Malan speaks - Ireland squad, contracts and more
Ireland men's head coach speaks to the press ahead of the West Indies series
At last, international cricket returns to our shores.
For the first time since July of last year, the Irish men’s team is set to play a home fixture. In a week’s time, the West Indies come to Clontarf for a trio of ODIs. Mercifully, after another winter pontificating on red ball existential issues, fixture cuts and a failed franchise league, we have actual meaningful cricket to discuss.
Which brings us to Ireland’s squad announcement for this series against the Caribbean side. Heinrich Malan was put up to do press. There aren’t a whole lot of shocks in the announcement, nor are Malan’s comments filled with fascinating detail.
Still, it’s significant when we get an opportunity to speak to a senior figure in Irish cricket. It’s been a while since we’ve heard from him or indeed anyone within Cricket Ireland.
Unsurprisingly, Malan was asked about the three uncapped players in the squad for the next few weeks. Cade Carmichael, Liam McCarthy and Tom Mayes are in for the ODIs, while only McCarthy remains in the T20s. Here’s what Malan had to say on the trio:
“It’s a nice opportunity, Liam McCarthy has been in and around our thinking for a little while. He’s been a consistent performer in domestic cricket. Brings something different with a little bit more pace, something we’ve spoken about in terms of complementing our attack. Shapes the ball in, away from the left handers which, again, is complementing our attack. Looking forward to seeing him go.
“Cade Carmichael, again been on our radar for a little while as a top order player. Very consistent over the last while, scored a hundred on the Wolves trip, scored a hundred in List A cricket in the week as well.
“Tom Mayes, very consistent as a batter and a bowler. Had impacts across both skillsets over the last period. Fits that bill of cover for Mark Adair who misses out in the ODI squad.”
It doesn’t feel like a case of now or never for McCarthy - he is still young - but he has been on the cusp of Ireland squads for quite a while now. He was in contention to play against South Africa in the UAE last year but was injured. It seems inevitable that he will debut at some point this summer, given he is arguably the quickest bowler in the country, as Malan alludes to.
Carmichael had to be a shoo-in for this squad. Ireland doesn’t really have a designated pathway to senior selection, given interpro form can be taken with a pinch of salt depending on the individual, not to mention the lack of consistent Wolves cricket in recent years.
Carmichael’s last nine innings read as: 124, 1, 37, 18, 0, 75*, 21, 86, 107. These were while playing for the Wolves and the Northern Knights. Ireland’s pathway is already flimsy at best, you can’t really afford to remove its little remaining credibility by not picking a man with this run of form in the two highest levels below the international game. He deserves his spot.
Where Carmichael fits in, though, is interesting. Given they’ve already moved away from him in T20 cricket, there is a line of thought that Ireland might want fresher blood than Andy Balbirnie in the 50-over side as well. Balbirnie’s most recent ODI score was 65 against Zimbabwe, but he has been part of Ireland’s general struggle for batting fluidity in 50-over cricket of late.
Maybe not immediately to start the summer, but perhaps if Carmichael continues to impress he could make a case to replace Balbirnie as Paul Stirling’s opening partner.
Then Balbirnie started the interpro season with scores of 91 and 101 for his new side, the North West Warriors. His strike-rates in those knocks were 72 and 74, an improvement on his Zimbabwe return. He looks in good nick and will absolutely keep his place next week, with Carmichael certain to carry the drinks unless they throw a cap his way in the last game of the series.
Tom Mayes is arguably the most interesting selection of the trio. Last week, he was quoted by Cricket Europe as saying that he had no Ireland contract for 2025. “With Ireland having money issues this year, there were cuts to the number of players offered contracts,” he explained. “I missed out but there are chats, and if I can keep playing good cricket then that hopefully will take of itself.”
In a way, if Cricket Ireland is still struggling financially despite their increased ICC income, it isn’t overly surprising that someone like Mayes suffers. While he has been in Wolves and Emerging squads, not to mention he played in a First Class game against Essex in 2023, he hasn’t looked top of the pile in terms of back-up seamers. McCarthy has been ahead of him, while murmurings out of camp suggested the Irish top brass rated Matthew Foster more highly.
