Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN international cricket player, Peter Joseph Moor has signed for Munster Reds in the Ireland inter-provincial competition for the 2021 season.
Moor, a wicketkeeper/batsman last week rejected a central contract extension from Zimbabwe Cricket and is said to be having his eyes on playing Ireland since he already holds an Irish passport.
“Cricket Ireland has today confirmed that Zimbabwe international wicketkeeper-batter Peter “PJ” Moor will play club cricket in Ireland this summer, and has agreed to join the Munster Reds inter-provincial squad for the 2021 season,’’ read a statement on the Cricket Ireland website on Monday.
The 30-year old Moor has previously played club cricket in Ireland for YMCA and CIYMS. He has represented Zimbabwe in eight Tests, 49 ODIs and 21 T20Is, and was part of the Zimbabwean Men’s squad that played a six-match white ball series against Ireland in 2019.
The move means Neil Rock, previously announced as part of the Munster Reds squad for this season, can now make the move north and join the Northern Knights, a team he has represented in various formats since 2018. Rock will fill the wicket keeping role left vacant by the recent retirement of Gary Wilson.
Andrew White, chairman of the Ireland national men’s selectors believes that Moor will be a valuable addition to the country’s inter-provincial cricket.
“It goes without saying that PJ Moor’s quality and his broad experience and time spent previously in Ireland, will be a valuable addition to the Inter-Provincial Series for this season. PJ has performed at the highest levels of the game, and he will offer a great deal to the young Munster squad,’’ White said.
Moor playing in Ireland’s domestic set up could be his preparation for playing for the European country and will come as no surprise if he makes his international debut in the not so distant future.
@Mdawini_29