George Ross Adair (born Holywood, County Down,[1][2] 21 April 1994) is an Irish cricketer and former rugby union player.

Ross Adair
Born
George Ross Adair

(1994-04-21) 21 April 1994 (age 30)
Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland
EducationSullivan Upper School
Occupation(s)Cricketer, rugby union player
Height5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
RelativesMark Adair (brother)
Cricket information
BattingRight-handed
BowlingSlow left-arm orthodox
RoleTop order batter
International information
National side
T20I debut (cap 56)12 January 2023 v Zimbabwe
Last T20I29 September 2024 v South Africa
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2020–presentNorthern Knights
Career statistics
Competition T20I LA T20
Matches 10 15 42
Runs scored 268 318 971
Batting average 26.80 28.90 26.97
100s/50s 1/1 0/2 3/3
Top score 100 76 116
Balls bowled 72 135
Wickets 5 6
Bowling average 16.40 32.50
5 wickets in innings 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 3/4 2/24
Catches/stumpings 1/– 4/– 18/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 30 September 2024
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre, Winger
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2015
2015–2017
Ulster
Jersey Reds
1
(5)
Correct as of 20 December 2022

He plays for the Northern Knights in domestic cricket.[3]

His younger brother, Mark Adair, is also a cricketer, who has played for Ireland in all formats.[4][5]

Cricket career

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He made his Twenty20 debut for the Northern Knights in the 2020 Inter-Provincial Trophy on 20 August 2020.[6] He made his List A debut on 30 June 2021, for Northern Knights in the 2021 Inter-Provincial Cup.[7]

In December 2022, he earned his maiden call-up to the Ireland cricket team for their T20I series against Zimbabwe.[8] He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut for Ireland, on 12 January 2023 in the first T20I match.[9]

In May 2024, he was named in Ireland’s squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.[10]

Adair would hit his maiden T20I century on 29 September 2024 against South Africa in the 2nd T20I of their series in Abu Dhabi. He would finish on exactly 100 (58) and hit nine 6s along the way[11] He was just the third Irish man to achieve the feat and fifth Irish cricketer overall alongside Kevin O'Brien, Paul Stirling, Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis.

Rugby career

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Adair played schools rugby for Sullivan Upper School, impressing in the Ulster Schools' Cup in 2011.[12] He played for the Ulster Ravens in the British and Irish Cup,[13] and made one senior appearance for Ulster in the Pro12, scoring a try against Dragons in 2015.[14]

He played for Jersey Reds in the RFU Championship for two and a half years, making more than 40 appearances before a degenerative hip condition ended his professional career. Following two operations, he returned to rugby at an amateur level with Ballynahinch RFC,[15] with whom he won the Ulster Senior League in 2019,[16] and was named Club Player of the Year in the Ulster Rugby awards.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Rugby: Meet Jersey’s four new players", Jersey Evening Post, 14 April 2015
  2. ^ Cricket: Ireland squad, BBC Sport, retrieved 2 June 2023
  3. ^ "Explosive Ross Adair hoping for Knights start". Belfast Telegraph. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Ross Adair". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Ross Adair delighted at Knights call-up". Cricket Europe. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  6. ^ "1st Match, Bready, Aug 20 2020, Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial Twenty20 Trophy". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  7. ^ "12th Match, Belfast, Jun 30 2021, Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial Limited Over Cup". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Ross Adair: Ex-Ulster rugby player brought into Ireland squad". BBC. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  9. ^ "1st T20I, Harare, January 12, 2023, Ireland tour of Zimbabwe". ESPNcricinfo. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Ireland's 15-Player Squad for ICC Men's T20I World Cup". ScoreWaves. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Adair brothers star as Ireland level series". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  12. ^ He went on to earn two International caps for Ireland at U19 level. "The Front Row Union Awards 2011", The Front Row Union, 5 September 2011
  13. ^ "Ravens: Wallace Returns for Ayr Battle!", The Front Row Union, 6 December 2013
  14. ^ "Dragons 26 Ulster 22", Ulster Rugby, 8 March 2015
  15. ^ Liam Heagney, "'The pain was almost like a ripping across my abdomen. I'd no idea what was going on'", Rugby Pass, 28 January 2019
  16. ^ Ian Callender, "So near yet so far for Ross Adair", Sunday Life, 10 June 2019
  17. ^ Darren Fullerton, "2019 Ulster Rugby Awards: Retiring captain Rory Best is named Heineken Personality of the Year", Belfast Live, 9 May 2019
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