Play more Test cricket, you cowards!

Matthew Humphreys takes six wickets and Andy McBrine is named player of the match as Ireland beat Zimbabwe in Bulawayo

Ireland celebrate a Matthew Humphreys wicket. 📸: Cricket Ireland

Day Five

Ireland 260 & 298

Zimbabwe 267 & 228

Ireland win by 63 runs

The game was delicately poised. Heading into the final day, Zimbabwe needed 109 runs to win with Wessly Madhevere unbeaten on 61. Ireland needed three wickets. The visitors were still favourites in Bulawayo, but the presence of a set batter created intrigue.

Thankfully, the previously predicted weather stayed away. Ireland took just over an hour to find the three scalps they needed.

Ireland succeeded where the Kansas City Chiefs failed. After last year’s victory over Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, paired with the Stormont win over Zimbabwe, Ireland have pulled off a Test match three-peat.

They are the first side in over 120 years (according to the match commentators, at least) to record their first three Test match victories across consecutive matches.

Here are the final day’s talking points.

Up the Humph

Ireland spinner Matthew Humphreys. 📸: Cricket Ireland

Matthew Humphreys didn’t really need a day of redemption, but he got it anyway. It’s less than two years ago that he was picked for a Test in Sri Lanka with quite literally no First Class record to speak of. He has subsequently acknowledged that he was nowhere near ready.

Having got himself back into the team for July’s Test in Stormont, Humphreys only bowled five overs all game. It wasn’t through any performance deficiencies, but rather the form of Ireland’s seam attack.

This time in Bulawayo, Ireland needed their young left-arm spinner. In the second innings, he bowled 28 overs to McBrine’s 23.3, the first time Humphreys has out-bowled Ireland’s more experienced offie. The final return of 6-57 represents Ireland’s best ever set of Test match figures in a men’s Test match (Isobel Joyce took 6-21 against Pakistan back in 2000)*.

Humphreys took two of the three wickets on day five. Newman Nyamhuri was trapped in front when missing a sweep before the key wicket of Madhevere fell, Zimbabwe’s last hope seeing a quicker, flatter delivery still spin past his outside edge onto the timber.

This after Humphreys had a few fortunate nick behinds from shorter deliveries on day four, but everyone deserves some luck. Especially given the start he had to his Test career.

Irish fans love Andy McBrine since he always finds a way to contribute with either bat or ball. His unbeaten 90 on day one saw him take home another man of the match award in Test cricket. But his high red ball bowling average (44) suggests he’s not the attacking spinner to bowl Ireland to victory in the fourth innings. A lack of spin threat has hurt Ireland in the past, but not this week with Humphreys picking up the slack.

Selectors picked Humphreys for Sri Lanka two years ago based on vibes rather than record. They reckoned he had the grit to survive in red ball.

It took two years, but they’re finally starting to look like they were onto something. Ireland have a talent on their hands alright with this 22-year-old.

His performance this week ensures we’ll forgive the questionable choice of facial hair.

Dust off the whites

📸: Cricket Ireland

Prior to Bulawayo, this Ireland team hadn’t played any competitive game of cricket in four months. They hadn’t featured in a Test match since July. They had some preparation with red ball camps in Spain and Dubai, but clearly nothing had them ready them for Blessing Muzarabani’s new ball zip on day one.

Ireland went from a side caked in red ball rust, falling to 31-5, to a winning position. Test cricket, ey?

Caveats of course apply here. This is not a particularly good Zimbabwe team. They played two Tests earlier this summer (the Irish winter) against Afghanistan. They also have a functioning domestic First Class tournament. To lose against an Irish side devoid of any red ball preparation is not a good look.

Zimbabwe had three debutants in their XI, including their captain. Craig Ervine, the usual skipper, missed this week because his wife went into labour. Sean Williams was injured. Sikandar Raza was too busy playing franchise cricket. The home side had no proven run scorers and it showed. They also decided not to pick a frontline spinner, a move which, based on the return of Humphreys, now looks particularly foolhardy.

All of which is to say that it’s too early to label Ireland the best of the non-World Test Championship (WTC) teams. Yes they’ve now beaten Afghanistan once and Zimbabwe twice, but play the Afghans on a rank turner in Greater Noida and I know who I’d back.

Ireland can only play what’s in front of them, though. As Andrew Balbirnie said on the Irish Cricket Podcast last week, the players see victories in these Tests as banging down the door, demanding inclusion in the WTC. It might be wishful thinking, but it’s all Ireland have to go on.

The players love Test cricket. They’re reasonably good at it, considering their lack of preparation hasn’t hindered them against a certain standard of opponent (we’re all still scarred by Lord’s 2023).

Sadly, Balbirnie appeared to confirm that Ireland won’t have any Tests this summer. In the post match presentation, he said they don’t know when their next Test is. There’s an element of putting two and two together here with a risk of getting five, but the players have seen the home schedule which will be announced later this week.

Gone then, it seems, is the FTP commitment to host Afghanistan. Flirtations with South Africa over a warm-up prior to the WTC final appear to have fallen short. Cricket Ireland is more cash rich than ever, but the money is not going on red ball.

If this is the case, Ireland won’t be in Test match action again until travelling to Bangladesh next winter. Before Christmas, a figure with knowledge of the scheduling plans said domestic First Class games would only appear as preparation for any planned Tests. If there are no Tests, it stands to reason there won’t be any domestic games.

There are countless financial explanations for this. Who knows, Cricket Ireland could spring a surprise with their fixture announcement (however unlikely). What is clear from this week, though, is that the players love red ball. The fans, both the handful who travelled to Zimbabwe and those reading these posts all week, gravitate more to the long format. There has to be a way to bring all that goodwill together, to stop starving Irish cricket of its greatest desire.

Play more red ball cricket, you cowards!

What was said

Player of the match Andy McBrine: “Tried to keep it as simple as possible. Stick to my game plan and I might get some runs. It was very tricky, Blessing [Muzarabani] was outstanding especially with his extra bounce. Sparky [Mark Adair] and I have a history of partnerships, we like batting with each other. Lucky day maybe!

Captain Andy Balbirnie: “Very rewarding. Test cricket is tough. We woke up and opened the curtains today, it was a bit misty! It felt like home.

“We love Test cricket as a team, we know you have to work hard for wins and we’ve done it a few times this year. The bowlers stuck at it really well. All our seamers took wickets at key times, Humph had his career best. McBrine did what he always does in an Irish jersey.

“We’re desperate to play, we don’t know where our next Test match comes. It’s a credit to the players and the coaching group. A lot of our prep was red ball, but guys have grown up on white ball cricket. Our guys are skilful players and they’ve adapted well to Test cricket.”

What’s next?

The ODI portion of the tour starts next Friday. After the Test broadcast debacle, will Irish punters be able to watch the white ball games without VPNs and bookies? Who knows.

*This article was amended to include Isobel Joyce’s Test figures in the lone Ireland women’s Test which took place in 2000.