England vs. Ireland One Day International Series: Irish Squad Announces Top-Order Alterations

Andrew Balbirnie Returns as Opener for Ireland in ODI Series against England

In a surprising move, Andrew Balbirnie will be reclaiming his position as opener for the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series between Ireland and England. This decision has led to Curtis Campher being shifted to the number three spot, aiming to fill the void left by Balbirnie’s return.

The series, scheduled from September 20th-26th, will see matches taking place at Headingley, Trent Bridge, and the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol. The last encounter between these two sides in an ODI series occurred in 2020 when England emerged victorious with a scoreline of 2-1.

“While our squad retains its familiar structure overall, there are some important changes we’re implementing,” stated Andrew White, Ireland men’s national selector. “The significant alterations involve reshuffling our top order with Paul Stirling partnering again with Andrew Balbirnie as openers.”

White further added that this opening pair possesses great understanding and has the potential to become a long-term option for their team in the fifty-over format. Additionally, Curtis Campher’s move to number three is seen as an opportunity for him to demonstrate his skills and excel in this role.

“Campher showcases exceptional technique against pace bowling and has proved himself over the years as a reliable middle-order batsman,” explained White. “However, we believe he can make an impact higher up the batting order as well.”

Ireland’s squad for the series includes Paul Stirling as captain, along with 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.