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Landmark deal sees solar powerhouse Fáilte Solar go into bat for Irish cricket

Cricket Ireland and Fáilte Solar have today announced that the solar product company will be #BackingGreen both on and off the pitch as the Primary Sponsor of Ireland Men.

With terms in place for a deal of up to 10 years this is the longest sponsorship of this nature in Irish cricket history, and highlights Fáilte Solar’s commitment to Irish cricket as Ireland Men continues to grow in stature both at home and around the world.

The partnership unveiling took place at Fáilte Solar’s newly opened headquarters in Shannon, County Clare, where the company was founded by Indian native Abhilash Borana in 2019, at the same time as he was completing his master’s degree in International Commercial Law at the University of Limerick.

To mark the partnership announcement, Cricket Ireland President Stella Downes, CEO Warren Deutrom and several Ireland Men’s players - including Test Captain Andrew Balbirnie, vice-captain Lorcan Tucker and talismanic all-rounder George Dockrell - visited Fáilte Solar headquarters, participated in a tour of the facility, enjoyed a meet and greet and Q&A with the Fáilte Solar staff, before having a playful hit on the lawn.

Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom, said:
“Today’s event in Shannon marks a big step forward for Irish cricket, and one which will see an Irish business success story support our Men’s side in 2025 and beyond.
“Fáilte Solar is a company that shares our goal of becoming a major sport at home, and a major cricket nation around the world, just as they themselves continue to grow rapidly both in Ireland in other markets around the world to make sustainable energy solutions more cost-effective and accessible.
“This is a hugely exciting time for Ireland Men, not just because the team’s consistency over a number of years has resulted in automatic qualification for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, back-to-back Test wins, and some high-profile victories against South Africa just last month. But there is also a lot to look forward to in 2025, with an all-format tour of Zimbabwe in January and both England and West Indies touring Ireland.
“I would like to personally thanks Abhilash and Fáilte Solar CEO James Ring, and my own team at Cricket Ireland for bringing this exciting partnership to fruition.”

Having founded in 2019, Fáilte Solar is already the leading distributor of photovoltaic equipment in Ireland, with the company’s achievements generating recognition for its founder Abhilash Borana, who was a 2023 EY International Entrepreneur Awards Finalist and Forbes "30 Under 30 Europe" inductee in the 2022 Manufacturing and Industry category.

Fáilte Solar Founder and Chair Abhilash Borana, said:
“As a huge fan of cricket and as someone who has made a home here in Ireland since 2018, I am ecstatic to see these two things I love come together.
“At Fáilte Solar we are on a mission to establish solar energy as an affordable and cost-effective solution for businesses and consumers in Ireland and around the world in the coming years.
“As an entrepreneur driven company, we cultivate a culture of togetherness which makes Irish cricket a natural entry point for us, and we cannot wait to begin #BackingGreen and supporting the Ireland Men’s team as they continue to challenge the status quo on the world stage.”

With more than 70 employees across Europe and a further 200 in India, Fáilte Solar serves internationally with subsidiaries in several countries in central Europe, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, and India. Fáilte Solar was founded with €50,000 of seed money raised from Borana’s family in 2019, and will exceed €60 million turnover in 2024.

By supporting Cricket Ireland, Fáilte Solar join a broad range of Irish sponsors and global companies that have a significant presence on the island of Ireland, including Certa Ireland, Corpay, DMG Media and Butlers Chocolates.

Ireland beat South Africa in final match of Men’s ODI series

Ireland Men ended their ODI series against South Africa Men in style on Monday, claiming a 69-run victory in Abu Dhabi with 23 balls to spare.
Ireland had tied the T20I series that preceded the three-game ODI series, which South Africa had claimed by virtue of winning the first two matches. They ensured a winning finish with a superb all-round performance, beating South Africa in convincing fashion.

Captain Paul Stirling starred with the bat, making 88 from 92 deliveries, but there were a number of contributions throughout the order and Ireland's seamers then drove home the advantage with ball in hand. Stirling earlier called correctly at the toss for the first time in five attempts and, after electing to bat, flourished alongside Andrew Balbirnie. The pair made 101 for the first wicket, setting a new best for Ireland's highest opening partnership against South Africa in ODI cricket.

Stirling brought up his half century, his 15th in the format for Ireland, before Balbirnie (45) pulled Lizaad Williams into the hands of Tristan Stubbs on the leg-side boundary just five runs short of his own 50. Ireland's skipper was unrelenting in the Abu Dhabi heat, before eventually departing in the 35th over. Curtis Campher (34) and the returning Lorcan Tucker (26) provided further contributions, while Harry Tector's rapid 60 from 48 was a welcome return to form for the 24-year-old and took Ireland to 284-9 from their 50 overs.

Both Mark Adair and Graham Hume quickly settled into their work with the new ball, picking up a wicket apiece to dismiss both openers and leave South Africa stunned at 8-2. Adair then made it 10-3 by trapping stand-in skipper Rassie van der Dussen lbw at the start of the fifth over, the score now 10-3 and Ireland cock-a-hoop.

