Test Match Squad for Ireland

[sam_ahm]

It's a good squad. Other than Naqvi, who is probably still ineligible, who else could they have picked? May be Burl again but it's OK.

I think this is a good team.

[Marshmallow]

Masvaure....he is not a bad player, and he's experienced and has played in the UK for at least 10 summers. But, what exactly has he done to force his way back into selection?!?! Nothing of note. Test openers however we have almost no options to partner Gumbie - the options are Innocent Kaia or Tanunurwa Makoni, the latter of whom isn't good enough. I'd have picked Innocent. But really thats the only other option.

The lack of Naqvi tells me that he probably won't be playing against India this weekend either - clearly a problem with his papers and maybe the ICC have objected to how we have parachuted him in? Clearly ineligible as it stands.

I don't understand the Roy selection at all, I'm sure we will all agree on that. However, as a middle order batsmen - maybe batting at 5 or 6 - again we don't have many options in this format. Burl ha sonly played 1 first class match in the last 2+ years so shouldn't be considered. The other options are all youngsters like Hamid, Marumani, Madhevere, Shumba, Munyonga etc- who I don't think many would be too keen on either. Our options are so limited it's worrying.

I posted about a year ago that I had heard officially that Raza had retired from test cricket but everyone called me a liar. Well, here you go. He has.

In terms of the seamers I like Nyauchi's inclusion as he can get good swing, he might do okay in those conditions.
But I would have liked to have included a Luke Jongwe or even Ernest Masuku in there. Those sorts of medium pacers can be a real handful in UK conditions and I think would have done well.

Tbh It's better to have a youngster than R kaia.
And as a wild pick Ben curran is an opening option with experience of playing in England.

[secretzimbo]

I know everyone here hates Marumani (unnecessarily, imo) but worth noting he averaged 70 from 11 innings in the Logan Cup last season batting mostly at 4 or 5. Career average over 35 with 3 centuries already. As much as he has so far failed in white ball internationals, maybe he deserved a shot in this format? Instead of Roy probably. It's a risk though, considering his struggles in white ball. But as a middle order red ball batter he has done very well.

I also wonder if Gumbie will keep wicket or not? They may think opening and keeping in a Test is a bit too much workload. He remains a better keeper than Clive but Clive is much improved with his glovework the past 12 months.

[mnelson68]

Nothing surprises me anymore

[Googly]

When you see Roy there you know we're not moving forward.
Can't they just keep him on a 5k central contract and let him farm?
Prince is a good player, but there are better players and are they not wanting to build a new squad for the future?

Killing time and destroying careers. They do it excellently. The best.

[secretzimbo]

Chari had a much better Logan Cup than Prince (leading runscorer) but he played for Denmark A the other day and I think is based there now.


The good news is that we have a lot more Tests in the diary at the very end of this year and into next year so hopefully the likes of Welch has a better domestic season this time around and will get a chance going forwards. He did a lot of damage with that poor season.
Hopefully Burl feels bothered to turn up and play some Logan Cup next year too. He's not going to get picked if he doesn't play.

Good Logan Cup campaigns for Marumani, Madhevere, Shumba should hopefully bring them into play.

[secretzimbo]

They really should have picked Innocent in this format.

[secretzimbo]

The lack of a seam all rounder is going to be very damaging in this particular match. I can't see spin being hugely important in Belfast - in this case Bennett/Willliams/Campbell is probably enough. So then you think, oh perfect, we can play 4 seamers.

But all 5 of the seamers we've picked in the squad are proper number 11's ffs.

They should have at least picked Luke or dare I say it even Faraz in this case to bat at 8 and bowl some medium pacers.

[TapsC2]

It's a good squad. Other than Naqvi, who is probably still ineligible, who else could they have picked? May be Burl again but it's OK.

I think this is a good team.

Burl would probably do well in this format but he hasn’t played a Logan Cup since 2022.

Roy shouldn’t be in this squad.

[secretzimbo]

At least these boys play Logan Cup and Ireland play nothing. Expecting a win.

Ireland played a First Class fixture this week.

We haven't played first class cricket for almost six months and we have no warm-up match scheduled.