Photo Credit: Oisin Keniry
Gareth Delany has been forced to withdraw from the Ireland Men’s squad for World Cup Super League fixtures against Netherlands after sustaining a knee injury. Ben White has been called up as his replacement.
The late change was made ahead of the squad’s departure on Sunday.
Mark Rausa, Head of Physiotherapy and Medical Services at Cricket Ireland, said:
“Unfortunately, Gareth didn’t take part in yesterday’s Munster Reds versus Northern Knights match at Pembroke after he sustained a knee injury during the warm-ups. We have ruled him out of the Netherlands tour and will send him for further assessment, before starting him on a rehabilitation programme ahead of the upcoming home internationals.”
Ben White, 22, is a leg-spinner who featured as part of the Ireland Wolves squad that travelled to Bangladesh in February/March, and again as part of the Wolves squad at home against Netherlands A in early May. He plays for the Northern Knights in the Inter-Provincial Series and for CSNI at club level.
THE SERIES
The series will be played in Utrecht, and will involve a three-match ODI series with points won going towards qualification for the ICC Men’s World Cup 2023:
• 2 June 2021: Netherlands Men v Ireland Men – 1st ODI (Utrecht, 10.30am local time)
• 4 June 2021: Netherlands Men v Ireland Men – 2nd ODI (Utrecht, 10.30am local time)
• 7 June 2021: Netherlands Men v Ireland Men – 3rd ODI (Utrecht, 10.30am local time)
NB: Start times have changed from originally advertised time of 11am.
The KNCB are yet to announce broadcast arrangements for Ireland / UK audiences.
THE SQUAD
Whilst the core squad includes 15 players, an additional four players will also travel to assist with preparations and training given the current COVID-19 restrictions not permitting local support.
The core squad is:
Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, George Dockrell, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Graeme McCarter, Barry McCarthy, Kevin O’Brien, William Porterfield, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.
The four additional players are:
Peter Chase, Stephen Doheny, Graham Kennedy, David O’Halloran.
THE WORLD CUP SUPER LEAGUE
Matches played as part of the inaugural ICC Cricket World Cup Super League (2020-2023) are essentially World Cup Qualifier matches, as the League will serve as part of the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualification process. See the current WCSL table as it stands.
The WCSL features thirteen teams, the twelve Full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Netherlands (who won the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship to qualify for this competition). Each team will play an ODI series against eight of the twelve opponents, four series at home and four away. Each series will consist of three ODIs. For the World Cup, the hosts (India in 2023), and the top seven-ranked sides thereafter, will qualify automatically. The remaining five teams will play in a qualifying event along with five Associate sides, from which two sides will go through to the final tournament.
Name of Author: Cricket Ireland
Cricket Ireland, officially known as The Irish Cricket Union Company Limited by Guarantee, is the governing body for cricket on the island of Ireland. It oversees the national men’s and women’s teams and organizes the Inter-Provincial Series, Super 3s, and All-Ireland club competitions. Ireland achieved Test status for women in 2000 and for men in 2017 when it became a Full Member of the ICC.
