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Sports Reporter
CRICKET Ireland have drafted in former rugby player Ross Adair as one of the changes to their squad for the upcoming white ball series against Zimbabwe.
Adair received his maiden call-up as a replacement for Lorcan Tucker who pulled out of the T20I series against Zimbabwe to take part in the inaugural edition of the UAE International League T20.
Tucker, however, will join the Ireland camp ahead of the ODI leg.
Ross, who bats right-handed and is a left-arm spin bowler, has played seven List A and 15 T20s so far, scoring 438 runs with one century and picking up four wickets.
“I’m absolutely delighted with the call up, but I’m not sure it’s really sunk in yet if I’m honest. It’s a huge honour for me and now I just can’t wait to get away on tour,” Ross said in his official statement.
“I have always wanted to push myself and get to as high a level as possible. I had a fairly open and honest conversation with Gary Wilson a couple of years ago – Gary is someone I trust very much and wouldn’t mince his words too often, so when he said that there was a chance – a small chance, but a chance nonetheless – that’s what I wanted. I love my cricket and to have the opportunity to potentially represent Ireland at the highest level with Mark, would mean the world to me,” he added.
Adair (28) is the brother of current Irish international, Mark Adair. If selected to play, it will make the pair the first set of brothers to play for Ireland in an international since Niall and Kevin O’Brien in the third ODI against Afghanistan in 2018.
Before turning seriously to cricket, Adair – a right-handed batter and left-arm spinner – had forged a professional rugby union career and appeared for Ulster in the Pro12 competition in the 2014-15 season.
Adair made his List A debut for Northern Knights in 2021, however first appeared for the Knights in a T20 match in August 2020.
His last inter-provincial match was in July 2022 when he struck 111 from 49 balls and claimed 1-28 demonstrating his all-round talent.
Adair’s first international call-up comes after Cricket Ireland signed a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to permit Lorcan Tucker to miss the T20 matches of the upcoming Zimbabwe tour next month to play in the Abu Dhabi International League T20 (Paul Stirling has also been granted permission to participate in the league).
Tucker will still play for Ireland in the one-day internationals against Zimbabwe.
Also granted permission to play in an upcoming franchise cricket opportunity is Harry Tector, who will feature in the new Nepal T20.
However, Tector will join up with the Irish squad ahead of the Zimbabwe fixtures and not miss any international matches.
Ireland’s tour of Zimbabwe will feature three T20 Internationals, followed by three one-day internationals. The games begin on January 12 at Harare Sports Club.
Ireland T20I squad:
Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Tyrone Kane, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Ben White.
Ireland ODI squad:
Andrew Balbirnie (captain), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Graham Hume, Tyrone Kane, Josh Little, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker.
Online Reporter