Ireland’s three globetrotters are all available and will take their place in the first of the three one-day internationals against Zimbabwe in Harare on Wednesday (7.15am GMT start).

Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker flew in from their franchise engagements in the UAE and Josh Little, although he hasn’t featured yet, has made the short hop from South Africa.

Batting coach Gary Wilson took the pre-match press conference and confirmed that although the team had yet to be selected – unlike before the T20 games – he was confident that Tucker would take over as wicket-keeper and Stirling and Little will be in their usual opening positions with bat and ball respectively.

"Any team that can welcome back Josh Little, Paul Stirling and Lorcan Tucker is very fortunate and that’s no difference to us,” said Wilson.

“It was crucial for us to blood some new players in the T20 internationals while at the same time those guys getting experience in other parts of the world. It was disappointing for Josh and Lorcan not to play yet, especially Lorcan who is getting his first experience of franchise cricket, but hopefully he will have taken learnings and he will go back and gain even more so after this series. it’s all about trying to make the Irish team better and hopefully we will see that over the next week."

It is a first return to the ODI arena for Ireland in six months, since the exciting three match series against New Zealand, the number side in 50-over cricket, in Malahide when Ireland could and probably should have won two matches, but Wilson admitted it’s a format which Ireland are comfortable in

“We are a strong ODI side, it’s no secret, and I’m sure Zimbabwe will know that as well,” he added. “It’ll be about adapting to the conditions. We expect it to be similar to the Caribbean last year when it might be tough up front for a little while, and some lateral moment with a 9.15am start.

 “It might be more traditional ODI cricket than we are seeing around the world but if it’s not, we’ll have to adapt.”

 Ireland can field 10 of the team that played in the last ODI with only the injured Craig Young missing and while it may not be a straight swap it could allow Stephen Doheny to fit into the side as an extra batter – captain Andrew Balbirnie, who plays his 200th Ireland game today, has already said “we will have a look at him in the series” after missing out on a big score in the T20s, his debut series.

However, Graham Hume must be expecting a recall after being left out of the final T20 despite being Ireland’s best bowler in the previous game and Andy McBrine, who has been here since the start of the tour but was not in the T20 squad, is also raring to go; he has played the last 49 ODIs dating back to March 2018.

Zimbabwe can welcome back their current franchise player Sikander Raza and also former England Test player Gary Ballance who missed the last two T20Is because of concussion.

The 33-year-old has declared himself a Zimbabwean again after 16 ODIs for England, the first against Ireland back in 2013 when he was out for a second ball duck, caught Wilson bowled Murtagh, but Sean Williams looks to be a big miss in the series for the home side because of an injured finger.

Wilson also spoke about the ‘amazing’ atmosphere in the Harare Sports club over the weekend, especially on Sunday when the home team were being roared to victory.

“It was amazing to see ground nearly full, a great experience especially for our younger guys and every cricketer wants to play in front of a full house,” he said. “Hopefully it will be the same again if not tomorrow then certainly on Saturday and when they get behind their team hopefully we can silence them.”

Squads – Zimbabwe: C Ervine (capt), G Ballance, R Burl, T Chatara, C Chibhabha, B Evans, I Kaia, C Madande, W Madhevere, T Marumani, W Masakadza, B Mavuta, R Ngarava, V Nyauchi, S Raza.

Ireland: A Balbirnie (capt), M Adair, C Campher, G Delany, G Dockrell, S Doheny, G Hume, T Kane, J Little, A McBrine, B McCarthy, P Stirling, H Tector, L Tucker.