Orla Prendergast will wear the No 10 on her shirt during Ireland’s tour of South Africa next month as a tribute to her father Peter who died in May.

“I’ve made the decision to change my shirt number from 84 to 10 — my dad’s birthday,” the Pembroke all-rounder and Ireland vice-captain explained.

“Since my dad passed, I’m always trying to think of ways to keep him close to me and having the No 10 on my shirt is another way of doing so.

“My dad was always my biggest support in cricket — the first person I’d go to on my good days and bad days. He constantly told me how proud he was of me, and I hope to continue making him proud with the No 10 on my back.”

Meanwhile, Cricket Ireland have announced that their men’s team — who face Bangladesh on Saturday in the second of their three-match T20 series — will play two games against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai in January as part of preparations for the T20 World Cup.