Ireland have officially revealed their squad for the upcoming one-off Test against New Zealand, marking a historic milestone for Irish cricket. The highly anticipated clash will begin on May 27 at Stormont’s Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast, only the second Test match ever hosted at the venue.
Experienced right-handed batter Andy Balbirnie will continue to captain the side as Ireland prepare for their maiden red-ball encounter against the Black Caps. Remarkably, Balbirnie remains the only cricketer to have featured in all 12 of Ireland’s previous Test matches, underlining his importance to the squad.
The squad announcement also brings excitement with the inclusion of four uncapped players — Jake Egan, Tom Mayes, Liam McCarthy, and teenage talent Reuben Wilson. Their selection highlights Ireland’s intent to build depth while giving emerging players an opportunity on the international stage.
However, Ireland will head into the Test without several senior names due to fitness concerns. Key players Paul Stirling, Barry McCarthy, Jordan Neill, Gavin Hoey, and Josh Little have all been ruled out, forcing the management to reshape the squad ahead of the historic fixture.
Among the newcomers, Jake Egan enters the squad with strong momentum. The 32-year-old Perth-born all-rounder recently impressed in domestic cricket by smashing a brilliant century for Strikers in the Emerald Challenge, scoring 120 runs in his only first-class outing this season.
Tom Mayes, a 25-year-old bowling all-rounder, also caught the selectors’ attention with an outstanding all-round performance in the same competition. He claimed six wickets and added valuable runs with the bat, strengthening his case for inclusion.
Liam McCarthy, originally from South Africa, continues his rise in Irish cricket after qualifying to play for Ireland in 2021. The 24-year-old has already represented the national side in white-ball cricket and has taken 19 wickets in six first-class matches.
Nineteen-year-old Reuben Wilson is another exciting prospect in the squad. Although relatively inexperienced, the young player has already gained exposure in List A and T20 formats, making him one to watch for the future.
The upcoming Test is expected to attract significant attention from cricket fans, as Ireland aim to build on their memorable Test victory over Zimbabwe in Belfast last year.
Ireland Test Squad vs New Zealand
Andy Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, Stephen Doheny, Jake Egan, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Reuben Wilson, and Craig Young.