Kyle Verreynne (38) looked to find a way back for his team but couldn't build on his start and by the time he fell to Craig Young, the Proteas were struggling at 59-4. A 47-run partnership between Jason Smith and Andile Phehlukwayo frustrated Ireland until the latter top-edged a pull shot to Young, earning Fionn Hand a first wicket on his ODI debut. Smith kept up the charge and reached a well-made half century but could only watch on as Bjorn Fortuin (11) was bowled by Matthew Humphreys and Williams became Young's third wicket.

Ireland sensed victory but Smith moved up a gear and was closing in on a century until he gave a chance to deep third off the bowling of Hume, leaving Ireland just one wicket away from a famous win. Hume picked up that wicket in the 47th over, delivering the perfect end to Ireland Men's international year.

MATCH SUMMAR

Ireland 284-9 (50 overs; P Stirling 88, L Tucker 60, A Balbirnie 45; L Williams 4-56)
South Africa 215 (46.1 overs; J Smith 91; G Hume 3-29, C Young 3-40, M Adair 2-54)
Ireland won by 69 runs

South Africa win second match of Men’s ODI series with Ireland
Defeat in the second ODI match meant Ireland Men conceded the series to South Africa Men on Friday.

South Africa, who won the opener by 139 runs, proved dominant again, sealing the trophy with a game to spare thanks to a 179-run victory this time around. An unchanged Ireland were again asked to bowl first at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, while Kyle Verreynne replaced injured opener Tony de Zorzi for the away team.

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma made a bright start alongside the in-form Ryan Rickelton but the former also suffered a knock while diving to make his ground at the non-striker's end and was forced to retire hurt on 35. Curtis Campher struck not long after, taking a sharp catch off his own bowling to remove Rickelton (40). There was celebration for Gavin Hoey, too, who took his first international wicket by bowling Rassie van der Dussen (35).

A 103-run partnership between Kyle Verreynne (67) and Tristan Stubbs (112*) set South Africa back on course, though. Stubbs went on to produce a stunning first international century - an unbeaten innings that came from 81 balls and included eight fours and three sixes - which ensured the Proteas posted a commanding 343-4 from their 50 overs.

It was always likely to prove a difficult run chase for Ireland and their task was made greater when both openers, Andrew Balbirnie (1) and captain Paul Stirling (5) fell inside the first three overs. There were starts from Harry Tector (20), Campher (17), Mark Adair (21) and Gavin Hoey (23), but Ireland struggled to build partnerships and ended up 174-runs short despite some spirited late hitting from Graham Hume (21) and Craig Young (29*).

The third and final match of the series will be played at the same venue on Monday.

MATCH SUMMAR
South Africa 343-4 (50 overs; T Stubbs 112*, K Verreynne 67, W Mulder 43; C Campher 1-22, A McBrine 1-43, G Hoey 1-49)
Ireland 169 (30.3 overs; C Young 29*; L Williams 3-36, B Fortuin 2-36, L Ngidi 2-38)
South Africa won by 174 runs

South Africa beat Ireland in first match of Men's ODI series
Ireland Men suffered a 139-run loss to South Africa on an historic night for captain Paul Stirling, and Irish sport as a whole, at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Before play, Stirling was handed his 400th cap for his country across all formats on the same ground where he made his debut back in 2008. In reaching 400 international appearances, the batter became the first cricketer for Ireland to do so and the most-capped male Irish athlete in any team sport.
Stirling's father was in attendance to witness his son make history, while, at the other end of the spectrum, 22-year-old Leinster Lightning leg-spinner Gavin Hoey made his international debut for Ireland. But despite a fighting performance with the ball, Ireland were unable to mark the occasion with victory as their batters came up short in the run chase.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma called right and opted to bat first at the toss, however his side were met by an Ireland attack with the bit between their teeth. As has so often been the case in recent years, Mark Adair set the tone with the ball, removing opener Tony de Zorzi (12) in the seventh over. It was the first of three wickets in as many overs as Craig Young bowled Bavuma (4) before Adair's second wicket left the Proteas 39-3.
Ryan Rickelton (91) and Tristan Stubbs (79) punched back with a 152-run partnership, but Ireland kept fighting and dismissed the two set batters in the space of two overs. Andy McBrine broke the partnership by bowling Rickelton and Adair collected his third of the match six balls later with the wicket of Stubbs. Adair ended up with figures of 4-50 from his 10 overs, while Young (3-45) produced the next best return with the ball.
Unfortunately for Ireland and their captain, Stirling was unable to mark his milestone with a telling contribution at the crease and was bowled by Lungi Ngidi in the first over. Andrew Balbirnie and Curtis Campher looked to settle the ship but were both accounted for by Lizaad Williams for 20.
When Adair was caught by Rickelton off the bowling of Ngidi at the start of the 21st over, Ireland had slid to 86-6. Ultimately, the task was too great as South Africa closed in on victory. The second of three matches in the ODI series takes place at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Friday.

