Graham Hume is heading to Australia to the join the Ireland squad for the T20 World Cup as a replacement for Craig Young after the North Down bowler was forced to return home with a recurrence of a hip problem.

Hume, who moved to Waringstown last year after playing at Coleraine as an overseas professional for three years, made his debut for Ireland in a one-day international against New Zealand in July but has played only one match in the shortest format, in the series against Afghanistan at Stormont in August. He has yet to take an international wicket.

Cricket Ireland had denied there was a problem with Young as recently as Tuesday, when he missed Ireland’s first practice match after their arrival in Sydney, saying he was just ‘rested’ but yesterday physio Mark Rausa confirmed; “Craig has experienced a recurrence of a chronic issue we have been managing for some time.

"Whilst we thought we were on top of the issue, it sadly flared up once we arrived in Sydney and began training.”

Hume will join the squad in Melbourne where they will play two official warm-up games against Namibia on Tuesday and Sri Lanka on Thursday, before their first World Cup match against Zimbabwe in Hobart next Monday.