A Leinster Test XI

They've been playing Test cricket since 1877, and in all that time fewer than 3,000 men have been able to call themselves Test cricketers. Our island's history, with emigration and colonialism a large part of the experience, ensured that many of them were Irish.

Add that to the recent baptism at Malahide and Dehradun, and we now have a dozen Leinster-born players who have played Test cricket, with hopes that they can be joined by Lorcan Tucker on Wednesday.
The first Leinster man to play was Leland Hone, from a famous Phoenix and Trinity family. He played on England’s tour to Australia in 1878-79 where he faced two Munster men in the Test. Hone only played club cricket in England he was a late call-up as stand-in wicketkeeper. He had a poor tour, but still played at the MCG, scoring seven and six.
Johannesburg in 1896 was the other occasion that three Irishmen played in the same match, and they were all Leinster men.
Sir Timothy O'Brien had stood in as England captain in the previous Test and played five in all since 1884. Tim had a long career in Middlesex and was famously fiery, threatening to fight WG Grace and earning a lifetime ban from the Oval. He also invented the reverse sweep and sired ten children despite never wearing a box while playing.

Against him that day were Clem Johnson from Carbury, Co Kildare who had left Trinity after captaining the students to wins over Warwickshire and Leicestershire. Johnson had health problems which required moving to South Africa but he failed in his only Test there.
His team-mate, Robert Montagu Poore, was born in Carysfort House, Blackrock in 1866, and was a career soldier. He was based in the Cape when he was called up for the series and played in all three Tests. He had a handful of seasons with Hampshire and his 1899 average of 91 was the English record until Don Bradman broke it in 1948.
Freddie Fane came from a military background and was born in the Curragh Camp. He had a long, prolific career with Essex and made 143 against South Africa in 1906. He captained England in five of his 14 Tests, all played overseas.

Eoin Morgan had a six-year career with Ireland before he left for England. Although he was more successful as a white-ball captain he played 16 Tests between 2010-12 and scored centuries against India and Pakistan.
The final half of the side is made up of men whose Tests came with a shamrock on their jerseys, five playing in the inaugural Test in Malahide. Kevin O’Brien made Ireland’s first century that day, while his brother Niall, and Ed Joyce, both decided to retire after the game.
Andy Balbirnie made a pair on debut but banished those demons with a fine 82 against Afghanistan. Tyrone Kane was unlucky not to take a wicket and will have to wait for his next Test. George Dockrell won a call up against Afghanistan in Dehradun – becoming leading Leinster bowler in Tests – but he too fell out of favour.

Picking a side from the XII is easy – no need for a second keeper so Hone loses out to O’Brien. But if Tucker makes the cut this week, future selections could become a bit trickier.