MATCH SUMMARY
South Africa 271-9 (50 overs; R Rickelton 91, T Stubbs 79; M Adair 4-50, C Young 3-45)
Ireland 132 (31.5 overs; G Dockrell 21; L Williams 4-32, B Fortuin 2-28, L Ngidi 2-35)
South Africa won by 139 runs

Ireland win first-ever Men's T20I against South Africa to tie series

Excellent performances from brothers Ross and Mark Adair helped Ireland Men defeat South Africa and draw the two-match T20I series in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Ross set Ireland on course with his maiden international hundred before Mark's 4-31 with the ball claimed a dramatic 10-run win.
The former combined with Paul Stirling in a stunning opening partnership which teed up Ireland's first innings total of 195-6, their highest T20I score against South Africa and 10th best of all-time in the format.
Their 137-run stand for the first wicket is also Ireland's second-biggest T20I partnership, with Ross Adair becoming just the third Irish men’s player to hit a T20I century.
Adair's innings was brutal, the 30-year-old hitting nine sixes and five fours in his knock of 100 from just 58 deliveries.
He joined Kevin O'Brien and Stirling in Ireland's T20I hundred club in men’s cricket, delivering a showstopping display of batting in his 10th outing in the format.
Stirling played superbly himself with a rapid 52 off 31 balls - the Ireland skipper's 24th half century in T20Is - but his contribution was overshadowed by the brilliance of his opening partner.
When Ireland were beaten in Friday's first game in the series, it was South Africa's opening batters who shone in a successful run chase and they started brightly again, putting on 50 for the first wicket before Graham Hume removed the dangerous Ryan Rickelton for 36.
Reeza Hendricks' half century maintained the charge before being dismissed by Ben White and by the time South Africa captain Aiden Markram was bowled by Matthew Humphreys seven balls later, the Proteas were 130-3 and requiring 66 from 38.
The younger Adair and Neil Rock soon combined to account for Tristan Stubbs but Matthew Breetzke passed 50 and took South Africa to within 23 runs of victory with 12 balls remaining.
Adair subsequently took three wickets in the penultimate over, including that of Breetzke, before Hume (3-25) saw out the final over that claimed a major victory for Ireland.
The two sides now turn their focus to the three-match ODI series, which kicks off at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
MATCH SUMMARY
Ireland Men v South Africa Men, 2nd T20I, 29 September 2024
Ireland 195-6 (20 overs; R Adair 100, P Stirling 52; W Mulder 2-51)
South Africa 185-9 (20 overs; R Hendricks 51, M Breetzke 51; M Adair 4-31, G Hume 3-25)

Dramatic last-ball win for Ireland over England in 3rd women's ODI

Ireland Women claimed a dramatic three-wicket victory over England Women on the last ball of a reduced-overs final match of the ODI series in Stormont on Wednesday.

After defeats in each of the first two games, Ireland were looking to deny England a whitewash and end the series on a high.

They did in the most sensational of circumstances, claiming only the second ODI victory over England Women in Ireland's history thanks to stellar performances from Aimee Maguire and captain Gaby Lewis as well as Alana Dalzell's boundary from the final delivery of the match which secured the win.

The two sides were earlier left frustrated by the weather, which first reduced the game to a 25-over affair - and then a 22 over contest - by the time play finally got underway.

Having opted to bat first, the tourists were thankful for Tammy Beaumont's 52 from 42 balls, but it was Ireland spinner Maguire - who turned 18 just two days ago - who stole the show with the first five-wicket haul of her career in just her seventh ODI.

Maguire made an immediate impact by first bookending her first over with the wickets of Freya Kemp and Paige Scholfield before dismissing England captain Kate Cross for just 3 in her second set of six.

The younger of the two Maguires in the side, Aimee's 5-19 came in just 3.5 overs and go down as the fourth best figures of any Ireland bowler in women's ODIs.

Freya Sargent (2-38), Jane Maguire (1-17), Orla Prendergast (1-22) and Alana Dalzell (1-36) also contributed with the ball as England were bowled out for 153 after 20.5 overs.

With the aid of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, Ireland was then left chasing 155 for a famous victory.

Captain Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter made a flying start with the bat, putting on 51 for the first wicket until Hunter was dismissed for a run-a-ball 18.

The 23-year-old Lewis brought up her ninth ODI half century before eventually falling for 72 from 56 deliveries, hitting 10 fours across an eye-catching innings that took Ireland to the brink of victory.

Nerves were frayed, though, when Leah Paul (22) departed in the same over, but Ireland still had their noses in front with 16 required from 18.

An excellent penultimate over from Lauren Filer, which cost just two runs, then left eight runs required from the final six balls. A single, a two and then three wickets in succession meant Dalzell was on strike with one ball and four runs to win.

Her lofted stroke to long-on looked to be cut off by Hollie Armitage but the England fielder misjudged the bounce and the ball crossed the boundary to the delight of the Ireland dugout.

The two teams now head south to Clontarf Cricket Club for the first of two T20Is on Saturday, with each of those matches broadcast live and exclusive on Virgin Media in the Republic of Ireland, and TNT Sport in the UK.
MATCH SUMMARY
Ireland Women v England Women, 3rd ODI, Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland -- 11 September 2024
England 153 (20.5 overs; T Beaumont 52; A Maguire 5-19, F Sargent 2-38)
Ireland 155-7 (22 overs; G Lewis 72; L Flier 2-22)
Ireland won by 3 wickets

Following the Irish Government’s announcement today on the approval to develop a new international cricket facility at the National Sports Campus in Dublin, Cricket Ireland reacted with delight.

