Mailbag part 1 - Josh Little, Euro Slam and WWE rumbles

Answering your questions after Ireland's home duties for the 2024 season came to an end with two wins out of five against South Africa

📸: Cricket Ireland

The first post since opening up this site to an optional subscription model is here. No long preamble from me, other than to say it’s fitting that the first piece of this ‘era’ - if that’s the right word - involves engagement from those who I am asking to contribute to the future of The Part-Timer!

So many of you got in touch that I’ve had to split up this Q&A into two parts. The below is part one, the sequel will come out next week. If your question isn’t here, watch this space.

As always, your submissions are in bold, my thoughts are not.

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Dive in!

How does CI approach the next 18 months, with a relatively light fixture list and qualification for the next tournament in the bag already? Is the focus going to be on one particular format? Or on development at the expense of results? More Wolves tours/Domestic FC? Test wins? - Richard

There are so many priorities for the next while. How many are attainable is a different question. The women’s priorities are quite clear. Develop under a new captain - after Gaby Lewis replaced Laura Delany ahead of a pair of tours this winter - and try to position themselves in as strong as possible for an ODI World Cup qualifier early next year.

As for the men, Ireland are already in the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup. They aren’t yet in the 2027 ODI World Cup, but they will have to go through a qualifier so any 50-over games between now and then will be in preparation for that.

For that busy period including two ICC events, three if Ireland get out of the 50-over qualifier, they need a number of things. A wicket-taking 50-over spinner, be that Andy McBrine, Matthew Humphreys or Gavin Hoey, is towards the top of the list. Game time will be split between them until someone stands out.

They also badly need seam bowling depth. There is no guarantee, given their age or injury profile, that Graham Hume (33), Craig Young (34) or Barry McCarthy (32) will make it to 2027. Who’s the next cab off the rank? Liam McCarthy and/or Matthew Foster should be capped soon, but will they be adequate replacements? We saw in the recent South Africa series how skilled the main seamers are. Filling any potential holes will require exposing the next players well in advance of them being needed to perform in important matches.

Top order batting depth is also a concern. Again, given their age profile, there is no guarantee that Andrew Balbirnie (33) or Paul Stirling (34) will make it another three years. Form is also a consideration. Ross Adair’s breakout century against South Africa no doubt puts him forward as an option, but can he sustain that form in 50-over cricket? As things stand, if Balbirnie’s drops off in 50-over cricket or Stirling’s calf pops, who opens the batting in ODIs? Finding out the answer is vital.

There won’t be a focus on one format over the other immediately. If the FTP is fulfilled, there are plenty of ODIs and T20Is. If fixtures are going to be cut, then in theory you’d prioritise T20s given that that World Cup is first.

Ireland will still try and win as many Tests as possible because the senior players really want to play and win. They may well use these as a development opportunities as well, I suspect, perhaps more so than white ball cricket. Foster could easily debut in a Test match before a white ball game.

I don’t think the ‘development vs results’ narrative ever applies to Ireland, given they play a lot of teams who are better than them. They will lose plenty of games whether they play their best players or throw young lads in. It’s a case of balancing all of the above while putting in enough performances to feel like they are progressing.

Domestic First Class cricket is supposed to ramp up next year. During the summer there was one intersquad red ball game which was given a franchise-ish label with new team names. Those teams look set to be kept and the schedule expanded to include a handful more matches.

According to Cricket Ireland’s own strategic plan, there won’t be a return of the old interprovincial red ball championship until 2027.

Any wolves tours pencilled in? Saw a tweet about a potential Pakistan tour with red ball fixtures? - Barry

As far as I can tell, nothing this side of Christmas. Players like Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Gavin Hoey and even Ross Adair, ones who would likely be on any Wolves tour, are in Australia playing club cricket at the moment. These players have been told they can stay down under until the Zimbabwe tour early next year - if selected - suggesting there is nothing imminent for the Wolves.

In terms of younger players who might go on an Emerging Ireland tour, plenty of those are also in the southern hemisphere for the winter. While not all of these players are contracted, Cricket Ireland can’t block them from going away and playing club cricket elsewhere, they wouldn’t have gone on these long trips if there was a serious chance of a representative tour anytime soon.

Let’s see what happens in the new year.

What young player coming through the system should we look out for in the future? - Colm

When are we likely to see Liam McCarthy selected? - Drp303

There were plenty of questions about youngsters, take this as an answer for all of them!

For my money, the next new cap for the men will be Liam McCarthy. Born in South Africa, McCarthy came to Dublin in 2021 to play for Railway Union. He qualified for Ireland on residency earlier this year and, if it wasn’t for injury, was likely to have gone on the recent trip to the UAE to play against South Africa.

