Preview: Ireland is ready to welcome Zimbabwe for a one-off test at the Belfast Civil Service Cricket Club on July 25. Starting at 3:15 p.m., the game will begin. Ireland and Zimbabwe will be playing each other in tests for the first time. Andrew Balbirnie will cap the squad from Zimbabwe, while Craig Irvine will manage the Zimbabwean team. One significant absence from the Ireland squad is left-arm bowler Joshua Little, an Irishman with 56 Test wickets and 78 T20I wickets.
The final test match Ireland played was in February versus Afghanistan. They bowled first, limiting Afghanistan to 155 in the opening half. Mark Adair got five wickets at a cost of 39. Ireland jumped ahead by 108 runs thanks to fifty from Paul Stirling in the middle and forty-nine from Curtis Campher. Then, in the second innings, Mark Adair, Bary McCarthy, and Craig Young each claimed three wickets to bowl out Afghanistan at 218. Ireland won the match by 6 wickets thanks to captain Andrew Balbirnie’s undefeated 58 runs while chasing 111 runs. Ireland won their first Test match with this victory.
Zimbabwe tour of Ireland, 2024, Only Test Match, Ireland vs Zimbabwe
Venue: Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast
Date & Time: Thursday, Jul 25-Jul 29, 3:15 PM
Pitch Report: Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast is the venue for the Test match. Afternoon is when the game will begin. 31 T20Is and 35 ODIs have been held at this location.
PROBABLE PLAYING XI
Ireland (IRE): Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Matthew Humphreys, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
Zimbabwe (ZIM): Craig Ervine (capt), Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Tendai Chatara, Clive Madande (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Sean Williams.