The announcement by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, and the Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne TD stated that approval had been granted for a National Cricket Stadium and High Performance Centre project to proceed to pre-tender phase. This will see planning and design completed by mid-2025 with the tender phase to follow.

The Centre, which will be located in the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown, will deliver a permanent home for cricket in Dublin that meets International Cricket Council requirements for hosting major cricket events and competitions. It is anticipated that the proposed facilities would include both indoor and outdoor practice and training areas and an arena for holding major games with associated media and spectator facilities. This would enable Ireland to host major international cricket events at this new state of the art facility. It also will be a key enabler for Cricket Ireland’s objectives to grow the game and channel investment into the grassroots of the sport.

It is intended that the overall project will be delivered on a phased basis, with Phase 1 scheduled to be completed in 2028. This first phase includes the delivery of a main cricket oval, permanent seating for 4,000 spectators, space to accommodate significant temporary seating, a high performance centre and ancillary facilities such as a state-of-the-art players/officials pavilion.


In response, Mr Deutrom said:

“Today's announcement is absolutely fantastic - it is a huge tribute to everybody involved at all levels in Irish cricket who have got us to the stage whereby the government genuinely regards us as a sport of national significance worthy of major investment.

“For me, it is probably up there in terms of significance with the day that we became a Full Member of the ICC - it is a tribute to the enormous growth that the sport has enjoyed over the last 10 to 15 years at all levels of the game. Not just nationally, but provincially and at club level. These facilities will help drive the sport forward – they will significantly assist our highest performing players nationally and provincially to prepare, train and perform better on the world stage. It's also going to increase the number of pitches that we can use, helping us ensure that we host more cricket in Ireland. Whether men's, women's, seniors, juniors, nationally or provincially, this new facility will help keep our product, our sport, on our shores.

“Our new permanent ground will also ensure that we have a platform suitable of hosting the world’s top teams on an annual basis and also when we co-host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with England and Scotland in 2030.

“Yes, it's going to take time to get there - likely three, maybe even four years, until we begin to use it, but today’s announcement fires the starting pistol on the project. It will enable us to sweat our assets more - getting more bums on seats, generating more revenue to invest back into the sport. And, of course, it means we're going to be using much less temporary infrastructure, which means we can put that money instead into people and programmes - and allow us to focus investment into club and regional facilities and infrastructure through our new club fund - to help grow the game.

“Cricket is a sport that indexes massively, not just within Ireland, but also in many large, growing economies overseas. By being at the top table of the world’s second largest sport, we reach parts of the world that some other sports can't reach. Cricket is the number one sport for the 20% of the world’s population that resides in South Asia, let alone in the UK, Australasia, and Southern Africa. Recently, of course, we saw the T20 Men's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and in the US, while cricket will make a much-heralded return to the Olympics programme in Los Angeles in 2028.

Cricket Ireland Chair, Brian MacNeice noted:

“Cricket is truly now global, and clearly a sport that the Irish Government believes can play a significant role in delivering for Ireland PLC on the world stage. I think today's announcement is very much a symbol of that.

“On behalf of the cricket family in Ireland, we would like to offer our wholehearted thanks to Minister Martin and Minister Byrne, as well as our partners at Sport Ireland, for their generous support for, and belief in, cricket – this support will flow through to benefit the tens of thousands of players, coaches, volunteers, groundskeepers, match officials and administrators across Ireland. This investment will help shape our future as a sport and support our ambitions to be a major sport in Ireland, and a major nation in world cricket.”

Meet Phil McCormick, groundskeeper for the historic Stormont test match

As Ireland Men and Zimbabwe Men prepare for the first ever test match in Northern Ireland, attention also moves to the 22 yards between the stumps, known as the wicket or pitch, being prepared by Stormont groundskeeper Phil McCormick.

His work will have been a closely guarded secret as he curates for a match that will be watched around the world. The work itself will result in how the ball behaves after it’s delivered by the bowler, and how the ball behaves off the turf could help either Ireland Men or Zimbabwe Men win this test match. Phil McCormack has curated for big games before including fixtures against Australia, England and a memorable series against Afghanistan in 2016.

Phil McCormick on becoming a groundskeeper:
“I've always had an interest in it and I was given the opportunity here when I was 17 or 18 after I left school to come over for the summer and help out help out Tommy Hamilton, who was a head groundsman back then and enjoyed it that much that they decided to keep me on the Winter. I went to Greenmount and did my Level 2 NVQ in Sports and Turf when I was 18 or 19 and then I've stayed on ever since that.”

On preparing his ground for the test match:
“I've been 28 years in the job, and this is the pinnacle for me… for any groundsman you want to be a Test match groundsman. There’s hosting one day internationals against Australia and England and all the rest of it but actually being the Test match groundsman and having your Test match ground number is as big as you can get. So this is going to be huge. Yeah, you just hope it goes well. You would love to get it into the fifth day, that would be something really, really special.”

