Hoey will be the third wrist spinner in the setup alongside Andy McBrine and Matthew Humphreys
On July 17 (Wednesday), Ireland have named Gavin Hoey in the 14-member squad for their upcoming Test against Zimbabwe. Hoey is the only unknown face for the Test that is scheduled to begin on July 25 in Belfast.
The leg spinner has picked up eight wickets at the first class level, averaging 28.75, with a four-wicket haul against West Indies Academy in Comber. In that very clash, Hoey starred with the bat, scoring 31 and 37 in the two innings.
“Humphreys made his Test debut in Sri Lanka and found the going difficult against good players of spin out in the subcontinent,” said White while unveiling the Test squad.
“He’d admit himself that he went through a period of a loss of form and maybe a loss of confidence, but he’s worked extremely hard to come back into the reckoning and his performances for Ireland Wolves have been exactly what we were looking for. Obviously in the West Indies last year for Emerging Ireland, then in Nepal, and has now backed it up in the recent series for the Emerging Ireland side against West Indies Academy, where he took 10 wickets. But it’s the consistency he has shown over the last period which has been really pleasing and he very much deserves his call up,” he added.
Hoey will be Ireland’s third wrist spin option after Andy McBrine and Matthew Humphreys. The 21-year-old didn’t pick up a single wicket on debut, with an economy of 6.70 against Sri Lanka in Galle.
“Hoey is a talented leg spinner, and his ability to spin the ball both ways gives us a strong wicket-taking option. Again, he’s a player that’s been on the radar for a while and can play across all three formats. But this is an opportunity for him to come into the Test squad and get used to the environment.”
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