He turns 23 early next year so he still counts as young. He doesn’t have top end pace, but he would certainly be one of the quicker, if not quickest, bowlers in the country. Whatever about the speed, Ireland do need seam bowling depth.

Matthew Foster is another young bowler Ireland have their eye on. He was given a contract this year and toured Nepal with the Wolves. I reckon he’d debut in a Test match rather than white ball game, given the natural length he hits. He’s been named in Test squads before, so we could well see him get a game in Zimbabwe this winter, where Ireland are slated to play two red ball games.

Generally, Ireland need both depth for their current crop of fast-medium bowlers as well as players who can fire it down at high pace. Matthew Weldon, Olly Riley, Reuben Wilson and Jordan Neill are among the very young players who have been identified as future options. They probably won’t debut in this World Cup cycle.

In terms of batters, Scott MacBeth is one name which has been thrown around for a while now. From the North West, the 20-year-old has shown flashes, particularly with a big knock against England U-19s last year. He also bowls useful off-spin. Chris de Freitas impressed for Emerging Ireland during the summer and he qualifies on residency in January. Morgan Topping has been in good interpro form and he was name checked by selector Andrew White as someone who, along with McCarthy, would have been in contention for the South Africa tour if it weren’t for injury.

That said, I doubt too many younger batters will come into the fold during this World Cup cycle. Ireland’s middle order is more or less set with plenty of players in their early-to-mid 20s, while selectors will give Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling every chance to stay in place until the 2027 World Cup, form permitting. De Freitas aside, there aren’t many young openers banging the selection door down.

In terms of the women’s team, it’s hard to say ‘keep an eye out for X young player’ when pretty much the whole side is so young. Anyone who is ‘young’ and shows potential very quickly makes it into the national set-up. Alice Tector, who debuted this summer, would be one to watch given she’s only 16 and, as she gets stronger, she could put on a yard of pace.

Been a fair few new faces in the women’s side this summer; who makes the cut for the team touring India in December? Will they chance the third spinner for Indian conditions? Might be old news but why doesn't Leah Paul bowl anymore? - Darshan Senthill

They’ll take as many players as they can, given the FTP says there are eight matches against Bangladesh before six games in India. Alice Tector, Christina Coulter-Reilly and Una Raymond-Hoey debuted this summer. Tector should definitely travel, Coulter-Reilly has a good chance given the need for batting depth across long tours.

Raymond-Hoey is on a casual contract given she is based in Australia, where she has played in the Big Bash before. It remains to be seen if she’s available during the Australian summer.

I suspect, given the expected conditions and, again, the need for depth, they may well take leg-spinner Cara Murray back in the squad after she was left out for Aimee Maguire and Freya Sargent this summer. If anything, it’s probably more valuable to get her bowling in outdoor nets in Asia than staying indoors at home. The extra spinner could also be useful in the playing XI.

I wouldn’t say Leah Paul is finished bowling. She last turned her arm over against Thailand in Dubai back in the spring. I suspect it’s a case that Ireland have two main spinners at the moment in Maguire and Sargent and they want to give them as many reps as possible in order to develop. Both are young enough to have recently been named in an U19 squad.

Maguire in particular, as a left-arm spinner, like Paul, has been identified as a more threatening option with better wicket-taking potential. She backed that up with a good summer. That means fewer overs for Paul. George Dockrell in the men’s side is probably a useful comparison for the situation.

Will Ireland play any series against India in future near? Is Ireland capable enough to win the World Cup in future? Why don’t Ireland have fast speed bowlers? Is Heinrich Malan a quality coach? - Mridul

The women are in India this winter in their final series of the current Women’s Championship. There’s nothing in the draft schedule for the men.

On winning World Cups, never say never! But given how far behind Ireland is in population, funding, infrastructure and general public interest in cricket, I don’t think we’ll see Ireland winning a World Cup in our lifetime.

Watch this space on Ireland’s lack of pace. There’s a longer project on that in the pipeline.

Malan is an interesting one. Like all coaches, there are those who warm to his methods and those who don’t. He has a reputation for being very meticulous in his planning. He does his homework and is particularly astute at devising plans, particularly with bowlers.

Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan. 📸: Cricket Ireland

The criticism against him is that he can be a bit intense. He is said to be particularly hard when analysing on batters when they get out - which isn’t always a bad thing.

By all accounts, the ill-fated World Cup qualifiers in 2023 saw a stressed Ireland environment. Lots of people and factors - such as Ireland losing - would have contributed to that, but the responsibility for the overall atmosphere does lie with the head coach. Granted, that was a year ago and Malan was said to be receptive to feedback on that issue.