On the art of preparing pitches:
“That's the thing about cricket. You can go out and cut a football pitch in the same height, have it looking lovely and you can do a speed test with the [foot] ball rolling over it. It's not an exact science, but cricket is nowhere near an exact science. Like every pitch is different. You can get moisture… you can get impact hammers, you can dry it out. You can record the temperatures, the amount of rainfall, and it will still not play the same. And how the ball reacts with the cloud cover, the humidity, all these, dozens of different factors play a part… it's not just the pitch, it’s the atmosphere… there's no exact science and that's why it's so good preparing pitches. Because you know you can prepare hundreds of pitches, and you maybe never get the same one again. Possibly more art than science.”

ICC expresses sadness at the passing of Frank Duckworth

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has expressed its sorrow at the death of Frank Duckworth, co-creator of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method that is used for regulating targets in weather-affected limited overs games.

Duckworth, 84, who was a consultant statistician with the ICC until 2014, passed on Friday.

ICC General Manager – Cricket Operations, Wasim Khan, condoled Duckworth’s death and acknowledged his contribution to the game.

Wasim Khan: “Frank was a top statistician who was respected by peers as well as the wider cricket fraternity. The DLS method that he co-created has stood the test of time and we have continued to use it in international cricket more than two decades after its inception.

“Frank’s contribution to the game has been immense and the world of cricket is poorer with his death. We send our condolences to his family and friends.”

Duckworth was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2010.

Calling on females in cricket to get involved and shape the future of cricket!

Cricket Ireland is delighted to announce that applications for the "On the Front Foot" leadership development programme are now open. Established in 2020, and supported by the Sport Ireland Women in Sport fund, the initiative has been designed to empower and engage females in the sport as leaders through a programme of activity aiming to enhance innovation, creativity and leadership capabilities.

Now entering its fourth year, the successful programme has already seen over 30 women advance their leadership roles in cricket, impacting the sport at various levels, from local clubs, to the international game and national governance. This network of women are not just leading on the field but in all aspects of cricket – as coaches, administrators, referees, activators and at governance and Board level.

The programme is free and applications are open to female cricket club members over the age of 18 involved in any aspect of the sport. This includes players, coaches, volunteers, administrators, activators and more.

“Just apply!” says former participant Rashi Mukhopadhayay from Cork County Cricket Club, Munster Cricket Union who participated in the 2023 programme:

“Don’t think about it. Just apply and be part of an amazing programme. You are not just going to grow your own self, but you are going to make an impact on the Girls and Women around you.


Since her involvement, Rashi has been appointed onto the Women and Girls Committee for Munster Cricket Union where she is having a strong influence in the direction and growth of the game across the region.

Elaine Nolan, Director of Growth and Strategy at Cricket Ireland, highlighted the value of the programme and why its important for females in cricket to get involved:

"Since we started, we've seen women of all experience levels join the programme. It’s not just for players; it's for anyone who cares about cricket and wants to progressively shape and be involved in its future.

“We know many females are working hard to promote and support the sport at club and national level. This programme is designed to empower them further, accelerating their journey of involvement within cricket.

“What’s very powerful about the programme is the peer-to-peer connections that are made as well as the mentoring. It gives participants space to discuss experiences, challenges and learning in a safe and supportive environment. It builds confidence, equips them with strategies to have an impact and also provides a supportive network they can lean on and learn from.

“We are looking forward to this year’s programme and hope to see women from all across Ireland getting involved.”

Interested female cricket club members over the age of 18 can find more information and apply by Friday, 23 August at www.cricket-programmes.com/on-the-front-foot.

More information:

ON THE FRONT FOOT FEMALE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Who is it for?
The programme is free and open to all women over 18 involved in cricket, including players, coaches, volunteers, activators and administrators.

What’s involved?
Timing: September 2024 to March 2025
Format: Six online 90-minute sessions in the evenings and two in-person Saturdays at the Sport Ireland Institute in Dublin.

What do I get?
Delivered in partnership with Carrie Archer, a graduate and former mentor of the programme.
Content designed to challenge thinking and build personal and professional growth
Guest sessions with leaders and experts in cricket.
Mentorship opportunities.
Connection with a network of future female leaders in cricket

How do I submit an application?
Apply at www.cricket-programmes.com/on-the-front-foot by 23 AUGUST at 5pm

Crucial contributions from Mark Adair and Fionn Hand ensured Ireland Men kicked off their tri-series campaign with a dramatic one-run victory over the Netherlands on Sunday.

Having been put into bat first by their hosts, Ireland set Netherlands a target of 151 for victory. Adair ensured the Irish got to 150-8 from their 20 overs, his innings of 49 from just 24 deliveries including seven fours and two sixes.

Hand then turned the game on its head with a superb spell of 3-18, with his fourth and final over - the 16th of the match - proving critical as he first picked up the crucial scalp of Bas de Leede (32) and then removed Teja Nidamanuru two balls later.

It looked to set up a comfortable win for the tourists but Tim Pringle's remarkable hitting (35* from 13 balls) left Netherlands needing 20 from the final over and then three from the final ball. Adair (2-34), though, saw Ireland over the line as Pringle could only manage a single in a nerve-wracking finish.

Netherlands had already beaten Scotland in the opening match of the tri-series between the three nations on Saturday in what is a highly consequential set of fixtures at Voorburg CC. These matches not only serve as crucial 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup preparations for Ireland and Scotland but could also determine who qualifies for the 2026 event. The top-12 teams in ICC's official world rankings by the end of the upcoming T20 World Cup will likely qualify for the next edition, with Ireland currently 11th, Scotland 13th and Netherlands 15th.

