News

Ireland have selected a ‘Development XI’ to play Afghanistan in a 2 day warm up game ahead of the crunch ICC World Cricket League Championship & ICC Intercontinental Cup matches.
Peter Connell starts the comeback trail in his quest to return to the senior side with his inclusion in the Ireland Development side for their two day game against Afghanistan at Oakhill on June 28-29.

30 year old Connell has played 56 times for Ireland, taking 104 wickets at an average of 20.35, but hasn’t featured in the senior side since playing against Australia in 2010.

He is one of three players who have played for Ireland at the highest level, with Phil Eaglestone and Stuart Poynter the others.

Chris Dougherty skippers the team in the game arranged to give Afghanistan some match practice ahead of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship and InterContinental Cup games at the start of July.

The game will see Robin Kelly, Stephen Moreton, Tomas Murphy and Andrew McBrine in senior representative Irish colours for the first time.
Kelly, a 19 year old born in Zimbabwe has an Irish father, and earlier this year scored a double hundred for his club side Pembroke in the Leinster Senior League, his brutal 219 against Rush set the pulses racing. All-rounder Moreton is on the Cricket Ireland staff, working as the Coach Education Officer, while McBrine’s fine domestic season with Donemana has been rewarded with a call-up.

Ireland coach Phil Simmons said of the squad: “It’s an ideal opportunity for us to have a look at some players who have been performing well domestically and see how they do at the higher level. It’s a great chance for them to show us what they are capable of against a team like Afghanistan.”

The squad in full is as follows:
Ireland Development XI squad – Two day warm-up versus Afghanistan
Chris Dougherty (capt) (CIYMS), Scott Campbell (Coleraine), Peter Connell (CIYMS), Phil Eaglestone (Strabane), Tom Fisher (Railway Union) Robin Kelly (Pembroke), Stephen Moreton (Leinster), Andrew McBrine (Donemana), Stuart Poynter (Clontarf), Tomas Murphy (The Hills), David Rankin (Bready), Eddie Richardson (North County).

The fixture details are as follows:
Ireland Development XI v Afghanistan Two day warm-up game at Oakhill – June 28-29 (11am)

Robin Kelly leaves the ground following his 219 against Rush.
No