BELFAST: Blair Tickner took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket as New Zealand hammered Ireland by an innings and 79 runs in a one-off match at Civil Service Cricket Club ground in Belfast on Friday.

The comprehensive victory saw New Zealand win with more than a day to spare in a match that was only scheduled for four days — rather than the standard five of most Tests It was also a confidence-building success for the Black Caps ahead of next week’s clash against England at Lord’s, the first match in a three-Test series.

Ireland, dismissed for 179 in the first innings, started the third day on 65-2.

New Zealand had declared on a commanding 490-8 featuring Tom Blundell’s 186, Rachin Ravi­ndra’s 121 and debutant Dean Foxcroft’s 98, with captain Tom Latham later enforcing the follow-on.

The Black Caps, however, were 86-4, with Kane Williamson among those dismissed, after losing the toss before Ravindra and Blundell shared a fifth-wicket stand of 217.

Ireland rarely looked like making New Zealand bat again, but they did at least manage an improved 232 in their second innings.

Tickner, in his fifth Test, did the bulk of the damage with the medium-fast bowler’s return of 5-76. Ireland opener Stephen Doheny made 57 and wicket-keeper Lorcan Tucker exactly 50, with all-rounder Mark Adair 44 not out. The match ended with Ireland nine wickets down following Reuben Wilson’s dismissal as Curtis Campher had retired hurt with a hand injury before lunch.

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings) 490-8 decl (T. Blundell 186, R. Ravindra 121, D. Foxcroft 98; M. Adair 3-66)

IRELAND (1st Innings) 179 (A. McBrine 73 not out; N. Smith 6-40)

IRELAND (2nd Innings, overnight 65-2):

S. Doheny c Conway b Tickner 57

A. Balbirnie c Blundell b Tickner 14

C. Carmichael c Latham b Tickner 6

T. Mayes c Mitchell b Smith 5

H. Tector c Latham b Tickner 2

C. Campher retired hurt 4

L. Tucker c Mitchell b Smith 50

A. McBrine c Smith b Foulkes 13

M. Adair not out 44

L. McCarthy run out 11

R. Wilson c Mitchell b Tickner 4

EXTRAS (B-14, LB-2, NB-4, W-2) 22

TOTAL (all out, 63.2 overs) 232

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-42 (Balbirnie), 2-57 (Carmichael), 3-70 (Mayes), 4-75 (Tector), 5-104 (Doheny), 6-150 (McBrine), 7-170 (Tucker), 8-223 (McCarthy), 9-232 (Wilson)

BOWLING: Smith 15-6-53-2 (1w, 3nb); Foulkes 14-3-50-1; Tickner 17.2-3-76-5 (1w, 1nb); Sears 15-6-37-0; Mitchell 2-2-0-0

RESULT: New Zealand won by an innings and 79 runs.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Tom Blundell

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2026