The home nation were quick to put Ireland into bat after winning the toss and made an excellent start by removing Andrew Balbirnie, Paul Stirling and Harry Tector inside the powerplay.

Lorcan Tucker, who scored successive half centuries in his last two T20Is against Pakistan, continued his good run of form, top-scoring with 40 from 30 balls. His innings included five fours and a six but came to an end courtesy of the bowling of Tim Pringle in the 12th over.

When George Dockrell then departed with the score 83-6, it looked as though Ireland would post a total some way below par.

Gareth Delany (18*) and Adair, who fell in the final over just one short of a second T20I half century, went on to ensure the Irish bowlers had something to bowl at as they put on 66 for the seventh wicket.

In reply, Netherlands made a steady start with the bat, but Ireland managed to strike with the final ball of the powerplay thanks to Curtis Campher's breakthrough. Campher went on to collect a second wicket and was the pick of the Irish bowlers until Hand came roaring into action. The 25-year-old was one of the changes to the side from the final match against Pakistan and grabbed his opportunity with both hands.

Following his 16th over heroics, Ireland were firmly in the driving seat until Pringle took the game to the very brink and caused some late nerves. Fortunately, Adair held his.

Ireland is back in action on Monday when they face Scotland at the same venue.

MATCH SUMMARY
Ireland 150-8 (20 overs; M Adair 49, L Tucker 40; T Pringle 3-32, D Doram 2-27, P V Meekeren 2-27)
Netherlands 149-8 (20 overs; T Pringle 35*, M O'Dowd 33, BD Leede 32; F Hand 3-18, C Campher 2-33, M Adair 2-34)

Ireland won by 1 run

Ireland Men fell to a 2-1 series defeat at the hands of Pakistan, with the tourists sealing victory by six wickets in the final match of the three-game T20I series in Clontarf on Tuesday.

Set 179 for victory, the stellar Pakistan pairing of Babar Azam (75) and Mohammad Rizwan (56) put on a 139-run partnership for the second wicket to see their side home with 18 balls to spare.

The tough three-match series - whilst a loss for Ireland - still provided enormous positives having beaten Pakistan for the first time in T20Is in the opening game.

There were bright moments at Clontarf Cricket Club on Tuesday, too, particularly in the shape of stand-in captain Lorcan Tucker's superb knock of 73 from just 41 deliveries after his side were put into bat first.

Both sides made changes at the toss. Tucker stepped in for the rested Paul Stirling to skipper Ireland, with Ross Adair and Neil Rock replacing the captain and Gareth Delany, respectively. Azam, meanwhile, swapped in Hasan Ali for Naseem Shah.

Adair launched Mohammad Amir for an enormous six with just his second ball of the innings but was clean bowled in the third over trying to give Shaheen Shah Afridi the same treatment.

That brought Tucker to the crease, where he joined former white-ball captain Andrew Balbirnie. The pair immediately took apart the Pakistan bowling attack as they raced to 50-1 at the end of the powerplay.

Tucker, who had made 51 in the previous game, reached a second successive half century - and eighth overall in T20Is - from just 29 balls.

By the time Balbirnie was caught in the deep for 35, Ireland had brought up their 100 in the 11th over, with Lorcan Tucker relishing the added responsibility of captaincy.

Tucker's knock was imperious, but the 27-year-old was denied a first T20I century when caught at long-on, ending an innings that included 13 fours and one six.

Harry Tector, who earlier launched his first ball over the ropes for six, went on to produce a well-made unbeaten 30 from 20 balls at the back end of the innings as Ireland set Pakistan 179 to win the series.

Ireland then went in the search of early wickets and Mark Adair duly delivered, removing opener Saim Ayub in the third over.

The Northern Knights seamer was excellent throughout and took two more wickets late on but, unfortunately for the hosts, Pakistan were otherwise ruthless in their pursuit of victory.

While they offered several chances, the visitors showed their incredible overall quality within their squad to walk away with the Floki trophy having secured a 2-1 T20I series win.

MATCH SUMMARY
Ireland 178-7 (20 overs; L Tucker 73, A Balbirnie 35, H Tector 30*; S Afridi 3-14, A Afridi 2-43)
Pakistan 181-4 (17 overs; B Azam 75, M Rizwan 56; M Adair 3-28, C Young 1-49)
Pakistan won by 6 wickets

Cricket Ireland has welcomed an agreement with the Pakistan Cricket Board that will see Ireland Men tour Pakistan for the first time in 2025.

