IRELAND could introduce as many as three new caps tomorrow and Tuesday when they face Hong Kong in two T20 internationals at Bready (3.30pm starts).
North Down leg spinner Jacob Mulder is the latest uncapped player to be called into the squad, replacing Barry McCarthy who has not been released by Durham and he could join pace bowler Josh Little and his Pembroke team-mate, wicket-keeper/batsman Lorcan Tucker, in the new-look side.
Also included in the squad, which shows 10 changes from the selection which crashed out at the group stages of the World Twenty20 in March, is Waringstown all-rounder Greg Thompson, recalled to the side after an absence of eight years.
“It is an opportunity to see players where we have holes for our long-term development,” said coach John Bracewell, “a leg spinner and a left armer.
"But, we have to keep things in perspective, Josh is only 16 and while some people will inevitably panic if we fail to beat Hong Kong, I won’t.”
Meanwhile, Ulster Bank league champions Instonians completed their season with a 12th win out of 14 against relegated Derriaghy yesterday. Kaushik Aphale has been released by the Queensway club but he went out with a bang, scoring 21 off 10 balls as Derriaghy reached 100 in just 13 overs. But they were all out for 169 in the 29th over and lost by five wickets.
In Section One, Muckamore beat Academy and will be confirmed as champions and promoted back to the Premier League today if Woodvale fail to beat Downpatrick.
In the North West, Coleraine will retain the Premiership title if they beat Brigade at Beechgrove today and Donemana lose at home to Eglinton.
The Bannsiders won the top of the table shoot-out with Eglinton yesterday by six runs, captain Scott Campbell taking the final wicket with the last ball of the 48th over after the last pair of Mark Averill and Andrew Pierce, batting at No 11 because he injured his foot, had put on 35.
At the other end of the table, Drummond’s defeat to Donemana, condemned them to a relegation play-off, against either Glendermott or Newbuildings. Glendemott stayed two points ahead in the race for second place in the Championship with a six wickets victory over champions Fox Lodge, for whom Brian Allen hit 102 out of his 118 in boundaries (13 sixes and six fours).
International Cricket 2016
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