Cricket Ireland announces schedule for Super Series; separate competitions for 50-over and T20s

Cricket Ireland (CI) has decided to increase the number of matches in the Super 50 series and re-introduce the T20 series in the upcoming domestic season, the board announced on Thursday (February 11).



Keeping the ICC World Cup Qualifier in Sri Lanka in June- July 2021 and Europe region qualifier for the T20 World Cup in Scotland in August in mind the Super Series structure working group- including high-performance director, national selectors and head coaches of teams – has proposed a number of changes to increase the number of matches, creating coaching hubs with increased coaching hours.



The Super Series will be played as a two-team affair like in the 2020 season and will now feature separate competitions for 50-over and T20 formats. Eight-match Super Series 50 cup will be played from April 25 to June 6. Super 20 trophy is tentatively scheduled to begin on July 25 and the series will consist of four matches. In the 2020 season, Typhoons won the Super 50 series on superior run rate after levelling the series 4-4 with the Scorchers. The teams and venues for the tournament will be announced later.



“The improvements approved today will see increased investment in coaching and matches played during an important year for the Ireland Women’s international squad,” Richard Holdsworth, CI’s high-performance director said. “The season will see eight 50-over matches played, and four rounds of T20 fixtures, ensuring teams will be able get 12 high-quality matches in as part of their world cup qualifier preparations.”



ALSO READ: It's an exciting time to be an Irish cricketer: Laura Delany



“We will be playing in two world cup qualifiers – the first in Sri Lanka in June will be the 50-over World Cup qualifier tournament, while the second in Scotland in August will be the Europe region qualifier for the T20 World Cup – and as a result we have structured the Super Series fixtures to maximise the number of matches in each format in the lead up to each qualifier.”



“Given the success of last year’s two-team competition, and the likelihood that there may be no overseas players coming to Ireland to play club cricket this year, we have endorsed a continuation of the two-team format for 2021. We shall review this at the end of the season in advance of 2022.”



A new training program also will be introduced for the squads and the camp will take place in March depending on the COVID-19 restrictions in the country. A training hub will be built for the two squads and the player will work together and the coaches will provide them with more coaching hours throughout the competition.



“Building on the improvements made in 2020, we feel we are moving this competition further towards its intended vision – creating an opportunity for our strongest players to perform within a competitive, best v best professional environment, providing an opportunity for players with potential to develop skills that are needed at international level, and experiencing being part of a more professional environment – thereby, preparing them for the possibility of being included in our performance or academy squads,” Holdsworth added.



ALSO READ: Teen Fran Jonas earns maiden call-up; Frances Mackay returns as New Zealand name squad for England ODIs



Fixtures:



Super 50 Cup



25 April 2021



2 May 2021



3 May 2021



9 May 2021



16 May 2021



23 May 2021



30 May 2021



6 June 2021



 



Super 20 Trophy



25 July 2021



1 August 2021



8 August 2021



15 August 2021