin Middlesex |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=15 August 2008}} Retrieved on 26 August 2008. He finished the season with 12 first-class wickets for Warwickshire in five matches at an average of 30.16,{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/60/60782/f_Bowling_by_Season.html |title=First-class bowling in each season by Boyd Rankin |publisher=CricketArchive}} Retrieved on 10 October 2008. and did not play any one-day matches for Warwickshire.{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/60/60782/List_A_Matches.html |title=List A Matches played by Boyd Rankin (35) |publisher=CricketArchive}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009. Speaking in October 2008 about his first season with Warwickshire and being coached by Allan Donald, Rankin said "He [Donald] doesn't seek to make many technical changes during the season – that's more for the winter. It's more about the mental side of the game, how to work a batsman over, how to think more about the game, how to work batsmen out and take more wickets".{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/ireland/7653473.stm |title=Rankin buoyed for Nairobi clash |publisher=BBC online |date=5 October 2008}} Retrieved on 10 October 2008.

At the end of the 2008 season, Warwickshire secured promotion from the Second Division of the County Championship to the First. In 2009 Rankin impressed Ashley Giles, Warwickshire's director of cricket, with his bowling. Giles commented that "[Rankin]'s got great attributes – he's tall, he can bowl fast, the ball bounces from nowhere ... We've just got to keep him fit".{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/warwickshire/8021123.stm |title=Woakes must be protected – Giles |work=BBC Online |date=27 April 2009}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009. Having generally come on as first or second change bowler for Warwickshire in 2008,{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/132/132367.html |title=f50686: Warwickshire v Essex LV County Championship 2008 (Division 2) |publisher=CricketArchive |date=15 August 2008}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009.
·{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/132/132375.html |title=f50699: Warwickshire v Derbyshire LV County Championship 2008 (Division 2) |publisher=CricketArchive |date=30 August 2008}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009.
·{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/132/132382.html |title=f50703: Worcestershire v Warwickshire LV County Championship 2008 (Division 2) |publisher=CricketArchive |date=4 September 2008}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009.
·{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/132/132396.html |title=f50721: Essex v Warwickshire LV County Championship 2008 (Division 2) |publisher=CricketArchive |date=20 September 2008}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009.
·{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/132/132402.html |title=f50735: Warwickshire v Glamorgan LV County Championship 2008 (Division 2) |publisher=CricketArchive |date=27 September 2008}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009. at the start of the 2009 season Rankin was entrusted with the new ball and opened the bowling with Chris Woakes.{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/204/204263.html |title=f51338: Warwickshire v Hampshire LV County Championship 2009 (Division 1) |publisher=CricketArchive |date=25 April 2009}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009.
·{{cite web |url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/204/204309.html |title=f51361: Warwickshire v Yorkshire LV County Championship 2009 (Division 1) |publisher=CricketArchive |date=9 May 2008}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009.

In July 2019, he was selected to play for the Belfast Titans in the inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27222261/eoin-morgan-represent-dublin-franchise-inaugural-euro-t20-slam |title=Eoin Morgan to represent Dublin franchise in inaugural Euro T20 Slam |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=19 July 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2019/articles/000010/001060.shtml |title=Euro T20 Slam Player Draft completed |work=Cricket Europe |access-date=19 July 2019 |archive-date=19 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719163945/https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2019/articles/000010/001060.shtml |url-status=dead }} However, the following month the tournament was cancelled.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/27387389/inaugural-euro-t20-slam-cancelled-two-weeks-notice |title=Inaugural Euro T20 Slam cancelled at two weeks' notice |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=14 August 2019}} In August 2019, he joined Derbyshire Falcons for the 2019 t20 Blast.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricketeurope.com/DATABASE/ARTICLES2019/articles/000011/001178.shtml |title=Rankin joins Derbyshire |work=Cricket Europe |access-date=4 August 2019}}

