Ireland set to feature in historic Lord's Test
As per England & Wales Cricket Board's latest announcement, Ireland will face England in a one-off Test that will be held at the Home of Cricket, Lord's. Cricket Ireland has warmly welcomed the development.
The historic four-day Test is scheduled to be held from 24th to 27th July in 2019 and will also be preceded by an ODI game between Ireland and the hosts on the 3rd of May.
Chief Executive at Cricket Ireland, Warren Deutrom is delighted by the announcement, describing it as "incredibly exciting for Irish players and fans alike".
Back in 2017, Ireland contested in an ODI game at the prestigious venue in front of a capacity Lord's crowd. Although, Deutrom says that it "was a special day for Irish cricket", he believes that returning to the place for a Test match will be an extraordinary occasion for a nation that's still pretty new to the game's oldest format. Deutrom also thanked his ECB counterparts for assisting in making this happen:
"We would like to acknowledge the support of the ECB in making this happen. Not only have they found the space in an incredibly busy international schedule in 2019, but this will be the first time that the England cricket team will play an official four-day Test ..." added Deutrom while talking to Cricket Ireland.
ECB's CEO, Tom Harrison, who played a vital role in ensuring a Lord's Test for Ireland said the match will not only be a truly remarkable occasion for the Irish but also allow England to achieve excellent match readiness before the 2019 Ashes.
“We fully supported the ICC’s decision to award Full Membership to Cricket Ireland and we expect next summer’s inaugural Test Match at Lord’s against our neighbors to be an historic celebration for all Irish cricket fans. It will also provide excellent Ashes preparation for England ..." said Harrison.
William Porterfield, Ireland's long-standing captain and one of the veterans for Irish Cricket, has also gleefully greeted the announcement, acknowledging that it will be "truly memorable" to feature in a Lord's Test.
Ireland, recently made their Test debut at home where they almost pulled off an improbable victory in unreal circumstances. Porterfield believes that Cricket in Ireland is heading in the right direction and games like these will help to improve cricketing standards in Ireland.
"... We have some world-class cricket coming our way over the coming years, and through Tests like this against England we will gain the confidence and experience to progress as a new Test nation. When I look around the Irish cricket scene I see a lot to be positive about. We have a core of experienced internationals, surrounded by an impressive crop of youngsters coming through the system,” the Irish skipper said while speaking to Cricket Ireland.