Sport

Injured Delany and Prendergast miss out as Lewis captains Ireland against South Africa

Ireland squad blighted by injuries and school exam commitments to line out next week

Gaby Lewis will captain Ireland in the absence of the injured Laura Delany. Photograph: Oisin Keniry
Gaby Lewis will captain Ireland in the absence of the injured Laura Delany. Photograph: Oisin Keniry
Wed May 25 2022 - 12:05

Ireland captain Laura Delany has not recovered from an long-term injury picked up before Christmas in time to lead her side against South Africa in Dublin next week. 21 year old Gaby Lewis captains a 14-player group in her stead, but further injury news has emerged as opening bowler Orla Prendergast misses out alongside Rebecca Stokell and Hannah Little.

The young age profile of the squad also means that a number of players are unavailable due to state exams commitments, including Amy Hunter. Ava Canning and Louise Little also fall into this bracket.

The New Zealand-based Eimear Richardson is also unavailable. It has emerged that she will not be taking up a full-time contract with Cricket Ireland having been offered one in March. Instead, she will operate on a casual contract while continuing to live and work in New Zealand.

As a result of the significant absences, only 12 members of the 20-strong performance squad are available to head coach Ed Joyce. Five new caps are in line to be handed out, most notably to New Zealand-born Arlene Kelly who has only recently arrived in the country as an overseas player for the Dragons in the Super Series, the country’s premier women’s domestic tournament. Kelly - who holds an Irish passport - sees her form rewarded after a recent innings of 60 in her sole outing to date against the Typhoons.

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Alana Dalzell, Kate McEvoy and Sarah Forbes - the latter averaging 40 in this year’s Super Series - are the other uncapped players, while Jane Maguire sees her name called having yet to feature for Ireland in a T20 international.

South Africa for their part are also sending a depleted outfit with a number of their bigger names on the sidelines. Lizelle Lee, Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk and Masabata Klass are all either injured or rested with one eye on this summer’s Commonwealth Games. Sune Luus captains their 15-strong squad, while fast bowler Shabnim Ismail - who recently played alongside Ireland’s Lewis at the recent Fairbreak franchise tournament - is also included.

The series will include three T20Is and three One Day Internationals, the latter being Ireland’s first foray into the ICC Women’s Championship.

Ireland Women’s squad for the T20Is and ODIs against South Africa:

Gaby Lewis (captain), Alana Dalzell, Rachel Delaney, Georgina Dempsey, Sarah Forbes, Shauna Kavanagh, Arlene Kelly, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Kate McEvoy, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Celeste Raack, Mary Waldron.

3rd June 2022: Ireland v South Africa – 1st T20I (Pembroke, 4.30pm start)

6th June 2022: Ireland v South Africa – 2nd T20I (Pembroke, 4.30pm start)

8th June 2022: Ireland v South Africa – 3rd T20I (Pembroke, 4.30pm start)

11th June 2022: Ireland v South Africa – 1st ODI (Clontarf, 10.45am start)

14th June 2022: Ireland v South Africa – 2nd ODI (Clontarf, 10.45am start)

17th June 2022: Ireland v South Africa – 3rd ODI (Clontarf, 10.45am start)