Rankin has represented Ireland at every age group from U-13 upwards, and by the age of 15 he was playing first team cricket for Bready, his local club. He played three youth One Day Internationals (ODI) for Ireland, finishing with two wickets at an average of 52.00.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/60/60782/60782.html |title=Boyd Rankin player profile |website=CricketArchive}} Retrieved on 26 August 2008. Performances for the Ireland A team prompted Rankin's inclusion in the World Cup Squad, although in the World Cricket League he made little impact in Ireland's unsuccessful campaign as he played only one match and was unavailable with a stomach bug for much of the time. Rankin took 4/56 against the UAE to help Ireland make the Intercontinental Cup Final of 2007, which Ireland later won although Rankin did not play because of county commitments.

Rankin had a successful World Cup in the Caribbean, and finished as Ireland's leading wicket taker of the tournament, with 12 wickets in his 9 matches at an average of 27 at a strike rate of 29.67. In Ireland's second game of the 2007 ICC World Cup, Rankin took 3/32 to bowl Pakistan out for 132 and win the match, causing a major upset. Ireland's victory against Pakistan ensured they progressed to the next round. A stress fracture of the fibula forced Rankin to miss ODIs against India and South Africa in 2007 which Ireland lost.

In August 2008, Rankin made his first appearance for Ireland since the 2007 World Cup.{{cite web |url=http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/365548.html |title=Rankin named in Ireland squad |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=19 August 2008}} Retrieved on 26 August 2008. He played in the first two ODIs in the three match series against Kenya before returning to Warwickshire. In the first match Rankin took 2/26 as Ireland won by 33 runs,{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/366140.html |title=Botha stars in Ireland win |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=24 August 2008}} Retrieved on 26 August 2008. however he did not bowl in the second match which was rained off after Ireland had batted for eight overs.{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/366188.html |title=Rain ruins second one-dayer |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=24 August 2008}} Retrieved on 26 August 2008. In October 2008, Rankin playing in the Intercontinental Cup against Namibia; finished with match figures of 7/72, with 5/39 in the second innings as Ireland secured an eight run win. In the match he recorded his maiden first-class five-wicket haul.{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/372403.html |title=Ireland keep final hopes alive with thrilling win |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=4 October 2008}} Retrieved on 5 October 2008. In the tournament final against Namibia, Ireland won by nine wickets and Rankin finished with match figures of 6/107.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/icccont2007/engine/current/match/325567.html |title=ICC Intercontinental Cup, 2007 – final: Ireland v Namibia |date=2 November 2008 |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009.

Rankin was part of the Ireland squad that took part in the tri-series against Kenya and Zimbabwe in October 2008. Ireland did not qualify for the final of the tournament because they had a lower run-rate than Kenya;{{Cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/tri-kenya/content/story/375086.html |title=Ireland sent packing by the rain |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=25 October 2007}} Retrieved on 23 November 2008. Rankin played in both of Ireland's ODI and took two wickets at an average of 41.50.{{cite web |url=http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/60/60782/o_Bowling_by_Season.html |title=ODI Bowling in Each Season by Boyd Rankin |publisher=CricketArchive}} Retrieved on 14 June 2009. In April 2009, Rankin was part of the Ireland squad which won the 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/iccwcq2009/content/current/story/400462.html |title=Porterfield and Johnston lead Ireland romp |author=Will Luke |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=19 April 2009}} Retrieved on Rankin finished the tournament as Ireland's leading wicket-taker, with 15 wickets from 9 matches at an average of 20.40, and was the equal sixth highest wicket-taker for the 2009 tournament.{{Cite web |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/iccwcq2009/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?class=5;id=4896;type=tournament |title=ICC World Cup Qualifiers, 2009 / Records / List A matches / Most wickets |publisher=ESPNcricinfo}} Retrieved on 18 August 2009.

