Josh Little missing Lord's Test 'the best thing' for Ireland - Andy Balbirnie

When Ireland walk out at Lord's on Thursday to play only their seventh men's Test match, they will do so without their best bowler. Josh Little is yet to make his Test debut but has thrived in one-day and T20 cricket, and would have been among the first names on Ireland's teamsheet. But, to the frustration of many Ireland supporters, he is not available for selection.Little has spent most of the last two months in India, becoming the first active Ireland player to feature in the IPL. His contract with Gujarat Titans is worth INR 4.4 crore (€500,000 approx.) - around six times the value of his Ireland central contract - and he played in eight of their 14 group games, missing three to play an ODI series against Bangladesh.And while Ireland are determined to put up a good show at Lord's, they have opted to give Little the week off in order to ensure he arrives at next month's 50-over World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe - and July's T20 World Cup Qualifier in Scotland - feeling fresh after a long winter playing franchise and international cricket around the world."Josh asked us initially if he could have a period of rest ahead of the World Cup Qualifier," explained Richard Holdsworth, Cricket Ireland's performance director. "Our management team and the selectors discussed that issue in detail and were amicably in agreement that actually, that was in the best interests of Josh and the team."We are incredibly proud to go and play against England and at Lord's. It's a special occasion," Holdsworth said. "However, it's not a pinnacle event. And where we have to put our energies and ensure we have the best team on the park is in our pinnacle events."Going to a World Cup Qualifier where only 10 teams [two from the Qualifier] can qualify for that World Cup, that is still the biggest prize in the game as far as we're concerned, and certainly as far as the world game is concerned."Cricket Ireland's decision has caused some disquiet. "I'd say there are people who are not happy with that," Andy Balbirnie, Ireland's captain, told E