GEORGE DOCKRELL will be at the spearhead of   Ireland's bid to reach the finals of the World Twenty20 when the qualifying tournament gets underway today in Dubai.

The Leinster left- arm spinner has opened the bowling in all five of Ireland' s warm-up matches this year and is expected to do so again in a tricky first group match against the big-hitters of Namibia.

The slow pitches found in the UAE make spin bowling a key factor and in 19-year-old Dockrell and Paul Stirling, Ireland have two of the best among the 16 hopeful teams vying for two places.

National coach Phil Simmons said: "I can't tell you who the captain will decide to open the bowling with in any given game, but we have been very pleased with George in that role.

"The first few overs can set the tone for a game. It's important to gain control early on and you look for bowlers who can do >that - fast or slow - and George has shown he has a great temperament."

Simmons has identified Namibia as one of four opponents who could prevent Ireland joining the 10 Test-playing nations at the tournament proper in Sri Lanka in September.

While Scotland are a known quantity - and the Netherlands and Afghanistan are in Group A - the coach believes today's  match against the south-west Africans could be the hardest of Ireland's seven games in Group B.

Simmons said: "Scotland and the Netherlands have been playing some good cricket but you have to say that Namibia have players that can turn a game very quickly."

The aim is to finish top of the group and in so doing earn two bites at the qualifying cherry in a complicated series of play-offs that will see two teams reach the finals after a total of 72 matches in 11 days.

Ireland' s other Group A opponents are Kenya, Italy (who have former Australian batsman Michael di Venuto and Middlesex all- rounder Gareth Berg in their squad), the USA, Uganda, Scotland and Oman.

Geraint Jones, the former England wicketkeeper and 2005 Ashes winner, will be representing Papua New Guinea - the country of his birth - in Group A.

IRELAND SQUAD: William Porterfield (captain), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Nigel Jones, Ed Joyce, Rory McCann, John Mooney, Kevin O'Brien, Boyd Rankin, Max Sorensen, Paul Stirling, Andrew White, Gary Wilson (wicketkeeper).