Although Rankin didn't play in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in August 2008 in which Ireland shared the title with the Netherlands, he was selected for the 2009 ICC World Twenty20. He made his Twenty20 International debut on 8 June 2009. In Ireland's six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Ireland's opening match of the tournament, he took 1/36 from his four overs with Naeem Islam as his maiden wicket. The match was also Rankin's first competitive Twenty20 match.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/wt202009/content/story/408033.html |title=Ireland storm into Super Eights |author=Jamie Alter |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=8 June 2009}} Retrieved on 11 June 2009. Rankin was one of seven Ireland players to be nominated for the 2009 Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year (there were fourteen nominees in all),{{Cite book |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/422973.html |title=Dhoni, Dilshan pick up maximum nominations |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=2 September 2009 |access-date=3 September 2009}} although he did not make the 4-man short-list.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/story/425103.html |title=Strauss, Johnson and Gambhir lead ICC nominations |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |date=15 September 2010 |access-date=20 August 2010}}

In January 2010, Rankin sustained a stress fracture to his right foot which forced him to miss Ireland's tour of Sri Lanka.{{Cite book |url=http://www.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/story/444023.html |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |title=Rankin to miss Sri Lanka tour due to foot injury |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |date=14 January 2010 |access-date=14 January 2010 }} He recovered from injury in time to be selected in Ireland's 15-man squad for the 2011 World Cup.{{cite news |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/497464.html |title=Ireland pick Ed Joyce for World Cup |author=ESPNcricinfo staff |work=ESPNcricinfo |date=19 January 2011 |access-date=27 January 2011 }} On 16 August, Rankin represented the England Lions against Sri Lanka A. A side made up of some of the best players from Associate and Affiliate teams was put together to face England in Dubai in January 2012. The three-day match was part of England's preparation for a series against Pakistan later that month. Rankin was one of four Ireland players included in the 12-man squad.{{cite news |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan-v-england-2012/content/story/545647.html |title=Porterfield leads ICC side against England |work=ESPNcricinfo |date=16 December 2011 |access-date=18 December 2011 }}

In August 2012, Rankin announced that he would cease playing for Ireland, with the hope of one day playing for the English team. He debuted for England against New Zealand in a T20 match on 25 June 2013. His first appearance for England in a 50-over game was against his former team of Ireland at Malahide on 3 June 2013. After performing impressively in several short-format games, Rankin was selected for England's test squad touring Australia in 2013–2014. He made his test debut on 3 January 2014 against Australia in the fifth Test of the 2013–14 Ashes series. His first wicket was in the second innings, when Peter Siddle nicked a ball to Jonny Bairstow. Subsequent opportunities, however, proved elusive and Rankin confirmed at the end of 2015 that he would once again make himself available for the Irish national team.

In February 2016 Rankin returned to the Ireland T20 team for a two-match series against the United Arab Emirates. The following month he played in all three matches of Ireland's unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the World T20 tournament in Bangladesh. In June 2016 Rankin was welcomed back to Ireland's ODI team for two matches against Sri Lanka.

In May 2018, he was named in a fourteen-man squad and also was included in playing XI for Ireland's first ever Test match, which was played against Pakistan

and thus become the 15th cricketer in history to play test cricket for two countries.{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/ireland-announce-14man-squad-for-historic-first-test-against-pakistan-36873269.html|title=Ireland announce 14-man squad for historic first Test against Pakistan|work=Belfast Telegraph|access-date=4 May 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/44003641 |title=Ireland omit George Dockrell for historic first men's Test against Pakistan |access-date=4 May 2018 |newspaper=BBC Sport|date=4 May 2018 }} He made his Test debut for Ireland, against Pakistan, on 11 May 2018.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1127284.html |title=Only Test, Pakistan tour of Ireland, England and Scotland at Dublin, May 11-15 2018 |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=12 May 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/195109-ireland-v-pakistan-rain-washes-out-first-day-of-test-match |title=Ireland win toss, opt to bowl in historic Test against Pakistan |work=Geo TV |access-date=12 May 2018}} Rankin took Ireland's first wicket in Tests, dismissing Pakistan's Azhar Ali, who was caught by William Porterfield at second slip.{{cite web |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/ireland-bowl-first-ball-in-test-cricket |title=Ireland bowl first ball in Test cricket |access-date=12 May 2018 |work=SBS News}}