Cricket Ireland’s Chair, Brian MacNeice, met yesterday with PCB Chair, Mohsin Naqvi, and agreed on the tour provisionally set for August/September.
Brian MacNeice said:
“We are delighted to have welcomed Chairman Naqvi to Dublin and we had a very productive meeting. The presence of the PCB chairman in Ireland was very much appreciated and is a strong indicator of the excellent relationship between the two boards.
“Discussions were wide-ranging, and included exploring men’s, women’s and Wolves-level fixtures in the future. I’m very pleased that we were able to agree a men’s tour next year - this will be yet another historic first, coming after the tour to Pakistan by our senior women in 2022.
“We were also briefed on developments in relation to the Pakistan Super League and potential opportunities for Irish players in PSL franchises.
“The Pakistan squad have been excellent ambassadors for their country over the last week and have been very generous in their interactions with fans throughout their time in Ireland. We very much look forward to the deciding game in the series tomorrow and of course our meeting in the T20 World Cup next month.
“The cricketing friendship between Ireland and Pakistan runs very deep – indeed, the first meeting between the two sides was in 1962 here in Dublin, and Pakistan has been our opponent for both our inaugural women’s and men’s Test matches.
“We look forward to this auspicious tour and thank Chairman Naqvi and the PCB for their ongoing friendship and support.”

Details about the tour will be released in due course.
Pakistan Men are currently touring Ireland, with a three-match T20I series level at 1-1 with the last game tomorrow.

TNT Sports will broadcast the three-match T20I series between Ireland Men and Pakistan Men, it was announced today.

The broadcaster will ensure coverage of the series in the Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom.

Production of the broadcast will be provided by HBV Studios, with a commentary team line-up headed by renowned commentator, Alan Wilkins.

FIXTURE SCHEDULE
Pakistan T20I Series
10 May 2024: Ireland v Pakistan (1st T20I; Clontarf; start 3pm)
12 May 2024: Ireland v Pakistan (2nd T20I; Clontarf; start 3pm)
14 May 2024: Ireland v Pakistan (3rd T20I; Clontarf; start 3pm)

Andrew May, Chief Financial Officer for Cricket Ireland, said:

“We are delighted that TNT Sports are deepening their relationship with Irish cricket through this coverage. With all three matches sold out, and both teams building up to the T20 World Cup next month, there is intense interest in the series and through this broadcast platform we can provide access across Ireland and in the UK for fans to watch along.

“We’re delighted, too, that HBV Studios will be our production partner, bringing an eight-camera production for fans to enjoy.”

OTHER GLOBAL BROADCAST RIGHTSHOLDERS
Tapmad - Pakistan
Ten Sports - Pakistan
Fancode – Indian Sub-continent
Etisalat – MENA
Nagorik TV – Bangladesh
Toffee - Bangladesh

COMMENTARY TEAM
Alan Wilkins
Alan is a Welsh cricket commentator and former English county cricketer, who played for Glamorgan and Gloucestershire County Cricket Clubs. He moved into radio and television broadcasting in 1984 covering cricket and rugby.
Isobel Joyce
Isobel is a former Ireland Women's captain and renowned all-rounder. She is Ireland Women's highest wicket-taker of all time and fifth-highest run-scorer. Since retiring in 2018, Isobel has coached and developed a commentary career.
Faisal Shah
A former First-class cricketer and a Level II qualified coach, Shah represented Rawalpindi in First-class and List A cricket. He Spent 10 years playing and coaching cricket in Essex for Loughton Cricket Club, and took up broadcasting in 2014.
Andrew Leonard
Andrew is an international cricket commentator from Dublin who has commentated on more than 800 internationals across more than 30 countries, with a particular focus on Associate Cricket. He commentated on his first Test Match in 2023 and was also part of the the Broadcast team for the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup in 2024.
Alan Lewis
Alan is a former Irish international captain and former elite rugby referee. He played 121 times for Ireland - 35 as captain - and was inducted into the Irish cricket Hall of Fame in 2020. Alan has become an accomplished broadcaster and is the father of two Irish internationals - Gaby and Robyn.

Cricket Ireland AGM-28 April 2024

Stella Downes was confirmed as Cricket Ireland’s new President, while three new Directors were approved for the Board of Cricket Ireland amongst a number of motions approved at Cricket Ireland’s Annual General Meeting yesterday.

The AGM started with Chair Brian MacNeice honouring members of the Irish cricket family that passed over the last 12 months, before Cricket Ireland’s Chief Financial Officer, Andrew May, gave a presentation on the 2023 annual financial statements and a breakdown of new investments across the game in the 2024 budget.

Following that, Brian MacNeice updated the Members on a range of projects.

Excerpts from his address are as follows:

Budget 2024
“Cricket Ireland will provide an uplift of €2.35M for Irish cricket in 2024, this is being used to rebalance investment priorities between high performance, grassroots and facilities and infrastructure. A key part of Cricket Ireland’s remit is to focus on ensuring the long-term growth and sustainability of the game – and investment now is crucial.”
“In addition, we are also seeking to make our loan repayments to the ICC as expediently as possible, as this will help return Cricket Ireland to a positive cash reserve position over the coming years. This is an important priority for us and is an important safeguard for the sport.”

