Cleaver, Bracewell handed NZ debuts as Ireland bowl first

Posted By on July 18, 2022

Toss Ireland opt to bowl vs New Zealand

Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie won the toss in the 1st T20I and chose to field first under warm, sunny conditions in Belfast. New Zealand handed a debut to wicketkeeper-batter Dane Cleaver and allrounder Michael Bracewell in the format.

With key players rested by New Zealand for their T20 tour of Ireland, and Scotland and Netherlands to follow, it will be yet another opportunity for Ireland to get a win after coming close but faltering in the end twice during the ODI series.

Jacob Duffy, the right-arm seamer who last played a T20I against Bangladesh in 2021, is expected to share the new ball with Lockie Ferguson. New Zealand have gone with two spin options in Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner, and the fifth-bowler quota of overs is expected to be filled between Bracewell – the hero from the first ODI – and James Neesham. Martin Guptill and Finn Allen will open the batting, with Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell and Cleaver wrapping up the middle order.

For Ireland, the lone spin option is the legspin of Gareth Delany. Right-arm seamers Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy and Craig Young are expected to bowl their full quota, while left-arm seamer Joshua Little will provide the variation. The pitch report suggested that the warm conditions have also brought some cracks in the surface. No team at Belfast has lost after scoring 140 or more in T20Is.

Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Gareth Delany, Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Mark Adair, Barry McCarthy, Craig Young, Joshua Little

New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Finn Allen, Dane Cleaver (wk), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy

Sreshth Shah is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @sreshthx

Source: ESPN Crickinfo

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