Balbirnie says Ireland will relish Zimbabwe Test

Test Match: Zimbabwe v Ireland

Date: 6-10 February Venue: Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo

Coverage: Scorecard on the BBC Sport website

Captain Andrew Balbirnie says Ireland will relish being back in the Test arena in the one-off contest against Zimbabwe which starts in Bulawayo on Thursday.

Ireland's two wins in nine matches since making their men's Test bow in 2017 includes last summer's four-wicket win over Zimbabwe at Stormont.

That was Ireland's last Test match while the hosts will go into the contest after a 1-0 defeat in a two-game series against Afghanistan in Bulawayo over Christmas and the New Year.

"The first Test was quite a high-scoring [drawn] game and in the second Test was a lot of wickets taken, so we're not really sure what to expect," said the Ireland skipper, 34.

"But I think with the squad we have, we have all basis covered," said the Ireland captain.

The Irish earned their first Test win by beating Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi last March with the home victory over Zimbabwe then coming four months later.

"It's tough when you play sporadically, you don't play kind of three or four in a row, but I've always enjoyed playing Test cricket," added Balbirnie.

"I love the challenge. I love the group we have here, and I'm looking forward to playing my 10th."