Cricket Ireland has confirmed the two squads for the 2026 Emerald Challenge, a red-ball fixture that will serve as preparation for the country’s one-off Test against New Zealand.
Back to red-ball cricket
The Emerald Challenge began in 2024 as a high-quality red-ball match designed to ready players for home Tests. The 2025 edition was played in a white-ball format, but this year’s version returns to the traditional format, underlining its role in Ireland’s build-up.
Graeme West, Cricket Ireland’s Director of High Performance, said the event is establishing itself in the home calendar and that players and staff have welcomed it. It will be staged at Malahide next week. With no domestic first-class competition in Ireland, he explained, the fixture gives the Test squad meaningful red-ball cricket before they meet New Zealand at Stormont later this month, and offers emerging players a platform to impress selectors.
West added that Ireland will wait for further ICC updates on the future structure of the World Test Championship before settling longer-term plans for red-ball development.
The squads
Strikers (head coach Gary Wilson): Matthew Humphreys (c), Mark Adair, Ben Calitz, Cade Carmichael, Tom Mayes, Andy McBrine, Jordan Neill, Cian Robertson, Paul Stirling, Morgan Topping, Sam Topping, Josh Wilson, Craig Young.
Raiders (head coach Chris Brown): Andrew Balbirnie (c), Curtis Campher, Chris Defreitas, Stephen Doheny, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Holland, Barry McCarthy, Liam McCarthy, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Rueben Wilson.
