Ireland all-rounder Curtis Campher is set to fulfill his dream of playing at Lord’s when he takes the field in the upcoming Test against England. Campher, who has already played three Tests for Ireland this year and scored a century against Sri Lanka in April, expressed his excitement about playing at the historic venue. He emphasized that playing Test cricket and being part of the history at Lord’s is a massive achievement that cannot be taken away.
Campher’s journey to representing Ireland has been well-documented, with a conversation with his now agent Niall O’Brien during a match in 2018 playing a role in expediting his path to playing for Ireland.
Despite holding an Irish passport due to his grandmother being from Northern Ireland, Campher initially intended to play club cricket in South Africa during the winter months. However, he was fast-tracked into the senior international set-up in 2020 and made his debut against England in an ODI series.
Campher had early success with back-to-back fifties against England before Ireland secured a victory over the world champions. He draws inspiration from former Ireland player Kevin O’Brien, who recently retired, and admires his calm and simplified approach to the game.
Campher acknowledges the contributions O’Brien made to Irish cricket and aspires to have a career half as successful as his.
Despite being in the early stages of his international career, Campher has already showcased his talent on big occasions. He took four wickets in four balls during a T20 match against the Netherlands at the 2021 World Cup and scored an unbeaten 72 against Scotland in last year’s tournament.
He also scored a Test century earlier this year. Campher aims to contribute to the team’s success against England, although he remains focused on enjoying the game and taking each moment as it comes.
Campher’s strong performances over the past year have been driven by his enjoyment of the game and his determination. He had privately set a goal of reaching a century for Ireland before achieving the milestone.
He is aware of his positive record against England, having won two out of four matches played against them. Campher and his teammates have jokingly suggested that if they can maintain that winning record, they will have successful careers.
Overall, Campher is eagerly anticipating the Test match at Lord’s and is determined to make a valuable contribution to the team’s performance against England.