Yet here Mayes is, named in the first squad of the summer having previously being told there was no money on the table for him. On one hand, the move makes sense. Mark Adair is injured for the ODIs so Mayes’ form with bat and ball makes him the best replacement (he has a 79 to his name for the Wolves, to go with a recent 40* for the Knights). If anything, he looks the most likely of the three uncapped players to actually play given Ireland need to balance their side with an all-rounder.
Yet this also screams mixed messaging. Sorry Tom, you’ll have to get a day job. Hang on, you’re also the back-up to the country’s best all-rounder. Welcome to Irish cricket. Plan A never comes to fruition. For what it’s worth, the 2025 contract list has still not been announced. Here’s Malan on the situation:
“It’s pretty much just reality at this point of time. It’s been well stated that if we could contract more players, we would. If we could contract domestic players, we would. That would give us the opportunity to build on the understanding of being ready to play international cricket. If you look at the work we’ve done over the last six to eight months, the amount of time coaches from the international team spend on the ground, working with over and above the players that are contracted, it’s a feather in our cap that players go on these Wolves trips uncontracted, perform and add to our player base. Which is something we’ve spoken about in the past and can hopefully keep doing moving forward.
“Contracting is always a challenge, as you know and as you’ve said over a period of time. It’s not ideal when we’ve potentially got to contract less players because it makes life harder for the kick-on effect. I’m sure that contract list will be circulated in due time and then we’ll follow that up from a conversation point of view.”
Saying it’s a feather in the cap that Ireland has to rely on uncontracted labour is an interesting stance. I suppose Malan, as much for his own sanity as anyone else’s, has to make the best of a bad situation and take some sort of pride in the fact that his staff can still improve players who aren’t being paid a salary.
It should also be said that while Malan does have a major say in who gets a contract, he has no control over how many are available. That responsibility falls to those above him in the food chain who control the purse strings. In a way, it is unfair that Malan is sent out to answer these questions. For what it’s worth, The Irish Cricket Podcast recently had an interview request with CEO Warren Deutrom turned down.
Speaking of things that aren’t ideal, Mark Adair has a lower limb injury and won’t play in the ODIs. Though he has been named in the T20 squad.
“He’s back bowling,” said Malan. “Very much building it up at this stage, trying to get him to a place where he plays a few competitive games of cricket, albeit it will be club cricket, as we get to those three T20s in the North West.”
Speaking of club cricket, Malan revealed that most players named in this squad won’t be available for the Irish Senior Cup this weekend.
“At this point in time, with the workloads, injury management, we’ve got a blanket. Not too many players are going to play club cricket to be honest with you. We’ve got three ODIs in five days which again brings its own challenges, there’s been two games (interpros) in this week as well. there are one or two guys who need to prove fitness who’ll be available but the rest of them, they’ll start prepping for training on Sunday.”
Albeit in good humour, Malan refused to name those one or two players who might play. It is his job to focus on the national team, but if you’re one of those club cricket diehards who think Cricket Ireland doesn’t care about the recreational game, reading comments about removing internationals from the biggest club competition there is, not to mention Malan’s line about it being ‘only club cricket’ which will prove Adair’s fitness, you might not be best pleased. I don’t think there’s anything malicious here, it was just a touch sloppy.
Finally, there was also a question about Ireland’s barren fixture list. It was pointed out to Malan that these six games are the only matches until September, unless something comes in to replace the ill-fated ETPL. It’s another question for those above Malan’s pay grade, but he is the man put forward by the organisation.
“It’s not necessarily the position we want to be in terms of actually playing cricket. Those are the cards we’ve been dealt. From a setting up perspective and a mindset perspective, we’re really looking forward to getting the summer started. There’s been some great interpro cricket over the last little period, some great surfaces which is a different challenge to everyone, which has been great. Hopefully we can build on that. These ODIs are in a bit of a weird place in the build up to the 2027 World Cup, there’s not a lot around it.”
And that’s really it! There wasn’t a whole lot else of interest, other than a few nostalgic jokes about Ireland bowling out the West Indies decades ago at Sion Mills.
In terms of the off-field issues of importance, fingers crossed we get more clarity soon from those in charge. Otherwise, for now, enjoy next week’s cricket.
PS: For those who are fans of The Irish Cricket Podcast, we are launching bonus post-match episodes after each of the ODIs next week.
To access these shows, recorded at Clontarf immediately after each game, head over to this link.