Gary Wilson and Ryan Eagleson have been confirmed as Ireland’s new full-time batting and bowling coaches respectively. Wilson, who kept wicket a record 171 times for Ireland, will also take on the wicket-keeping portfolio.

The appointments were announced ahead of new head coach Heinrich Malan taking over on a three-year contract this month. The first assignment for the South African will be to lead the Ireland Wolves tour to neighbouring Namibia. Eagleson will also be part of that eight-game white-ball tour which starts on March 21.

Also announced yesterday were the Ireland full-time playing contracts and 12 of the 19 have been rewarded with two-year deals taking them through to the end of February 2024. The other seven have been awarded one-year contracts.

There are two newcomers, replacing Wilson, Kevin O’Brien and David Delany, with Neil Rock, Ireland’s wicket-keeper in T20 internationals last year, the big winner as he gets the two-year deal. The other full-time contract goes to Civil Service North leg spinner Ben White who made his debut last year.

Waringstown opening batsman James McCollum who has not played for Ireland since January 2020, is also given another one-year contract along with former captain William Porterfield, despite neither being current T20 internationals, and Ireland having only three one-day internationals planned for the rest of the year.

The inter-provincial fixtures were also released yesterday with six rounds of 50-over cricket and three T20 festivals, all wrapped up by the end of July.

IP50 – May 3: Leinster Lightning v North West Warriors (Pembroke); May 5: Northern Knights v Munster Reds; May 10: Lightning v Reds (Pembroke); May 12: Warriors v Knights (Bready); May 17: Knights v Lightning; May 19: Reds v Warriors; May 23: Warriors v Lightning (Eglinton); May 24: Reds v Knights.
May 27-29: IP20 Festival (North Down)
IP50 – June 2: Knights v Warriors; June 7: Reds v Lightning
June 10-12: IP20 Festival (Bready)
IP50 – July 1: Warriors v Reds (Eglinton); July 4: Lightning v Knights (Pembroke)
July 27-29: IP20 Festival (Pembroke)