In January 2019, he was named in Ireland's squad for their one-off Test against Afghanistan in India.{{cite web|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/983693 |title=Ireland announce squads for Afghanistan series |work=International Cricket Council |access-date=28 January 2019}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/oman-afghanistan-squads |title=Stirling to captain Ireland T20 squad, new faces named for upcoming Oman and Afghanistan series |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=28 January 2019}} In May 2019, in Ireland's last match of their ODI tri-series, Rankin took his 200th wicket in international cricket.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/48286467 |title=Ireland v Bangladesh: Jayed takes five wickets as tourists ease to Dublin victory |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=15 May 2019 |access-date=15 May 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/bangladesh-chase-down-ireland-despite-paul-stirling-heroics-1.3893629 |title=Bangladesh chase down Ireland despite Paul Stirling heroics |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=16 May 2019}} A few days later, in the opening match against Afghanistan, Rankin took his 100th wicket in ODIs.{{cite web|url=http://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/team-effort-sees-ireland-convincingly-defeat-afghanistan-in-first-odi |title=Team effort sees Ireland convincingly defeat Afghanistan in first ODI |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=19 May 2019}}

In July 2019, Rankin was named in Ireland's Test squad for their one-off match against England at Lord's.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/48903638 |title=England v Ireland: Mark Adair, Lorcan Tucker, Simi Singh and Craig Young in 14-man squad |newspaper=BBC Sport |date=8 July 2019 |access-date=8 July 2019}} He got two wickets bagging the wickets of Sam Curran caught by James McCollum and Stuart Broad caught by Gary Wilson as England slumped to 85 all out on the first day of the test match. As a result of playing for Ireland in the match, he became the first cricketer since Nawab of Pataudi in 1946 to play for and against England in a Test match.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jul/22/boyd-rankin-england-debut-ireland-test |title=Boyd Rankin says disastrous England Test debut should not have happened |work=The Guardian |date=22 July 2019 |access-date=24 July 2019 |last1=Stocks |first1=Chris }}

In September 2019, he was named in Ireland's squad for the 2019 ICC T20 World Cup Qualifier tournament in the United Arab Emirates.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/squad-announced-for-oman-and-qualifier |title=Squad announced for Oman Series and ICC Men's T20 World Cup Qualifier |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=26 September 2019}} In January 2020, in the first ODI match against the West Indies, Rankin played in his 150th international match for Ireland.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/odi-1-ireland-v-west-indies |title=Ireland falls to confident West Indies side in first ODI in Barbados |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=8 January 2020}} On 10 July 2020, Rankin was named in Ireland's 21-man squad to travel to England to start training behind closed doors for the ODI series against the England cricket team.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/29438504/curtis-campher,-jonathan-garth-new-faces-ireland-name-21-man-squad-england-odis |title=Curtis Campher, Jonathan Garth the new faces as Ireland name 21-man squad for England ODIs |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=10 July 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cricketireland.ie/news/article/ireland-names-expanded-training-squad |title=Ireland names expanded training squad ahead of ODI series against England |work=Cricket Ireland |access-date=10 July 2020}}

On 21 May 2021, Rankin announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.{{Cite web|title=Ireland quick Boyd Rankin calls time on playing career|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2152767|access-date=22 May 2021|website=www.icc-cricket.com|language=en}}

• List of cricketers who have played for more than one international team

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110927100428/http://www.middlesexccc.com/player-profile.asp?PlayerID=15 Boyd Rankin] at Middlesex County Cricket Club
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215817/http://www.derbyshireccc.com/servlets/template?FILE=team_players_fullprofile&player_id=43&name=Boyd%20Rankin&SID=1450681201202032567844 Boyd Rankin] player profile at Derbyshire County Cricket Club
• {{cricinfo|id=24599}}

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