The Raiders and Strikers  are back in action next week, a year after their first appearance in a four-day game in preparation for the inaugural Belfast Test match against Zimbabwe.

This time, the teams are playing three 50-over games ahead of the T20I series against England with Stormont, rather than Malahide the venues for the games on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Performances in the T20 inter-provincial festival have been rewarded with Chris de Freitas, Matt Hollard, John McNally, Ben Calitz and David Delany, who last played for Ireland in 2019, all included in the two 13-man squads.

Matthew Foster and Morgan Topping are the other uncapped players who will be in action this week while there is a welcome return for Gareth Delany after his serious injury at the start of the season.

Ireland white-ball skipper Paul Stirling and his vice-captain Lorcan Tucker will lead the sides with Calitz wearing the gloves for Stirling’s Raiders in the absence of Sam Topping who had his tonsils removed last Monday.

Missing the games through injury are Mark Adair, Josh Little, Curtis Campher and Fionn Hand while Neil Rock and Ben White, who have been exclusively used only in T20 internationals for the last two years, were not considered for this week’s 50-over games.

Although Ireland head coach Heinrich Malan said in the press release announcing the two squads that “many of the players in the Emerald Challenge are also pushing for selection in the upcoming T20I series against England”, it is too late to impress him and chair of selectors Andrew White – unless there are new injuries - as that squad was picked two weeks ago.  

Confirming the reason for playing 50-over games as the final match action before T20 internationals, Malan added: “While a different format, this series will provide players (with) vital competitive cricket and enable some players who haven’t had much cricket this year to get some time in the middle.”

The Emerald Challenge games all start at 10.45am and admission is free.

Squads – Raiders: P Stirling (capt), A Balbirnie, B Calitz, C Carmichael, D Delany, G Delany, G Hume, M Humphreys, T Mayes, A McBrine, J Neill, M Topping, C Young. Coach: Gary Wilson

Strikers: L Tucker (capt), R Adair, C de Freitas, G Dockrell, S Doheny, M Foster, G Hoey, M Hollard, B McCarthy, L McCarthy, J McNally, H Tector, T Tector. Coach: Heinrich Malan.