George Dockrell

George Henry Dockrell is an Irish international cricketer who was born on 22 July 1992 in Dublin, Ireland. Dockrell is an all-rounder who bowls slow left-arm orthodox spin and bats right-handed in the middle order. He is one of the few players to have represented the senior national side in all three formats of the international game. Currently, he plays domestic cricket for Leinster Lightning, one of the three provincial cricket teams in Ireland.

Dockrell has represented Ireland from U-13 level upwards. In 2009, Dockrell was part of the 2010 U-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier winning squad. Victory in this tournament allowed Ireland to take part in the 2010 U-19 Cricket World Cup, where Dockrell made his Youth ODI debut against South Africa U-19s. Dockrell played a further three Youth One Day Internationals in the tournament. Dockrell made his debut for Ireland A in 2008. The same year he was invited to coaching sessions with Somerset County Cricket Club. Commitment to Ireland's internationals in the Intercontinental Cup limited Dockrell's availability for Somerset towards the end of the 2010 season. During the tournament, Dockrell suffered a dislocated shoulder. The rehabilitation period meant he missed much of his first season with Somerset.

A side made up of some of the best players from Associate and Affiliate teams was put together to face England in Dubai in January 2012. The three-day match was part of England's preparation for a series against Pakistan later that month. Dockrell was one of four Ireland players included in the 12-man squad. Fellow left-arm spinner Murali Kartik left Somerset at the end of the season, giving Dockrell the opportunity to establish himself in the team. In Somerset's opening match of the 2012 County Championship Dockrell took 6/27 in the second innings against Middlesex to help his side to a six-wicket victory. At the end of the 2015 season, Dockrell was released by Somerset.

Dockrell was the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in the 2018 Inter-Provincial Cup, scoring 231 runs and taking ten wickets in the tournament. In November 2018, he was named the Men’s Inter-Provincial Player of the Year at the annual Cricket Ireland Awards. On 4 May 2021, during the 2021 Inter-Provincial Cup, Dockrell scored his first century in List A cricket, with 100* against Northern Knights.

By early in 2010, Ireland had lost their two most experienced spinners, Kyle McCallan and Regan West, to retirement and injury respectively. For the 2010 ICC World T20 Qualifier and the 2010 Quadrangular series in Sri Lanka, young spinners Dockrell and Gary Kidd were chosen. Dockrell made his debut for the senior Ireland team in the 2010 Quadrangular T20 series in Sri Lanka. Dockrell's debut T20 match against Afghanistan was also his debut T20I. Dockrell took figures of 2/11 in the match as Ireland won by 5 wickets. After Impressing in the 2010 ICC World T20 Qualifier, Dockrell was selected in the Ireland squad for the 2010 ICC World T20, playing a starring role as the tournament's youngest player, taking four wickets against the West Indies and troubling Kevin Pietersen in a tight bowling display in the abandoned encounter with England.

In May 2011, Dockrell was selected in Ireland’s 15-man squad for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Australia hosted the 2012 Under-19 World Cup in August 2012 and Dockrell was named as the captain for the tournament. In January 2019, he was named in Ireland's squad for their one-off Test against Afghanistan in India. He made his Test debut for Ireland against Afghanistan on 15 March 2019. On 10 July 2020, Dockrell was named in Ireland's 21-man squad to travel to England to start training behind closed doors for the ODI series against the England cricket team. In September 2021, Dockrell was named in Ireland's squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.