Ireland announce the squad to take on Windies

Earlier this year Ireland's most experienced players Isobel Joyce, Cecelia Joyce, Clare Shillington and Ciara Metcalfe – players with over 600 caps collectively announced a retirement form the game. This has opened the doors for more youngsters to come through the ranks.

Ireland Head Coach Aaron Hamilton said, “2019 is both an exciting year for women’s cricket, and – in a sense – the beginning of a new journey for the international squad. At the back end of 2018 we lost around 600-caps worth of experience with the retirement of four senior players, and with Lucy O’Reilly taking a break from the game, this has opened up opportunities for younger players to step up and take their chance on the international stage. Combined with the new player contracts, the international season will certainly take on a sense of the new.”

“The players have trained hard over the winter months, and it will be good to get out on the field and taking on one of the world’s top teams here in Ireland.”

The squad to take on Windies is as follows.

Laura Delany (Captain), Kim Garth, Shauna Kavanagh, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little, Sophie MacMahon, Lara Maritz, Naomi Matthews, Leah Paul, Celeste Raack, Una Raymond-Hoey, Rebecca Stokell, Mary Waldron.

Hamilton further added, “The senior squad selected for the West Indies series is one which blends experienced players with some of the best emerging talent we have, with the likes of Louise Little and Leah Paul impressing in the Academy and Super 3s, and Naomi Matthews integrated into the senior performance set-up for the first time." 

First T20I will be played on 26th May at YMCA CC. Second T20I will be played on 28th May and the Third T20I will be on the following day 29th May, these fixtures will be played at Pembroke CC.

“With a T20 World Cup Qualifier campaign approaching in August, these matches against West Indies are an ideal start to a big season ahead for the squad." Said Hamilton.

2019 Fixtures for Ireland

The confirmed fixture calendar for 2019 is:

• 26 May: Ireland v Windies (YMCA CC, Dublin); T20I


• 28 May: Ireland v Windies (Pembroke CC, Dublin); T20I


• 29 May: Ireland v Windies (Pembroke CC, Dublin); T20I

• 3 July: Ireland v Zimbabwe (Oak Hill); 50-over


• 5 July: Ireland v Zimbabwe (Oak Hill); 50-over


• 7 July: Ireland v Zimbabwe (Oak Hill); 50-over


• 10 July: Ireland v Zimbabwe (Stormont); T20I*


• 12 July: Ireland v Zimbabwe (Bready CC); T20I*


• 14 July: Ireland v Zimbabwe (Bready CC); T20I*

In addition, the squad will play an as yet unannounced quadrangular tournament abroad, before heading to the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier in August / September in Scotland.