In a massive setback for Ireland, the 18-year-old young left-arm spin sensation Aimee Maguire has been suspended from bowling in international cricket, effective immediately. The suspension follows an independent assessment that revealed an illegal bowling action.
Aimee Kate Maguire made her international debut in an ODI on 1st July 2023 against the West Indies at Darren Sammy International Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia, at the tender age of 16 years and 295 days. Since her debut in the format, she has picked up 16 wickets at an average of 28.50 and an economy of 5.93 in 11 innings.
Her best performance with the ball for Ireland in the format so far came on 11th September 2024 in the 3rd ODI against England, when she claimed her maiden five-wicket haul with superb match figures of 3.5-0-19-5 in her spell at Stormont, Belfast. She played a crucial role in helping her side seal a memorable victory against the visitors, England, for which she was also awarded the Player of the Match.
She was recently seen in action in the 1st ODI of the three-match series against India at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. She returned with impressive match figures of 8-1-57-3 in her spell in that game. It was the same game in which she was reported by the match officials for a suspect bowling action.
What followed was a formal review process as per ICC regulations. Maguire underwent a bowling assessment at the ICC-accredited testing center in Loughborough, United Kingdom, on January 21. This assessment is a standard procedure designed to ensure fair play and adherence to established bowling regulations.
The 18-year-old left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire was also a part of Ireland’s squad in the inaugural edition of the ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in 2023, hosted by South Africa. She picked up three wickets at an economy of 6.66 in four innings with the ball for her side in the tournament.
She was also named in Ireland’s squad for the recently concluded 2nd edition of the ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup 2025 in Malaysia but couldn’t participate in the tournament and had to withdraw her name from the squad due to being reported for suspected bowling action.
The assessment concluded that the amount of elbow extension in Maguire’s bowling action exceeded the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations. This threshold is in place to prevent unfair advantages gained through potentially harmful bowling actions. She was suspended from bowling in international cricket based on clause 6.1 of the regulations. Her suspension will remain in effect until she undergoes a re-assessment of her bowling action.
To return to bowling at the international level, Maguire will need to demonstrate that she has corrected her action and can bowl within the legal limits set by the ICC. This will involve a further assessment to confirm the legality of her remodeled action.
She made her T20I debut for the senior Ireland women’s team on 4th July 2023 against the West Indies in the 1st T20I at Darren Sammy International Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia. She picked up 9 wickets at a decent average of 20 and an economy of 7.20 in 9 innings in the format so far. Her best performance with the ball for Ireland in the format so far came on 14th September 2024 in the 1st T20I when she returned with impressive match figures of 4-0-30-3 in her spell at Castle Avenue, Dublin.
Her suspension is indeed a big blow for the promising 18-year-old left-arm spinner, as she will have to focus on correcting her bowling action by working closely with her coaches and the experts in helping her remodel her action, en route to her return to bowling at the international level. The Irish fans including the senior side would be hoping for a quick turnaround and to see the young talent back in action on the field, representing Ireland.
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