The player of the match is... Ben Foakes. He does have shiny teeth and a lovely smile.
Will Porterfield, the Ireland captain: “We could have gotten a few more there.. Josh Little, its all credit to him, the lad’s got a bright future.”
Eoin Morgan: “At certain stages we knew it was going to be challenging but I thought the bowlers did a great job. Three or four of us batted really poorly but Ben Foakes was absolutely outstanding on debut.”
On Archer: “Jof started really well. Always difficult to tell on debuts... they’re almost a write-off, but he did a good job.”
And that’s it from me. Congratulations England, well played Ireland. Have a lovely weekend everyone!
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A tense little encounter ,absorbing, touch and go till the last five overs. Cracking show by Ireland, Josh Little in particular. England, an alien side by recent standards, crossed the line in the end. Ben Foakes showed the wisdom of his cricketing brain, the alacrity not to panic, as well as the ability to accelerate after seeming stuck in the mud. For Tom Curran, some ballast to those whispering about the security of his place in the World Cup squad in the light of Jofra Archer’s availability - runs and wickets. And Archer, if his figures don’t particularly shine, showed what he offers England - effortless pace and a great attitude.
42.1 overs: ENGLAND WIN BY 4 WICKETS.
England 199-6 (Foakes 61, Curran 47)
And in the end it ends with a whimper - a no ball whacked through the legside for four.
42nd over: England 194-6 (Foakes 61, T Curran 43) Adair starts the over with a low full toss that Curran whallops over the ropes. Then poor Tucker drops him at the cover boundary. This is easy now.
41st over: England 183-6 (Foakes 58, T Curran 35) Little continues: four from Foakes, a wild, run-less swing from Curran, and a handful of useful singles. Sixteen needed.
And more from Zaltzman: Foakes is the first player to make fifty and take a stumping on ODI debut - take that!
40th over: England 175-6 (Foakes 51, T Curran 34) Curran and Foakes unfazed by Adair, 8 runs nobbled off the over. Fifty for Ben Foakes on ODI debut! Goes with a century on Test debut. And he’s still a spare.
39th over: England 156-6 (Foakes 4, T Curran 24) Ah shame, Little adds one tiny drop of blot to his copybook. He falls a little short and Foakes pull-whips off the back foot for four. Little attempts to retaliate with a short bouncing wide. Then Curran whacks a straight drive back past the bowler for another boundary. England now need 32 from 36.
38th over: England 155-6 (Foakes 42, T Curran 24) Adair too keeps it tight, though no great threat. If these two stay together England should pant over the line.
ENGLAND NEED 44 FROM 42 balls.
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37th over: England 152-6 (Foakes 41, T Curran 23) Murtagh serves up his usual dish of reliability with a side-order of muscle and a soupcon of magic. That’s him bowled out: 9-1-29-1.
It's never dull with the England cricket team. Today they're resting so many stars that the wise old head trying to dig them out of a hole is Ben Foakes, who is making his debut
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) May 3, 2019
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36th over: England 150-6 (Foakes 40, T Curran 22) Dockrell speeds through another over, five off it, this pair looking inchingly more confident.
35th over: England 145-6 (Foakes 38, T Curran 19) Rankin slams a ball into Foakes’s pads. not out says the ump but had Ireland had a review left - that would have been OUT! Two balls later Tom Curran whips, fencing style, through the covers for four. This feels, she says halteringly, to be swinging towards England
34th over: England 137-6 (Foakes 37, T Curran 13) Dockrell regains control for his captain, just three off the over.
OB Jato thinks it might all be to do with the B-word.
“At this point of time, it’s almost tradition for England to start their season by losing the plot against the overwhelming underdogs! Like last year, England fans hope all shall be well by the time it ends.
Also, do you think the Brexit tension is in the foreground between the two sides?”
33rd over: England 135-6 (Foakes 36, T Curran 12 ) Rankin again, leaks a few singles then BOOM - Foakes hits an extraordinary six over fine-leg - a twisting nudge, like a spider escaping the plughole. Then a half volley and a drive, four, lovely. The sun comes out. Eoin Morgan smiles, hands in pockets, from the boundary.