ODIs in general have been a problem for Ireland during Malan’s tenure. That said, this is likely down to Ireland being unable to keep up with trends in the game due to a lack of resources, as much as it is an issue with the coach. That lack of fast bowling, for instance, can really hinder a team when they have to bowl 30-40 overs with an old ball against set batters on a flat pitch.

In T20, where teams with skill advantages have less time to utilise them, Ireland’s record under Malan has markedly improved. The shortest format allows the most scope for out-thinking better teams who don’t have as long to press home their technical advantages. In that regard, Malan seems to have done quite a good job. The poor run at the recent T20 World Cup, where conditions caught Ireland on the hop, wasn’t purely a coaching issue.

A few on the Cricket Ireland board were surprised that Malan was given a contract extension until 2027 prior to that World Cup, given how disappointing it was. Still, more good things have happened with Ireland than bad under his watch.

As long as the group stays relaxed amidst Malan’s meticulous planning, it could actually be a decent combination. The captain, Paul Stirling, seems a very laid back character, which no doubt helps create the right balance.

Impressed against South Africa. What's the FTP for next year? - Armchaircritech

The women’s Future Tours Programme - essentially a draft schedule - for next year and beyond, hs just been approved by the ICC and will be released soon. The men’s FTP for next year is as follows:

January/February 2025: Zimbabwe (away), two Tests, three ODIS, three T20Is.

May 2025: West Indies (home), three ODIs, three T20Is.

July 2025: Afghanistan (home), one Test, three ODIs, three T20Is.

September 2025: England (home), three ODIs (these have been confirmed).

September 2025: Pakistan (away), three ODIs (Pakistan has said these will happen, without giving exact format/fixture details. It remains to be seen if the England series being moved from early to late summer affects these games.)

October/November 2025: Sri Lanka (away), three ODIs, three T20Is.

November/December 2025: Bangladesh (away), two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is.

What I would say about all these is that there almost certainly will be cuts. Not all of these games will be played and/or some home Ireland games will likely be played abroad. Head coach Heinrich Malan said prior to the recent South Africa series that Ireland have 12-14 short format matches prior to the next T20 World Cup. The FTP promises more, meaning cuts have likely already been made, if not announced.

In terms of playing games abroad, a look at Cricket Ireland’s recent social media output seems a bit ominous. There was essentially free advertising for tourist spots in Abu Dhabi - where the South Africa games were hosted - as well as a local water company. The broadcast, which is ultimately run by CI, featured plenty lingering shots of the logo of the Abu Dhabi Sports Hub, the complex in which the ground is located.

cricket_ireland

A post shared by @cricket_ireland

Call me cynical, but it looks that CI either got a good deal for hosting the games there and are trying to look grateful, or they’re keen to stay in Abu Dhabi’s good books because they want to go back. Maybe it’s both. Despite the higher than anticipated cost, the UAE deal has been described as “attractive.”

If CI does host abroad again next year, playing in the UAE may well be an option. If I were a betting man, that Afghanistan series is a prime candidate to be played in Abu Dhabi. Since it’s easier for the visitors to get UK rather than Irish visas, Afghanistan are usually hosted in Belfast instead of Dublin. Afghans find it just as easy, if not more so, to travel to the UAE. Some high profile Afghan players already live in Dubai. It may well be marriage of convenience.

How do you reckon has the most interest internet search history - Fionn Hand Appreciation Society

Given the horrendous typos in the question (left in for effect), and the fact that it was sent it after midnight, I’d say you lads have a very interesting drunken search history.

In a WWE style royal rumble, which current or former Irish cricketer is coming out on top? - Alex

William McClintock or John Mooney.

Far out, but what series can Ireland expect Little to be available for in 2025 (assuming schedule matches the FTP) ? He has not played a game longer than 20 overs in a very long time - Vayn Holden

Josh Little is currently in the midst of a two-year franchise contract with the Knight Riders organisation. It runs out at the end of 2025. This includes their teams in Abu Dhabi, Los Angeles and the Caribbean - not their IPL outfit in Kolkata.

In theory, that means when Little is playing for those teams, he won’t be available for Ireland commitments. That’s why he missed the South Africa series, as he was involved in the CPL with the Trinbago Knight Riders - even if he was mainly running drinks instead of playing.

This arrangement shouldn’t change dramatically in 2025. However, Little wasn’t announced in the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders squad for this January’s competition, despite being on this contract. That may well free him up to tour Zimbabwe with Ireland - the trip sounds like it will be in late January/early February - but he also may well hold out for a replacement gig either in the UAE or South Africa’s T20 competition.

adkriders

A post shared by @adkriders

It is understood that this KKR deal has led to Little, for the time being at least, not being on a full-time Ireland contract. He has a two year window of significant earning potential and is looking to maximise it.

