Ireland

Ireland international Curtis Campher has become the first male player to take five wickets from five balls in a professional match.

The all-rounder, 26, did so for Munster Reds in their Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy win over the North-West Warriors in Dublin.

The Warriors were chasing 189 but collapsed from 87-5 to 88 all out thanks to Campher's sensational spell.

The Reds captain's first wicket came when he bowled Jared Wilson with the penultimate delivery of the 12th over. Graham Hume was then trapped lbw to conclude the over.

Returning in the 14th, the South Africa-born pace bowler completed the hat-trick when his Ireland international team-mate Andy McBrine was caught at deep mid-wicket.

Robbie Millar was then caught behind before Josh Wilson was bowled for the final wicket.

With the feat spread across two separate overs, Campher said he was initially unaware of the record.

"I wasn't really sure what was happening," he told Cricket Ireland.

"I just kind of stuck to my guns and kept it real simple and luckily it kind of went off."

Campher, who previously took four wickets from four balls against the Netherlands at the 2021 T20 World Cup, was playing his second match since returning from a finger injury that caused him to miss Ireland's ODI and T20 series against West Indies this year.

"Performances aside, it has been really good just to be around the boys," he added.

"When you get injured, it's a bit of a dark place when you get into the gym and stuff like that, so it has been really nice.

"I have been really enjoying myself and putting pressure on myself to do well."

Zimbabwe Women all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu previously took five wickets in five balls in a domestic under-19 T20 last year.

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Teenager Lara McBride has received her first senior call-up for Ireland's series against Zimbabwe later this month as Lloyd Tennant names his first squad as head coach.

The 19-year-old off-spinner played for Ireland at the ICC Women's Under-19 T20 World Cup in January and also impressed playing in the Super Series.

Tennant has named two 14-player squads which will play three T20 Internationals at Pembroke Cricket Club and two one-day internationals at Stormont between 20-28 July.

The series against Zimbabwe will act as preparation for Ireland ahead of their T20 World Cup qualifier in August.

Gaby Lewis will captain both squads, with Orla Prendergast named vice-captain.

Tennant, who succeeds Ed Joyce after previously working with England's Female Academy and A Team, said he was "looking forward" to the Zimbabwe series.

"My aim during the next few weeks and months is to build on the strong foundations already in place, but where possible, look to move our game forward," he added.

"I've had a very warm welcome since arriving - and watched some very competitive action in the Super Series – there is plenty of incredibly talented players here in Ireland to work with, and I'm looking forward to seeing how we can progress further over coming years."

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Third Twenty20 international, Bready

Ireland 194-7 (20 overs): R Adair 48; Hosein 3-27, Holder 2-49

West Indies 256-5 (20 overs): Lewis 91; Humphreys 2-16, R Adair 1-52

West Indies win by 62 runs

Scorecard

West Indies secured a 1-0 series win over Ireland after victory in the third and final T20 at Bready.

The first two games of the three-match series on Thursday and Saturday were abandoned without a ball being bowled due to heavy rain.

Conditions cleared on Sunday to allow the third game to go ahead, with Ireland winning the toss and opting to bowl first.

West Indies set a chase of 256, their second-highest T20 score, after some superb batting.

Ireland failed to get close to with Akeal Hosein claiming three wickets as the visitors won by 62 runs.

West Indies started well and registered 122 runs after 10.3 overs without Ireland taking a wicket, through the partnership of Evin Lewis and Shai Hope.

Barry McCarthy eventually got the breakthrough for the hosts by removing Hope for 51.

Two more wickets in the 12th over followed as Rovman Powell (2) and Lewis (91) were both dismissed by Matthew Humphreys.

Shimron Hetmyer (15) was then removed by Ben White while Jason Holder (18) was taken out by Mark Adair, but West Indies ended their innings on a strong 256-5 as Keacy Carty managed an unbeaten 49 from 22 balls.

Ireland got off to a bad start in reply as they lost captain Paul Stirling in the second over after just 13 runs.

Ross Adair and Harry Tector steadied the ship with a partnership of 101 in 58 balls, before the latter departed as the hosts lost a second player inside the first 10 overs.

Adair and Lorcan Tucker were taken out by Hosein in the 11th over and the wickets continued to tumble as George Dockrell, Tim Tector and Barry McCarthy were all gone by the 16th over.

