Ireland’s men andwomento host Zimbabwe T20s ties in NI

FOLLOWING the success of last year’s double-header at Malahide, the Ireland men’s and women’s sides will play back-to-back matches against Zimbabwe this summer — and all three games are in Northern Ireland.

The women’s fixtures for this summer, confirmed yesterday, include three Twenty20 internationals against West Indies in May, and three one-day games and three T20s against Zimbabwe in July.

The three T20s which end the tour coincide with the men’s T20 fixtures at Stormont on July 10 and Bready on July 12 and 14, with the women’s games starting at 11am and the men’s matches at 4pm on all three days.

The third men’s game was originally scheduled for Saturday, July 13 but both countries agreed to move it back 24 hours to permit another two for the price of one attraction for fans.

Clubs in the North West are not complaining as that will allow a full round of games on the Saturday. Those fixtures are due out by the start of next week.

The women’s international summer begins in Dublin with the West Indies games at YMCA on May 26 followed by two at Pembroke on May 28 and 29.

The 50-over action takes place at Oak Hill, Co Wicklow on July 3, 5 and 7, but they are not official one-day internationals as Zimbabwe don’t have ODI status.

However, with the T20 World Cup qualifiers taking place in late summer, Ireland’s priority this season will be the shortest format and they will first aim to avenge their defeat in the T20 in Harare last February.

But they have more than 600 caps to replace this season after the retirements of Clare Shillington, Ciara Metcalfe and Isobel and Cecelia Joyce.