Ireland’s Harry Tector has captured the imagination of the cricketing community in the past few months, and looks primed to scale greater heights in the years to come.
In a string of games against India and New Zealand – two of the world’s premier white-ball outfits – Harry Tector has shown himself to be the most exciting talent to emerge from Irish cricket in recent years and someone who is more than capable of not only competing but thriving against the best sides on the planet.
Tector is currently averaging over 80 and striking at more than 100 this Irish international summer, after three ODIs against New Zealand and a pair of T20Is against India.
Against India, Tector hit 64*(33) & and 39 (28) and caught the eye with his array of strokeplay. One shot in particular, a front foot pull for six off India speedster Umran Malik was more than enough for people to sit up and take notice. Hardik Pandya, who was captaining India, was full of praise for the youngster. The all-rounder gifted him a bat and even suggested that Tector could, one day, become a regular fixture in the IPL and other T20 leagues around the world.
“He played some fantastic shots, and obviously, he’s 22,” said Pandya. “I’ve given him a bat as well, so maybe he can score some more sixes and maybe get an IPL contract, and I wish him luck. Just look after him well, give him the right guidance. It’s not always about cricket; it’s about understanding your whole lifestyle and what is there at stake. If you can manage that, I’m sure he’s going to be around – not just in IPL, in all the leagues in the world.”
Tector was mightily impressive against New Zealand, too, notching up a couple of centuries against the number one ranked ODI side in the world. His hundred in the third ODI helped take Ireland within one run of chasing down 360; Tector now averages 47.22 with the bat in ODI cricket.
In 2022, the right-hander has batted six times in ODI cricket, crossing the fifty-run mark on five occasions. He has impressed ever since making his Ireland ODI debut. In 2020, he marshalled the final stages of a successful run chase against England at the Ageas Bowl, scoring an unbeaten 26-ball 29 in what was his first series in ODI cricket.
Tector, even at this early stage of his career, looks set to join the likes of Kevin O’Brien, Paul Stirling, Ed Joyce, Eoin Morgan and others as one of the best batters produced by Irish cricket.
