Days after being dropped from Ireland’s ODI squad, for the three-match series against Zimbabwe, left-arm spinner George Dockrell has been left out of the long-format squad, too, for the one-off Test against England at Lord’s. James Cameron-Dow, also a left-arm spinner, seamer Barry McCarthy, and wicketkeeper-batsman Stuart Poynter, who were all part of the squad for the Test against Afghanistan in Dehradun earlier this year, have also been left out. Instead, fast bowlers Mark Adair and Craig Young, and wicketkeeper-batsman Gary Wilson have been picked.
While both Adair and Young are uncapped in Test cricket, Wilson had featured in Ireland’s inaugural Test, against Pakistan, last year in Dubin. Seamers Adair and Young have been rewarded for their impressive performances for Ireland A while Poynter was left out in favour of the more experienced Wilson.
The four-day Lord’s Test, starting ten days after the World Cup final on July 24, will be Ireland’s 12th international against England. In their first ODI at Lord’s, Ireland were emphatically beaten by Eoin Morgan’s men. But in their most recent ODI exchange in Malahide, Ireland gave England a scare in a low-scorer.
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Andrew White, the chairman of selectors, took heart from that performance and expected the players to be “just as competitive in the Test arena”.
“We have stated all along that as selectors we are looking for players not only in-form but displaying consistent performances, and I believe we have selected a squad that reflects this,” White said. “It’s also a squad that balances experience and emerging talent, which is necessary in looking to the future in this format of the game.
“This may only be our third Test, but we have 11 more to play over the next three years and our two Tests to date have shown glimpses of the potential we possess.”