TWO years ago, William Porterfield had never even played for his country. Now the whole island - at least in cricketing terms - hangs heavy upon his young shoulders.

If that is a slight exaggeration, it's hard not to shudder at the gravity of Porterfield's role in what promises to be an arduous series of matches against the English counties in the Friends Provident Trophy, where friends might prove hard to come by.

Ireland look weak. Their celebrated Aussie-born trinity have retired to stud and three of the leading native players are employed full-time in England. Their combined quality was the cornerstone of five weeks of World Cup heroics.

Porterfield, the diminutive, blond 23-year-old from the Donemana club in Derry, has not only been charged with the captaincy after Trent Johnston opted to give his creaking carcass a rest. He will also be expected - no, required - to supply a high percentage of the runs from the top of the order. Starting with tomorrow's visit of Nottinghamshire to Clontarf, the first of Ireland's eight games under the new group format.

'It's a really big challenge to take over the mantle from Trent because he was a great captain. But I am looking forward to the challenge,' the Gloucestershire 2nd XI player told Sportsmail.

'Captaining Ireland will mean everything, really. I have always wanted to play for my country since I was a little boy, and to captain them will be extra-special.'

Reassuringly, leadership has not been thrust upon Porterfield. He led his country throughout the under-age strata and has been groomed under Johnston and coach Phil Simmons for some time, concluding with the spring tour to Bangladesh when Johnston decided it was time.

Also, there is no doubting his prowess as a left-handed opener. He has nearly 1500 runs in all competitions at an average of nearly 40 and was Ireland's stand-out batsman in this competition last year, scoring 88 against Essex and 68 in the next game against Middlesex, also in Dublin 3. But these runs were registered in a losing cause, as Ireland succumbed in all six matches that escaped the weather. The skies might be kinder this year but the opposition will not.

'Obviously it is not going to be easy with the likes of Trent and Lanky [Dave Langford-Smith] retiring and us missing Eoin Morgan, Niall O'Brien and Boyd Rankin from the usual line-up, but their absence creates opportunities for other lads and I hope they can step up to the mark. I wouldn't want to say that we should be winning X amount of games but, if we can put the three disciplines into practice and perform to our potential, I feel we will get results.'

Porterfield brushed off concerns over the seam attack - Simmons hopes to have a West Indian in place for next weekend's away double-header - and asserted his confidence in 17-year-old Paul Stirling, poised to make his one-day Ireland debut.

'There are some all-rounders in there who can be really effective on Irish wickets, especially in one-day cricket,' he said. 'So we do have adequate seam bowling. I know that Botha and Kyle will give us 20 good overs in the middle and the one thing we have to do is get it right up front.'

As for the unpredictable quantity of youth, Porterfield himself is a glowing example of how faith in the callow can pay off.

'Paul Stirling has the experience of being around the squad in Bangladesh and I feel he knows he can perform at this level. I've seen him and I've no doubt he can do it. He has the ability and just needs to back himself.'

Porterfield has signed up at Gloucester for two seasons and one of the players currently forcing his debut to be deferred is Hamish Marshall, the powerful New Zealand batsman.

Marshall has turned his back on his country to make a living in England as an indigenous player - courtesy of an Irish passport. So it was tempting to ask whether Porterfield had quizzed him on his future intentions, three years out from the next World Cup.

'It's not something I've looked into,' he laughed. 'Hamish gets some stick in the changing room for being a "converted Irishman", but I don't know what his future plans are. We'll see what pans out.'

The same wait-and-see policy is what most Irish fans are likely to employ in respect to this year's Trophy campaign. Tomorrow's opener is live on Sky, ticket prices have been slashed and Ireland has a new captain, but if he doesn't hit the ground running it might be one big reality check, eight chapters long.