Irish Coach Heinrich Malan Dismisses ‘England B’ Series Label in England vs Ireland Clash
Ireland Coach Heinrich Malan Anticipates Thrilling ODI Series Against England
In an upcoming one-day series against England, Ireland coach Heinrich Malan expressed his team’s excitement despite the world champions fielding a predominantly second-string squad. Although Joe Root will be playing in the first game at Headingley on Wednesday, the rest of England’s lineup will comprise players who did not participate in the recent World Cup.
The selection has prompted some to label it as their “B side,” but Malan disagrees with this perspective. He emphasizes that each player chosen by England possesses immense talent and has demonstrated exceptional performances during The Hundred tournament.
“You can’t simply categorize any side as a B side,” said Malan confidently. “The players selected have showcased remarkable form recently, and having Joe Root join for the first game adds further excitement to this encounter. We are eager to test ourselves against such a formidable opponent.”
Zak Crawley will captain England for the first time throughout this series, while Warwickshire batter Sam Hain, Surrey wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith, and Derbyshire bowler George Scrimshaw are set to make their debuts after being included in the squad.
This series marks Ireland’s return to one-day action following their disappointing campaign at the World Cup qualifying tournament held in Zimbabwe three months ago. Losses against Oman, Scotland, and Sri Lanka shattered their hopes of participating in a 50-World Cup event since 2015. Consequently, Andrew Balbirnie relinquished his position as white-ball captain with Paul Stirling taking over as interim skipper for the remainder of the summer.
An official review regarding Ireland’s performance during the qualifying tournament is scheduled to conclude in the coming weeks. Malan intends to have a discussion with Cricket Ireland board members and decision-makers after this series, aiming to gain insights into areas that need improvement and establish future plans accordingly.
The failure to qualify for the World Cup still lingers within the Irish camp, as their absence from October and November fixtures means Cricket Ireland misses out on receiving $1 million allocated by the International Cricket Council for qualification purposes.
Ireland Makes Adjustments in Squad Selection
In preparation for this week’s series, Curtis Campher is expected to move up in the batting order, taking on a higher role at number three. This decision comes after Andy McBrine was tested as an opener during the World Cup qualifiers. Malan commended Campher’s ability to rescue his team from early setbacks and highlighted his proficiency against hard pace bowling, especially short deliveries.
The most recent encounter between England and Ireland resulted in a resounding 10-wicket victory for England during a Test match held at Lord’s in June. However, it was Ireland who emerged victorious when they faced off against England last year in Southampton during an ODI clash. Notably, centuries by Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie played pivotal roles as they successfully chased down England’s target of 328 runs, securing a remarkable seven-wicket triumph.