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Top-order batter Stephen Doheny and bowling all-rounder Graham Hume on Friday were included in Ireland's 14-man squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, to be held from July 10 to 15 at Malahide. The three-match series will be part of the ICC World Cup Super League, with 30 crucial points up for grabs.
Doheny, 23, plays his club cricket with Merrion and is the current leading run-scorer in the Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy competition with 158 runs at an average of 52.67, with the highest score of 74 not. Doheny, who earlier earned a call-up to the upcoming T20I series against India, has all scored valuable runs at the top of the order in the 50-over inter-provincial competition, with 146 runs at an average of 36.50 with the highest score of 97. "With the recent retirement of William Porterfield, we've called up Stephen Doheny into his first ODI squad. Stephen has impressed coaches and selectors with his stroke play and is now starting to convert starts into defining and match-shaping innings' at the inter-provincial and Wolves level. His form has warranted his call-up to both white-ball squads and we wish him well," said Andrew White, Chair of National Men's Selectors. Hume, 31, plays for Waringstown at the club level and recently qualified for Ireland through residency. Hume has claimed 10 wickets at an average of just 9.40 in the inter-provincial 50-over competition this season and has taken seven wickets at 14.71 in the T20 Trophy competition. "It's likewise pleasing to see Graham Hume get his chance in the ODIs after repeated seasons of consistent form while he qualified to play for Ireland. Hume has demonstrated his accuracy and ability to extract bounce and movement in home conditions -- we are hoping his knack of prising out early breakthroughs will translate to the higher level." "Taking on the world's number one ODI side will always be a challenge, but with 30 World Cup Super League points on the line, this series becomes even more significant. One-day cricket is the format we have performed most consistently in over the last few years, and despite the age profile of many in the squad being young, they have gained some important experience in recent times in finding ways of winning against top sides," added White. Squad: Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker and Craig Young. --IANS nr/bsk ( 431 Words) 2022-06-17-20:54:01 (IANS)
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