Support for participation, clubs and Provincial Unions
“We have ramped up our investment in a number of ways. Our participation programme is one of the main ways we attract new members and players into the game – this is crucial for the sustainability of the game. As such, we have committed an 83% funding increase in participation activities (this is up to €165K) and it covers activities such as education courses, safeguarding, Smash It and It’s Wicket! programmes. This funding will also be complemented by over €400K in government-funded programmes in 2024.”
“Provincial Unions are vital to the success of cricket and in particular the grassroots of the game. We have committed an incremental investment uptick of 20% overall (for Cricket Leinster, Northern Cricket Union and North West Cricket Union – to go towards an additional development officer in each province and increased provision for inter-pro coaches - this is to recognise PU’s investment into their Head coaches, so Cricket Ireland has increased funding towards these positions). A bigger allocation for Munster to level things up in terms of staff (two development officers and a full time operations manager) and to help nurture and build on the current cricket being played in the province.”
“An allocation has been made to begin the formal process of Connacht Cricket Union’s affiliation with Cricket Ireland – this is investment to support and grow the game in the west in order to grow and nurture cricket in every province.”
“We also recognise the staff of Provincial Unions and will additionally pay cost of living increases to staff.”

Restoration of the Club Fund
“The Club & Community Fund is back for the first time since COVID and there will be a fund of €70K – in the first year it will focus on small-scale capital projects and other projects at club level (e.g. inclusion programmes, coaching projects). The intention is to grow this fund year-on-year.”

Investment in Development Officers
“We have funding and budget for a new development officer for each province.”

Uplift for player remuneration
“We understand the need to be prudent with financial resources. However, it's important to consider the broader context. Our players are currently not as well compensated as those from other full member nations. We want to ensure our players are fairly rewarded for their hard work and dedication – balancing where we are financially. By increasing players remuneration as we intend to, and match fees, we are investing in the long-term sustainability of Irish cricket.”
“In days gone by we were concerned about Irish players going to play for England. Today the concern is franchise cricket, and we need to be conscious of the challenge it poses to cricket boards and central player contracts.”

National Stadium
“There are many benefits to the proposed national stadium. Financially, it will help drive revenue and save us an awful lot of money in temporary infrastructure every year. Cricket-wise, we will have more control, more access and have more pitches available to host matches. We will also co-locate our indoor and outdoor training facilities at the site.”
“It is important, too, to recognise that having a national stadium helps to recognise cricket as a mainstream sport – it gives our sport a home and is commensurate with our status as the world’s second largest sport.”
“Where are we at? A Master Plan for the campus has been completed and government has given a green light on design and quantity surveying. Now the business case is before government and we are awaiting a response.”

YMCA issue
“We appreciate how upsetting this has been and the deep disappointment and loss for YMCA members. Myself and a number of Cricket Ireland people undertook advocacy and partnership building behind the scenes to try and support the Club, which was ultimately unsuccessful.”
“It is crucial that we, as a sport, do not lose any more grounds. In fact, we need more facilities, more access and more opportunities for cricket to be played across Ireland.”
“We will continue to work with clubs and PUs to talk with local authorities across Ireland as part of ongoing efforts to find ways to increase access and facilities.”

Amongst the motions approved by the voting Members:

New President: Stella Downes was unanimously confirmed as Cricket Ireland President, taking over from William Wilson.

New Vice President: Donna Armstrong was also unanimously confirmed as Cricket Ireland Vice President, meaning she will replace Stella at next year’s AGM.

New Board Directors: Three new Directors were appointed to the Board, being David Richardson (Independent Director), Sukhi Byrne (Munster Cricket representative) and Liam Lynch (Independent Director).

Short biographies:

David Richardson spent 17 years at the ICC, including seven as CEO, and left behind sport with greater context, improved gender balance and ready for further growth. During this time he pursued an agenda of inclusion and meritocratic expansion, while maintaining a balance between all three formats of the game. As a former international cricketer of distinction and a lawyer with sports marketing experience, David Richardson brought a unique level of experience and insight to his two senior roles at the ICC. He became the ICC’s first General Manager – Cricket in 2002 and after ten years in that role he became the fourth Chief Executive of the organisation. Cricket Ireland became an ICC Full Member during his tenure as ICC CEO.

Sukhi Byrne is Munster Cricket’s nominee to the Board. A former solicitor with over 15 years in the corporate sector, she is currently a Mindfulness Coach running her own business. Sukhi is also a graduate of Cricket Ireland’s “On the Front Foot” women’s leadership programme and is the first graduate from that programme to become a Board member. Sukhi has also played an active role in growing the game in Munster and working in youth cricket in the province. Her knowledge and passion for growing the game will be an asset to the Board as we focus on the extension of our participation programmes.

Liam Lynch is a Chartered Accountant, with over 30 years experience. He is currently the Head of Financial Services Tax and Head of Private Clients at KPMG Ireland. He has held significant roles, such as: President Chartered Accountants Ireland, Council Member, Chartered Accountants Ireland, Chair of Finance Board, Chair of Tax Committee, Combined Committee of Accounting Bodies in Ireland and Chair of TALC (with Revenue, tax, legal and accounting liaison), Chair, Ireland India Business Association, Chair, Advisory group for Common Purpose Ireland. He is currently a Member of the Implementation Group for Government Philanthropy Policy.

Administrative matters: Motions were passed on the Annual Report, language amendments in the Memorandum & Articles of Association (primarily to update titles of regulatory bodies to reflect their current names, and to ensure gender-neutral language), and re-appointment of BDO as the auditors.

The meeting concluded with speeches from the outgoing and incoming Presidents, William Wilson and Stella Downes respectively – as well as the ceremonial handover of the role.