New Zealand Sets Sights on Ireland Test Before England Showdown
New Zealand captain Tom Latham emphasizes that his team is "solely focused on this match" as they prepare to take on Ireland in a solitary Test at Stormont this week. The match serves as a warm-up for their upcoming three-Test series against England. Entering the encounter as heavy favorites, New Zealand stands as the fifth-ranked team in the ICC rankings, while Ireland faces the challenge of competing in the red-ball format for just the 13th time, and for the first time against New Zealand. The four-day Test kicks off on Wednesday, marking Ireland's first home Test since their victory over Zimbabwe at the same venue in July 2024. Recent form favors New Zealand, who have secured wins against the West Indies and Zimbabwe in their last Tests in 2025. Latham noted, "We're certainly not taking it lightly. We come here with a slightly different squad, some guys not being here through other commitments with franchise stuff." He added, "But most of the guys in this group have played Test cricket and it's important to learn from those experiences. We want to come here and display our skills as best we can and play our brand of cricket as best we can." The spotlight remains on how New Zealand will showcase their skills over the next four days.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-05-26