Cricket Ireland Unveils Central Contracts for 2026-27 Season
Cricket Ireland Announces Central Contracts
New Delhi, March 25: Cricket Ireland has revealed its list of central contracts for the upcoming 2026-27 season, featuring a total of 48 players. This roster includes 25 male athletes and 23 female athletes, setting the stage for a busy year in cricket.
Among the 25 men's contracts, 20 are full-time agreements, while five players have received retainer contracts. For the women's team, eight players have secured full-time contracts, with an additional 10 on education contracts and five on casual agreements. Notably, six players currently on education contracts are expected to transition to full-time status within the year, as reported by the ICC.
Seven male players have been awarded their first central contracts, with five of them making their senior international debuts in 2025. The experienced players include Ben Calitz, Jordan Neill, Tom Mayes, Tim Tector, and Cade Carmichael.
Reuben Wilson and Matthew Hollard are the two domestic players who have earned their first contracts, with Wilson's performance at the ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026 contributing to his selection.
There are no new additions to the women's contracts this season.
Notably, Sophie MacMahon, who has retired, and Freya Sargent, who has stepped back from international play, are no longer included among the centrally contracted players.
Graeme West, the Director of High Performance at Cricket Ireland, emphasized the importance of these central contracts in fostering the growth of Irish cricket as the team prepares for upcoming challenges.
“These contracts are vital for the development of our senior squads, ensuring that players are available and ready to represent Ireland on the global stage over the next year. This is particularly important as the men's team will compete in all three formats this summer, while our women's team will participate in both white-ball formats, including a T20 World Cup,” he stated.
Men’s Contracts: Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie (Test captain), Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Hollard, Matthew Humphreys, Joshua Little, Tom Mayes, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Liam McCarthy, Jordan Neil, Paul Stirling (ODI captain), Harry Tector, Tim Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Reuben Wilson, and Craig Young.
Women’s Contracts: Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Georgina Dempsey, Laura Delany, Sarah Forbes, Abbi Harrison, Amy Hunter, Jennifer Jackson, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis (ODI and T20I captain), Louise Little, Joanna Loughran, Aimee Maguire, Jane Maguire, Lara McBride, Kia McCartney, Ellie McGee, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, and Alice Tector.