Ireland Wolves captain Neil Rock embracing challenge of eight-match series in Nepal

The eight-match, multi-format series gets underway on Monday in Kathmandu with the Irish team facing Nepal’s senior side in two Twenty20 matches before a further six games against the country’s ‘A’ team.

Northern Knights wicketkeeper-batsman Rock, who has signed for NCU outfit Instonians ahead of the upcoming season, has earned 22 international caps and was part of the senior Ireland squad for their series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates this month.

“It’s great to arrive in Nepal and we’ve been looked after very well,” he said. “It’s very exciting to be the first Test nation to tour here and we’re very much looking forward to it as a group.

“We had our first skills session as a group on Saturday and everyone seems in good order ready to go for the first game on Monday. It’ll be a great test to play against Nepal’s senior side in their home conditions and conditions that are very alien to us.

"We’ll obviously do some analysis on their players but will be very much about adapting as quickly as possible to conditions and how they approach it in the day.

"I believe we should get some big crowds in which is great and hugely exciting. It certainly adds to the spectacle and gives us a good opportunity to play in front of bigger crowds. Hopefully both sides can put on a good show and entertain.”

Ryan Eagleson, who Rock spent a season playing alongside at Carrickfergus, is head coach for the trip and the 23-year-old is looking forward to working with him once again.

"I’ve obviously been with Eagy in Dubai for the last few weeks, but we had a job to do there first before focusing our attentions on Nepal,” he added. “I’ve been lucky enough to play under Eagy – and a season alongside him – I’d like to say we get on very well and have a good understanding of how we want to go about things as a group.

"We’ve named the 11 for the first game, but as we know in sport things can change and everyone will be prepared to play. It’ll be great for everyone to get opportunities over the next eight games and massively beneficial to expose different guys to different roles again in conditions that are so different to back home.”

Wolves squad: Neil Rock (Instonians), Ross Adair (CIYMS), Cade Carmichael (Waringstown), Gareth Delany (Leinster), Stephen Doheny (Merrion), Matthew Foster (CSNI), Fionn Hand (Clontarf), Gavin Hoey (Pembroke), Matthew Humphreys (Lisburn), Tom Mayes, Liam McCarthy (Railway Union), James McCollum (Waringstown), PJ Moor (Clontarf), Morgan Topping (Waringstown), Ben White (Phoenix).