From established stalwarts to the next generation of talent, we look at ten of the best Irish cricket players today.
Though it doesn’t garner the same popularity as other English sports in Ireland, like association football and rugby, those who follow cricket on the Emerald Isle do so passionately.
Recent years have brought a period of relative success for Ireland’s cricket team, which made us interested in the best Irish cricket players today.
10. Craig Young – hampered by injuries
Craig Young was regarded as one of Irish cricket’s best young players in the early 2010s. He finally made his debut for his country in 2014 and became only the ninth player to take five wickets on his ODI debut.
Unfortunately, Young’s career has been blighted by injuries, which have occasionally kept him out of the team. He remains, however, one of the best Irish cricket players today.
9. Barry McCarthy – a successful T20 and ODI career
Barry McCarthy joined Durham at the behest of England cricketing legend Ben Stokes. Though his spell in Durham was short-lived, McCarthy has enjoyed a successful T20 and ODI career with Ireland.
His sister Louise also represented Ireland between 2010 and 2017.
8. Mark Adair – a seam-bowler
Holywood, County Down, might enjoy fame for having produced golfers like Rory McIlroy and actors like Jamie Dornan, but it is also the birthplace of seam-bowling all-rounder Mark Adair.
Adair has played for Warwickshire in England, but has also represented the Belfast-based teams CIYMS and Northern Knights and now plays for Lisburn Cricket Club.
7. Andy McBrine – a revered all-rounder
Born in Derry in 1993, all-rounder Andy McBrine followed in his father Alexander’s footsteps and made his debut for Ireland in 2014, thanks to a renowned off-spin bowl.
McBrine captains the North West Warriors and is a key player for Ireland in international cricket.
6. Lorcan Tucker – from a cricketing family
Lorcan Tucker has been playing for Ireland since 2016 and has become an important wicketkeeper-batsman for the Irish cricket team. He was the country’s top scorer at the T20 World Cup in 2022.
Tucker’s brothers Donncha and Fiachra, and their father, Barry, have all played cricket as well, but it’s Lorcan who is one of the best Irish cricket players today.
5. Curtis Campher – a South African with an Irish grandmother
Curtis Campher was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1999, but thanks to his grandmother, who was born in Derry, he holds an Irish passport.Â
He represented South Africa at the under-19 level but declared his intentions to represent Ireland in 2020. He has since established himself as an important player for the Ireland cricket team today.
4. Harry Tector – a key component of the team
Harry Tector broke into the Ireland team in 2019 and has been a key component ever since. At just 24 years of age, he has a bright future ahead of him in cricket and we have every belief that he will continue to prove himself as one of the best Irish cricket players today.
Tector’s brothers, Jack and Tim, also represent Ireland in cricket, and his cousin Charlie plays rugby union for the country’s under-20 team.
3. Andrew Balbirnie – the current captain of the Ireland team
Dublin’s Andrew Balbirnie currently captains the Irish men’s cricket team, though he had established himself as one of the best batsmen long before his appointment in 2019.
One of Balbirnie’s most memorable moments for Ireland came in August 2020 when he achieved a run-a-ball 113 in a seven-wicket ODI against England.Â
He almost replicated the achievement a year later, scoring 112 in the country’s first-ever win against the Proteas, South Africa.
2. George Dockrell – from the car park to the Ireland team
George Dockrell was given his Ireland debut as a teenager after then-coach Brian O’Rourke saw him practising his bowling in a car park during an Ireland youth team tour of Wales.
At this time, he had also been attracting attention from professional clubs and joined Somerset in 2010. He has been a mainstay in the Ireland team ever since his debut that same year.
1. Paul Stirling – one of the best Irish cricket players today
Born in Belfast, Paul Stirling is Ireland’s current opening batsman. He is undeniably one of the best Irish cricket players today and one of the best Irish cricket players of all time.
By his early 20s, he was already one of the country’s most important players, having hit two ODI centuries against Pakistan. His seemingly effortless bowling has built him a successful domestic and international career.