Sometimes, when one gets tired of hearing about the continuous movement of time which is forcing everything to move towards its doom, stumbling upon a picture of a newly-born star somewhere in the universe makes one think that maybe the end is not as near as it seems. The news of Test cricket growing weaker and hence nearer to death each day has been around for years now but when you think of it, this very news has equally been challenged by introducing new nations and strategies. The newly born Test nation Ireland is on its way to one day becoming immense enough to challenge the bigger and older stars. And that journey starts against Zimbabwe at their home ground, Belfast, which has been honored as Test cricket’s newest backyard.
This is special for not only the Irish cricketers but for the country as a whole. There is a surprising number of people who still deem the team as an associate member but this dream-esque encounter might just change that notion.
Although the Chevrons have been around in the Test cricket circuit since 1992, they are far from the team that has been playing with the cherry for that long. But in their defense, they have played only 117 long-format matches since then, which is three times less than the number of Test matches Australia has played during the same time. Nevertheless, this 117 figure is way higher than Ireland’s 8 matches account. And the fact that the Irish are ready to take on Zimbabwe as equals in Belfast is more telling than how Zimbabwe would fancy it to be.
Team Overview:
Andrew Balbirnie will lead the team for the inaugural match at the Civil Services Cricket Club. Josh Little, who is currently flaunting his shortest format skills in Major League Cricket, would be missed in the camp but many believe that Balbirnie has just the right recipe to outdo the Chevrons. Matthew Humphrey, who took 10 wickets in a First Class game a few weeks ago, could be counted on as a reliable addition, at least in the Irish conditions. The top order consists of the same, old guns who, if anything, have an awful lot of experience playing together.
Zimbabwe announced four uncapped players to their 15-men squad the other day, including Clive Madande, Brian Bennett, Joylord Gumbie, and Johnathan Campbell. Barring Gumbie, the remaining three featured against the recently ended T20I series against India. At the risk of sounding inconsiderate about the differences in different formats, all the said three players, especially Brian, deservingly got the call after their show against India. Gumbie would likely open with Prince Masvaure unless Balbirnie would like to pair the newbie with an experienced player, then Craig Ervine might get called for the task. With overcast conditions, three pacers and a spinner, probably Wellington Masakadza, will make the cut.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Many firsts are on their way. This would be the first time both teams will play against each other in the pure format of the game. This will also be the first International Test match ever played at the Civil Services Cricket Club.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Rain is expected to ruin the felicitations of the inaugural game, especially on the first three days but we can hope to get spurts of cricket between the shower episodes. Pacers can hope to make merry on the ground. Although historically it’s a batting-friendly track, pacers will have a better chance at stealing the glory under the grey clouds. The winning captain should opt to bowl first.
Where to watch:
Live streaming (all countries except Pakistan, India, and Zimbabwe): Cricket Ireland (YouTube channel)
Pakistan: Tapmad
India: FanCode App
Zimbabwe (and Sub-Saharan Africa): SuperSport
