Ben Calitz is the surprise name in the Ireland T20 squad to face England in a three-match series in Malahide next week.
The Lisburn batter, who doesn’t keep wicket for his club, was given the gloves in the last week’s Emerald Challenge 50-over games although, unless there is an injury to Ireland vice-captain Lorcan Tucker, a debut for Calitz would be as a middle-order batter.
Caltitz scored 195 runs in this year’s T20 festival for Northern Knights, at a modest average of 24, with 58 – his only half-century – his top score in nine innings. It was his strike rate (of 156) which obviously impressed Head coach Heinrich Malan and selector Andrew White - only five batters in the top 20 runs scorers had a higher one.
The man to lose out is his Knights’ captain Neil Rock, who played in four of Ireland’s last five T20Is, but has only one double figure score (a run-a-ball 37 against South Africa) in his last five innings – batting at either five or six.
However, it was his inter-provincial stats this season which have counted against him. Batting at No 5, he scored just 64 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 92.
Although White, commenting on the squad, said “Calitz gives us a left-handed batting option as well as wicket-keeping cover”, Rock provided those exact roles.
As already known, Josh Little and Mark Adair remain on the injury list and have not made the 14-man squad, with Fionn Hand the other pace bowler who is ruled out.
However, Jordan Neill, injured on his Ireland debut against West Indies, makes the T20I squad for the first time, ahead of Liam McCarthy, while Tim Tector is the batter to lose his place from the last game against West Indies at Bready in June – despite being out on his own in the IP20 run scoring charts, his 507 runs, 137 more than the next best. Indeed, none of the top seven run scorers in the competition is included in the squad!
The return of Craig Young is a welcome addition to the pace bowling stocks and it is great to see Gareth Delany fully fit and included after his horror injury just three months ago. If he plays, his first game will be his 100th Ireland appearance.
The other player who missed the West Indies series is Curtis Campher but the all-rounder will have a lot to live up to on his return to Ireland colours. In his last List A T20 game, he took five wickets in five balls!
Paul Stirling who, had a strike rate of 158 in this year’s T20 Trophy, captains the side with Ross Adair, who top scored with 48 (from 36 balls) in Ireland’s only T20 to beat the weather in Bready, continuing as his opening partner.
If Calitz is given a first cap, he will be the sixth player to make his Ireland debut this year, following Tim Tector, Cade Carmichael, Liam McCarthy, Tom Mayes and Neill.
Next week’s games are on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with Cricket Ireland putting the Full House signs up for the final game.
Squad in full: P Stirling (capt), R Adair, B Calitz, C Campher, G Delany, G Dockrell, G Hume, M Humphreys, B McCarthy, J Neill, H Tector, L Tucker, B White, C Young.
