By Zim Sport Live Writer
Ireland Wolves will tour Zimbabwe next month for a multi-format series against Zimbabwe A, including two four-day matches and five one-day games as both sides prepare for a busy international calendar.
The tour, announced by Cricket Ireland on Friday, will run from 6 to 28 November, with the Irish development side set to test themselves in both red-ball and white-ball cricket.
The Wolves will begin with back-to-back four-day matches from 6-9 November and 13-16 November before switching to one-day cricket for five matches scheduled between 19 and 28 November.
The longer-format fixtures will offer Zimbabwe A an opportunity to test its players over four days, while the one-day matches will provide further preparation for players pushing for senior international selection.
Ireland have named separate squads for the red-ball and white-ball legs, with Matthew Humphreys captaining the Wolves in both formats.
Fast bowler Mark Adair has been included in the squad for the four-day matches to provide leadership and experience to Ireland’s developing seam attack.
Cricket Ireland director of high performance Graeme West said the tours would give players valuable opportunities to compete outdoors in warmer conditions during the northern hemisphere winter.
“With Namibia and Zimbabwe hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup and Qualification events in 2027 alongside South Africa, the tours provide great opportunities for our players to familiarise themselves with the conditions and some of their potential opponents,” West said.
He added that Zimbabwe’s willingness to play the longer format would provide a demanding test for the visiting side.
“The two back-to-back first-class matches will test our physical capacity as much as our technical skills,” West said.
The Wolves squad includes several players who will also feature for Ireland’s senior team during their five-match ODI tour of Namibia in October and November.
Ireland’s Under-19 men’s and women’s teams are also scheduled to tour southern Africa this month, with the men’s side travelling to South Africa for 50-over matches and the women’s team heading to Namibia for T20 fixtures.
Ireland Wolves fixtures against Zimbabwe A
- 6-9 November: First four-day match
- 13-16 November: Second four-day match
- 19 November: First one-day match
- 21 November: Second one-day match
- 23 November: Third one-day match
- 26 November: Fourth one-day match
- 28 November: Fifth one-day match
Ireland Wolves red-ball squad
Jake Egan, Stephen Doheny, Cade Carmichael, Chris Defreitas, Tim Tector, Ben Calitz, Mark Adair, Jordan Neill, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Humphreys (c), Liam McCarthy, Jai Moondra, Byron McDonough, Matthew Hollard, Reuben Wilson.
Ireland Wolves white-ball squad
Stephen Doheny, Tim Tector, Cade Carmichael, Chris Defreitas, Ben Calitz, Gareth Delany, David Delany, Jordan Neill, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Humphreys (c), Liam McCarthy, Jai Moondra, Byron McDonough, Matthew Hollard, Josh Little.
Source: “Cricket Ireland – Africa-bound” (https://cricketireland.ie/news/africa-bound/)
