Paul Stirling to lead 15-member Ireland squad against England in three ODIs
Sep 01, 2023
Dublin [Ireland], September 1 : Paul Stirling will lead a strong 15-member squad to England where Ireland will play three ODIs from September 20.
All-rounder Curtis Campher will bat at No.3 in Ireland's ODIs against England later this month.
Meanwhile, in another notable move, Andrew Balbirnie will begin the batting alongside Stirling as Ireland rebuilds in the fifty-overs format after failing to qualify for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.
"The key changes are at the top of the order where Andrew Balbirnie will open with Paul Stirling. The pair have a great understanding and we believe they can develop into a longer-term opening option in the 50-over game," national selector Andrew White said in an official statement released by Ireland Cricket.
Campher's move to No.3 is more prominent with the all-rounder batting for the majority of his ODI career at No.6.
"Curtis Campher will make the move to number 3, where we believe he has the technique and aptitude to succeed in the role – he plays pace as well as anyone in the squad, and whilst he has been a mainstay of our middle order for a few years now, we believe he has the capability to batter higher up the order and have a really positive impact," White added.
Campher averages in the mid-30s in the format and made a hundred in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 in Zimbabwe against Scotland.
Ireland squad: Paul Stirling (capt), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Theo van Woerkom and Craig Young.
