ED JOYCE's captaincy of the MCC today gives rise to the idea that he has broken the last bastion defending English cricket from foreign invaders and won a long battle for acceptance. Well, not quite.

The Irishman sampled a taste of the big time in 2006 when he was first called up for England. Last year threatened to be a full-blown feast, until he was suddenly told to leave the table. Joyce is determined to be invited back.

England have moved on under a new coach since Joyce was axed after the World Cup, holding a modest average of 27.7 from 17 one-day internationals that many suspect he will take into retirement. But the man from Bray is having none of it.

"It's one of those things: I didn't do as well as I could have done for England but it was all cut short prematurely in my opinion, and in a few other people's opinions, too," said the Middlesex batsman, 29.

"I didn't play as well as I could have and, when you play for England, there are so many players at a similar standard that if someone is not really playing well, you will lose your place. But I'd say my England prospects are as strong as ever. There isn't a black line through my name and it's just a matter of getting runs on the board and getting another opportunity."

Opportunity certainly knocks over the next four days as Joyce leads the MCC, cricket's oldest and most patrician club, in the season's first recognised fixture. A Marylebone XI featuring several England hopefuls will take on the reigning county champions, Sussex, and every pair of influential eyes will be watching.

"This MCC team is usually picked from the England A team [whom he toured with over the winter] so I knew I had a good chance of playing, but it was a bit of a surprise to get the captaincy," Joyce told Sportsmail.

"I went on an MCC tour in 2004 to Uganda and Namibia and I am a full member and have played a few games around England. So there is a bit of history there. I know some Irish internationals of the past have done it but I couldn't say whether any of them captained the team. It would be nice to do well in this game. People have scored hundreds in the past in this game and gone on to have great seasons. The selectors will be there and there aren't any other games on, so everyone will be watching this one."

Although playing for Ireland again is the last thing on Joyce's mind - even if England continue to overlook him, he wouldn't re-qualify for his homeland until 2011 - he has a deep yearning for the Blarney Army live up to the prowess demonstrated in that World Cup campaign last year.

Trent Johnston's abdication of the captaincy to young William Porterfield, together with the loss of Jeremy Bray and the imminent unavailability of a host of players employed on the county scene, hints at an arduous time for Ireland outside their associate-nation playground.

Ireland's Friends Provident Trophy campaign begins on April 27 with Nottinghamshire's televised visit to Clontarf, and Joyce warned Porterfield he will have to learn on the job - and fast.

"William is a young lad but has a good head on his shoulders. I know him a little and he comes across as a pretty calm individual, so I would think he will do a good job in tough circumstances," said Joyce.

"If he can grow into it with a difficult Friends Provident Trophy campaign then it will be good for him. Ireland are going to be pretty weak with Niall O'Brien and Eoin Morgan not playing, it's a real test of their mettle and I really hope they do themselves justice and be competitive."

"Trent has been brilliant for the game," he added of the World Cup captain who is unlikely to play any more one-day cricket for his adopted country.

"I played against him when I was 15 or 16 in a club game and he was an overseas player who had no intentions at the time of playing for Ireland. But he has been a magnificent ambassador for the Irish game and has to take a lot of credit for the World Cup performances. He's a huge inspiration to the country."

With players like Joyce, Morgan, O'Brien and Boyd Rankin promising to feature strongly in the English pro scene this summer, there is no shortage of inspiration for budding young players on this side of the water.

But Joyce still has his heart set on wearing those three lions, and will continue to scale London's city walls until they recognise him as one of their own. Starting today at Lord's.