When we do see him in an Ireland shirt next year, it will likely be white ball only. He has spoken publicly about this two-year period, leading to the end of 2025, being a franchise/white ball focus for him. To play red ball, he’d need time to condition himself and fix his issue of running down the wicket on his follow-through. White ball umpires tend not to call this but Test officials will absolutely step in.

All of which is to say, Little’s Ireland availability will likely depend on which franchise competitions the Knight Riders - and indeed other franchises - want him for. KKR are paying him until the end of 2025, but as we know with Abu Dhabi, this is no guarantee of being picked in a squad.

It’s worth noting that Ireland have just appointed a new man in charge of their high performance strategy, Graeme West. Little may well also be looking at hiring a new agent. That means the identity of those negotiating the player’s franchise vs Ireland commitments is changing. It remains to be seen if that has any effect.

In terms of a specific answer to your question, it’s hard to know without the concrete fixture dates and, of course, Little’s own schedule. I could see him playing in a handful of white ball games in Zimbabwe. West Indies and Afghanistan are due to play in Ireland (or wherever they decide to host the matches) next summer, but some of these games will almost certainly clash with Major League Cricket, a team which features the LA Knight Riders.

If Little again goes to the CPL with Trinbago, I can’t see him playing against England in September.

No chance of ODIs with Scotland, UAE, etc anymore? Has the busy League 2 schedule effectively shut that option? - Vayn Holden

As you allude to, Ireland is in a different fixture stream to these countries because of ICC status, full members vs associates.

As a full member, Ireland is on the FTP - even if they can’t fulfil all their commitments. Scotland and other associates play in the ICC ODI World Cup League 2.

That said, there are still gaps in the respective schedules which line up. For most of the month of October, there are no Ireland nor League 2 fixtures scheduled. The same in December.

If these boards were to come together and the fixtures did happen, who would pay to host them? Presumably, Ireland’s hosting budget is used up for the year if the Australia series was cancelled/postponed. Associate nations have even fewer funds.

What are the future plans of Irish T20? Is there any plans to restart the Euro T20 for the 3rd time or is a T20/T10 League being planned by Cricket Ireland? - The Statsman

For the record, the Euro Slam has been in the pipeline since 2019. That means 2025 will be the seventh attempt to get it off the ground, although CI has probably made more of an effort in some years than others.

Cricket Ireland’s own strategic plan says that they still hold hopes of launching a franchise competition for both men and women. When that will be is another matter.

Elsewhere among its stated goals, CI has said that it wants to expand the interpros into a European competition, presumably including Scottish and Dutch teams, by 2027. This isn’t the same as a franchise league. The European interpros will be funded by the nations involved. A franchise competition will have external backing.

For context, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands have been trying to launch the Euro Slam T20 since 2019. When the concept of six teams, two in each country, was first announced, such was the confidence in it that a 10-year arrangement with an events company was announced.

It didn’t happen in 2019. The pandemic ruined any chances of a launch in 2020 and, to an extent, in 2021. Finding sufficient private investment has been a barrier ever since.

I started covering Irish cricket in 2021. The winter of 2022, ahead of the 2023 summer, was the most optimistic I have heard CI figures on the chances of the league progressing. No concrete detail was offered, but I was told a backer was found only for an issue with the events management company to scupper things.

In 2024, the Slam was an afterthought amongst the public. The news of the Australia series being cancelled/postponed came out at the same time it emerged the South Africa series was moved to the UAE. Between those two setbacks for fans, few people noticed that the Slam would once again not take place.

It is noteworthy that, in CI’s own list of targets, there is a concrete date to achieve a European interpro structure - 2027. By contrast, there is no date for a franchise league. If so inclined to read between the lines, this suggests the governing body is more confident in achieving the former than the latter. I would be surprised if we see a Slam equivalent in the next two years.

If and when the Slam does happen, it will have a different name. The branding has become so toxic, a stick with which to beat CI, that they no longer want to associate with it. When the Slam was pushed back again this year, CI did not publicly acknowledge it. The last time they commented on the Slam was 2023. Cricket Ireland changed their website recently. I’ve been told by a helpful subscriber that they had URL issues, so while the original link takes you to a dead end, you can still find it here.

Finding a financial backer for a European franchise league is clearly difficult. Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands cannot fund a competition on their own.

Scotland tried to launch a T10 competition this summer. Combined with their hosting of Australia, it was said that an associate nation with a smaller budget was stealing Ireland’s lunch. That Scottish competition disappeared without a trace. It never happened. The reasons why remain a mystery.

Europe’s struggles to get a franchise competition deserve their own deep dive. TLDR: it’s harder than it looks.