Ireland have called up uncapped seamer Matthew Foster for next week’s one-off Test against England at Lord’s following Conor Olphert’s injury setback.
Olphert was progressing well in his recovery from a knee injury but the problem has resurfaced in recent weeks, meaning the 27-year-old will not be fit for the four-day Test from June 1st-4th.
CSNI and Northern Knights bowler Foster, 23, has recovered from an injury of his own that meant he was unavailable for Ireland’s tours of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka recently.
Foster will link up with the rest of the squad ahead of their departure to England on Wednesday evening, with Ireland taking on Essex in a three-day match at Chelmsford from Friday as preparation for the Test match.
England have added uncapped Worcestershire seamer Josh Tongue to their squad for the match.
The 25-year-old has been drafted in as cover due to injury concerns over James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, both of whom remain with the group but are highly unlikely to be risked ahead of the start of the Ashes next month.
IRELAND (Squad for 3-day match v Essex and Test match v England): Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Matthew Foster, Fionn Hand, Graham Hume, Tom Mayes, Andrew McBrine, James McCollum, PJ Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.
IRELAND (Squad for World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe): Balbirnie, Adair, Campher, Gareth Delany, Dockrell, Hume, Josh Little, McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Moor, Stirling, Tector, Tucker, Ben White, Young.
