Experienced batter Paul Stirling has been ruled out of Ireland's one-off Test against New Zealand at Stormont next week with a calf injury. Captain Andrew Balbirnie confirmed the absence, leaving the squad short on experienced options ahead of a match that will be Ireland's 13th Test since gaining full membership in June 2017.

Balbirnie admitted his side is not really ready, pointing out that players making their first-class debut this week could end up playing the Test. Ireland's preparation has been limited to a single warm-up game, forcing the captain to pick almost entirely on current form rather than established pecking orders.

Balbirnie welcomes the prospect of Ireland joining the ICC World Test Championship but stressed the need for a revived first-class ecosystem. The inter-provincial tournament last ran in 2019, leaving Ireland without a domestic structure to develop Test-ready talent. Without that foundation, WTC inclusion means little.