Ireland have named a 14-man squad for their first-ever Test match against New Zealand, scheduled to start on May 27 in Belfast. The group includes four players who have yet to earn a Test cap, with opener Jake Egan joined by the pace trio of Tom Mayes, Reuben Wilson and Liam McCarthy in the four-day setup.
Mayes and McCarthy have already represented Ireland in limited-overs international cricket, but Egan (22) and Wilson (19) are still uncapped at the international level. Both made their first-class debuts earlier this week during the Emerald Challenge, a tournament that featured the top tier of Irish men’s cricket.
Andrew Balbirnie will captain the side. Ireland will, however, be without veteran batter Paul Stirling as he continues his recovery from a Grade 2C strain picked up during the Emerald Challenge match. It is also worth noting that Stirling had led Ireland at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup earlier this year, but a knee injury suffered in the contest against Australia forced him to miss part of the campaign.
Ireland’s coach Heinrich Malan said Stirling’s issue is being linked to a calf problem, while adding that there are still “a couple of niggles that’s been lingering in and around that knee injury” stemming from the World Cup. Malan further confirmed that pacer Barry McCarthy will be sidelined for the remainder of the year after sustaining a left ACL injury.
Other absences have also shaped the selection. Gavin Hoey (left side strain), Josh Little (rib stress fracture) and Jordan Neill (right shoulder muscle tear) were all unavailable for selection.
All-rounder Curtis Campher will not bowl in this Test and will instead take the field purely as a batter as he manages his return to bowling.
The four-day Test will be played at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont, Belfast. Ireland previously toured Bangladesh for a two-match Test series in November 2025, losing both games.
Ireland squad for New Zealand Test: Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, Stephen Doheny, Jake Egan, Matthew Humphreys, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Reuben Wilson, Craig Young
