Ireland name first ever Test squad

Boyd Rankin, Ed Joyce and William Porterfield have all been included in Ireland's 14-man squad for their inaugural Test match against Pakistan in Dublin later this month.

Head coach Graham Ford's team, which will be captained by Porterfield, also includes Kevin O'Brien and his brother Niall, and English county cricketers Tim Murtagh, Paul Stirling and Gary Wilson.

Rankin is the only player with previous Test experience having represented England in the final match of their 5-0 Ashes series loss to Australia in 2013-14.

He becomes the 15th player to have played Test cricket for two nations and the first since Kepler Wessels, who played for Australia and South Africa between 1982 and 1994.

Ireland left out spinner George Dockrell for the historic clash, but called up uncapped Australian-born bowler Nathan Smith, who played for Ireland A in Bangladesh last October.

Victoria-born Smith, 22, has been playing for the Northern Knights in the Irish Interprovincial series since 2016.

Experienced batsman Joyce, who played limited-overs cricket for England before returning to Ireland, has overcome injury to take part in the match after being forced to miss Ireland's two closing games at the World Cup qualifier against Scotland and Afghanistan earlier this year.

Ireland and Afghanistan were granted Test status by the ICC last June.

Ireland will play their first ever five-day match against Pakistan in a one-off contest at Malahide Cricket Club which begins on May 11.

Ireland squad: William Porterfield (captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Ed Joyce, Tyrone Kane, Andy McBrine, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien, Boyd Rankin, Nathan Smith, Paul Stirling, James Shannon, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson.