Ireland returns to County Cricket

Reflections from Lord's as Josh Little makes his Middlesex T20 debut

Josh Little making his debut for Middlesex feels an occasion worth marking. Though I’m not entirely sure why.

For all the complaining about County Cricket shutting out Irish players, there hasn’t exactly been a drought. Gareth Delany played for Leicester in 2020. Andy Balbirnie lined out for Glamorgan that same year and in 2021. Paul Stirling hit a century for Birmingham Bears in 2022. Harry Tector and Curtis Campher went to Gloucester and Somerset respectively in 2023. Campher also signed for Gloucester last year.

Heck, Amy Hunter played a game for Surrey 10 days ago.

Little lining out at Lord’s on Thursday night felt different. And not just to justify a trip across London to witness him donning the club’s pink T20 kit in the flesh.

A rained-out clash between Middlesex and Kent doesn’t really matter. In many ways, though, it absolutely does.