Ireland’s near-empty cricket summer in stark contrast to stacked England slate

New stadium hopefully on way but Irish game needs boost after postponed T20 league and run of cancelled series.

George Dockrell of Ireland and Afghanistan wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz in action. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

For England this is the end of another unrelenting summer. Three Twenty20 internationals over the coming days will make it eight white-ball matches inside three weeks, excluding a rain-abandoned game against South Africa.

Jacob Bethell is captain because Harry Brook merits a lie down in a dark room. For Ireland, their opponents in Malahide, north Dublin, it is a radically different story.