ireland Has announced a 14-man squad for the one-off test against new zealandFour uncapped players received their first call-ups ahead of the historic competition in Belfast. The four-day Test, starting on May 27 at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont, will be Ireland’s 14th appearance in the longest format and their first against the Black Caps.
young opener jake egan and fast bowler Tom Mayes, Reuben Wilson And Liam McCarthy The title of team selection signals Ireland’s continued focus on building depth in red-ball cricket despite a number of injuries in the camp.
Young talents rewarded after impressive domestic performances
The new faces include 22-year-old Jake Egan and 19-year-old fast bowler reuben wilson He has not yet made his international cricket debut in any format. Both players had recently joined emerald challengeA domestic match that featured some of Ireland’s top red-ball cricketers, where he caught the attention of the selectors with composed performances.
Wilson’s inclusion is particularly noteworthy given his age and limited first-class experience, while Egan’s steady growth in domestic cricket has now earned him opportunities at the highest level.
Meanwhile, Mayes and McCarthy have already represented Ireland in white-ball cricket but are now set to enter the Test arena for the first time. The inclusion of three fast bowlers underlines Ireland’s intention to field a strong pace attack in the conditions in Belfast, which is expected to help the fast bowlers.
Injury setback forces Ireland to make changes
Ireland will go into the Test without several senior players due to injuries. experienced batsman paul sterling Has been ruled out after suffering a Grade 2C strain during the Emerald Challenge. Sterling had earlier faced a tough time in his ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign after suffering a knee injury in Ireland’s match against Australia.
The Irish team has also lost an experienced fast bowler. barry mccarthy Out for the remainder of the year due to a left ACL injury. spinner gavin hoe is unavailable due to strain on the left side, while josh little Recovery from rib stress fracture continues. jordan neal He has also missed the selection due to a right shoulder muscle injury.
In another important development, the all-rounder curtis kaempfer Will be seen solely as a batsman in the Tests as Cricket Ireland is carefully managing his return to bowling duties.
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Andrew Balbirnie will lead the experienced corps
experienced batsman Andrew Balbirnie Will continue to lead the team and is expected to lead a relatively young team with established names Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Mark Adair And Andrew McBrine.
Ireland’s last test assignment arrived bangladesh in November 2025, where they lost both matches of the two-Test series. The upcoming clash against New Zealand presents another tough challenge, but also a valuable opportunity for Ireland’s emerging players to gain exposure against elite opposition.
With a number of youngsters getting their first opportunities and senior players missing through injury, the Belfast Test could represent the start of a new chapter in Ireland’s red-ball journey.
Ireland squad for New Zealand Test: Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, Stephen Doheny, Jake Egan, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ruben Wilson, Craig Young
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