Ireland pick four uncapped players for New Zealand Test

Ireland have picked four uncapped players as part of their 14-member squad for their maiden Test against New Zealand beginning May 27 in Belfast. Opener Jake Egan and the pace troika of Tom Mayes, Reuben Wilson and Liam McCarthy have earned a call-up for the four-day Test, which marks Ireland's 14th overall in the format.

While Mayes and McCarthy have represented Ireland in limited-overs international cricket, Egan (22) and Wilson (19) are uncapped at the international level and made their first-class debut earlier this week in the Emerald Challenge that featured the creme de la creme of Irish men's cricket.

Andrew Balbirnie will lead the Irish, who will be without the services of veteran batter Paul Stirling as he recovers from a Grade 2C strain sustained during the Emerald Challenge game. It is to be noted that Stirling, who led Ireland at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup earlier this year, picked up a knee injury in the clash against Australia that cut his campaign short.

Coach Heinrich Malan pointed towards a calf injury for Stirling, while stating that there were "a couple of niggles that's been lingering in and around that knee injury" from the World Cup.

Malan also confirmed that pacer Barry McCarthy has been ruled out of action for the rest of the year with a left ACL injury. Gavin Hoey (left side strain), Josh Little (rib stress fracture) and Jordan Neill (right shoulder muscle tear) were also unavailable for selection. All-rounder Curtis Campher will not bowl in this Test and play as a batter alone as he manages his return to bowling.

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