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Brandon Moyo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Ireland Test team arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday ahead of their one-off Test match against Zimbabwe, which gets underway at Queens Sports Club on Thursday.
The visitors are expected to host training sessions today, tomorrow and on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe have already hit the ground running as they held their first training session at Queens Sports Club yesterday.
Zimbabwe and Ireland are set to face off in a series that comprises one Test, three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and as many T20Is.
The white ball matches will be played at Harare Sports Club.
The three one-dayers are pencilled in for February 14, 16 and 18 while the 20-over matches will be played on February 22, 23 and 25.
Prior to their trip to Zimbabwe, Ireland, who have former Zimbabwe international PJ Moor in their tanks, held a four-day training camp in Dubai.
Ireland have a better record against the Chevrons across all three formats.
The two sides have faced each other once in Tests.
The first Test meeting between the two nations was in Belfast last year and Ireland won that match by four wickets.
Zimbabwe’s Test squad includes two new faces, the uncapped duo of 27-year-old leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa and 26-year-old top-order batter Nicholas Welch, who have both been rewarded for their impressive performances on the domestic front.
Meanwhile, Dion Myers and Tadiwanashe Marumani have been left out of the red-ball set-up.
Veteran all-rounder Sikandar Raza will also miss the Test match, as he had already committed to franchise cricket before the tour schedule was confirmed.
A major boost for Zimbabwe comes with confirmation of the availability of seasoned all-rounder Sean Williams, who was struggling with a back injury during the recent Test series against Afghanistan.
For the visitors, Waringstown Cricket Club and Northern Knights’ Morgan Topping, 25, earned a debut call-up to the Test and ODI squads.
The right-handed top-order batter, a prolific run-scorer at club level, has established himself in the top order of the Northern Knights in recent seasons.
Pembroke’s Gavin Hoey, after making his international debut in October, retained his place in the ODI squad and is in line for a Test debut.
Topping and Hoey the only non-capped players in the Test squad.
In one-day cricket, the two sides have met 22 times, with Ireland winning 10 matches compared to Zimbabwe’s eight, while one match was tied and three yielded no results.
In 15 T20Is, Ireland have registered eight wins compared to Zimbabwe’s seven.
Ireland Test Squad
Andrew Balbirnie (c), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Morgan Topping, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young. Zimbabwe Test Squad: Craig Ervine (Captain), Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Ben Curran, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Vincent Masekesa, Nyasha Mayavo, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Victor Nyauchi, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams.
Online Reporter