Ireland's cricket captain, Andrew Balbirnie, believes that defeating England in a Test match would be their most significant achievement in the sport. As the underdogs prepare to face Ben Stokes' men at Lord's this week, Balbirnie acknowledged the immense challenge but expressed confidence in his team's abilities.
Ireland has built its reputation on impressive performances in white-ball internationals, having defeated top teams like Pakistan, England, and the West Indies in previous World Cups. They also triumphed over eventual champions England at the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, their Test cricket history is relatively short, with only six matches played and no wins to their name.
Reflecting on their previous Test at Lord's four years ago, in which they dismissed England for a mere 85 but ultimately suffered a 143-run defeat after a collapse in their own fourth innings, Balbirnie highlighted the valuable experience gained. He emphasised that a victory against England would be a monumental achievement for Irish cricket.
The odds may be stacked against Ireland, as England has enjoyed great success under the leadership of skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, winning 10 out of their 12 Tests since their partnership began last year.
"We know that this England team is in a really good place leading to the Ashes," Balbirnie acknowledged.
Ireland will be without fast bowler Josh Little for the Lord's Test, as he has been rested ahead of next month's 50-over World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe. Little, who recently played a key role for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final, also missed previous Tests against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka due to his IPL commitments.
Richard Holdsworth, Ireland's high-performance director, defended the decision, explaining that a Test at Lord's was not considered a "pinnacle event" for the team this year. Balbirnie echoed this sentiment, emphasising that although they would have loved to have Little in the squad, his focus should be on resting and preparing for the upcoming World Cup qualifier.
Balbirnie also expressed confidence that Little's commitment to playing for Ireland remains strong, despite potential future clashes between international duty and lucrative franchise opportunities.
As Ireland gears up to face England in the Test match, the team aims to make history and etch their name in cricketing folklore with a memorable victory against one of the sport's traditional powerhouses.
(With inputs from AFP)