With the result beyond doubt at that stage, Ireland aimed to reduce the margin of defeat in the last four overs.

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Ireland's second T20 against West Indies was abandoned on Saturday without a ball being bowled because of heavy rain.

The three-match series was due to begin at Bready on Thursday, but that match was called off due to the wet weather.

Saturday's second match at the same ground was meant to start at 15:00 BST, but it was delayed by an hour before a pitch inspection at 16:00 resulted in the surface being deemed unplayable.

The third game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 15:00.

The series is the second this year between the two sides who split an ODI series in Dublin last month.

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Ireland's first T20 international against West Indies has been abandoned because of consistent rain.

The three-match series was due to begin at Bready on Thursday with subsequent meetings scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

The West Indies are returning to the area where they were bowled out for 25 in a famous Irish victory in 1969.

The series is the second this year between the two sides who split an ODI series in Dublin last month.

Image source, Inpho

Left-arm paceman Josh Little has been withdrawn from Ireland's squad for the forthcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies at Bready.

Graham Hume has been called up as his replacement for the triple-header, which starts on Thursday, and continues on Saturday and Sunday.

"Josh had a niggle yesterday at training and pulled up. So unfortunately, he's missing out," explained Ireland captain Paul Stirling on Wednesday.

"He's going back to England now to prepare over there, to try and get himself right. Graham Hume comes in for him.

"So unfortunately, that's one more change that seems to be the order of the day recently. Again, with all these things, as with the ODIs, it brings opportunities for players who maybe didn't expect to be around."

Ireland are also without Craig Young, Curtis Campher and Gareth Delany for the upcoming games, which follow on from a drawn ODI series between the sides in May.

The West Indies come into the matches on the back of a 3-0 T20I series defeat by England.

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First one-day international, Clontarf

Ireland 303-6 (50 overs): Balbirnie 112, Tector 56; Forde 3-68

West Indies 179 (34.1 overs): Chase 55, Forde 38; B McCarthy 4-32

Ireland won by 124 runs

Scorecard

Paul Stirling became the first Irish player to reach 10,000 international runs as Ireland comfortably beat West Indies in the opening one-day international at Clontarf.

A 109-run partnership between Andrew Balbirnie (112) and record-breaking captain Stirling (54) set Ireland on course for victory as they reached 303-6.

Stirling has scored 5,979 runs in ODIs, 3,656 in T20s and 382 runs in Test cricket.

West Indies, who were facing the Irish in Dublin for the first time since 2019, were all out for just 179, as Barry McCarthy claimed 4-32.

The sides will meet again on Friday at Clontarf in the second ODI, with the third game of the series being played at the same venue on Sunday.

Ireland lost the toss and were asked to bat first, but through the fruitful pairing of Balbirnie and Stirling they moved to 109 before the latter was dismissed by Gudakesh Motie.

Cade Carmichael, who was making his debut alongside Tom Mayes and Liam McCarthy, was out for 16, but Harry Tector managed 56 with Lorcan Tucker also adding 30 to help Ireland set a high target.

Mayes claimed his first wicket for Ireland as he dismissed West Indies captain Shai Hope in the powerplay and the difficulties continued as West Indies slipped to 31-5 in the powerplay before Roston Chase (55) and Matthew Forde (38) steadied their innings.

McCarthy removed Brandon King, Keacy Carty, Amir Jangoo and Forde as the West Indies were bowled out for 179 with 15.5 overs remaining, falling to a 124-run defeat.

"We want to win this series of course, but you have to enjoy these sorts of results. It is a huge win for us, and I think the confidence is going to be high going into the weekend," said Balbirnie.

Image source, Inpho

Ireland have been dealt a double injury blow before their one-day series against West Indies this week with Craig Young and Curtis Campher ruled out.

Bowler Young, 35, sustained a hamstring injury in action for the North West Warriors against the Leinster Lightning last week, while all-rounder Curtis Campher, 26, fractured a finger batting in the nets on Monday.

Ireland's seam attack for the three white-ball meetings in Dublin had already been impacted by the losses of Mark Adair, Graham Hume and Fionn Hand through injuries.

Jordan Neill, 19, and Stephen Doheny, 26, have been called into the squad as replacements.

Ireland will host West Indies in Clontarf on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

The visitors will then be England's opposition for Harry Brook's first games as their limited-overs captain before returning to face Ireland in three T20 internationals at Bready next month.