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32nd over: England 122-6 (Foakes 25, T Curran 10 )
31st over: England 118-6 (Foakes 24, T Curran 7 ) A looser over from Boyd Rankin, seven off it as England nurdle and nudge, an unsaid communication between the Surrey men. Foakes cuts slightly wildly but it goes just past backward point. A few more like that and England can calm down.
30th over: England 111-6 (Foakes 20, T Curran 5 ) And that, ladies and gents, is the second slowest 20 by an England batsman since the last World Cup. (c/0 Andy Zaltzman.)
If Ireland had bowled first, England would have signed this Josh Little fella up at the interval #IREvENG
— Richard Gill (@chunkylover24) May 3, 2019
29th over: England 109-6 (Foakes 19, T Curran 4 ) More drama, Little again. Curran edges and Wilson pounces to his left. It’s given not out but Wilson is adamant he caught it cleanly. The umpires review - but the review says the ball sniffed the grass before Wilson’s glove. Not out. Next ball is a snorter, Curran leans back in shock and the ball cannons up off his gloves just short of the keeper. Spicy stuff here from Ireland.
28th over: England 106-6 (Foakes 16, T Curran 4 ) Tom Curran does a Sam Curran. Dockrell loses his line briefly and Curran sends it whizzing past backward point for four. That was only England’s second scoring shot of more than a single in ten overs.
27th over: England 101-6 (Foakes 15 ) Will Porterfield decides to throw caution to the wind and brings back the man of the moment Little. And six balls in he’s proved a master-mind. A fourth wicket for 19 year old Little!
WICKET! Willey c Adair b Little 20
David Willey looks up eyes wide in despair after whipping the ball straight down to long leg. Comfortable catch by Adair.
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26th over: England 100-5 (Foakes 12, Willey 18) Dockerell weaving a web, weaving a web. 22 dot balls in the last five overs. Ah - thanks TMS. If England lose this, they also lose their Number One ODI ranking.
25th over: England 98-5 (Foakes 12, Willey 18) More Murtagh magic, England manage just two. Foakes seems becalmed- 13 off 38 balls.
24th over: England 96-5 (Foakes 12, Willey 18) Dockrell does his job - only two off the over. Just looked up that 2011 World Cup match - completely different game but here’s a scorecard to glance at in trepidation/delight.
23rd over: England 94-5 (Foakes 11, Willey 17) Murtagh continues to turn the screw, throwing in six dot balls to a watchful Foakes. There was nothing much for Foakes to work with there - nothing wide, nothing high, nothing wild. Vintage Murtagh.
22nd over: England 94-5 (Foakes 11, Willey 17) Just two off Dockrell’s over. Ireland whizzing through these middle overs, an almost sleight of hand. Have England noticed?
21st over: England 92-5 (Foakes 10, Willey 16) A charming extra-cover drive for four by Willey off O’Brien. England need 107 to win off 24 overs.
Rob Riches asks the question (below). Rob, I think it is difficult to judge much on today as it is such an odd looking England side. But, it does add to the slight sense of a pre-World Cup wobble. England are good at those.
@tjaldred Are England taking this game seriously, or is this a case of "everyone tries harder agains England"? Or do England only get fired up with that 'backs to the wall' intensity? Disappoointing from the biggies.
— Rob Riches (@ShadowMasterRob) May 3, 2019
20th over: England 86-5 (Foakes 9, Willey 11) Now we get to see the slow left-arm of George Dockrell. England feel a little caught in no-man’s land here, with the risk of humiliation against the little brother adding to a sense of uncertainty. “If we don’t whack it, what next?” A quick drinks break.
19th over: England 83-5 (Foakes 7, Willey 10) Enter the fifth bowler - Kevin O’Brien. Wide, dot, dot, dot, dot, dot, dot.
18th over: England 82-5 (Foakes 7, Willey 10) Stat of the day - Little is the only teenager to take a three-for against England on ODI debut. Adair digs the ball in and Kevin O’Brien dives long to stop a Foakes boundary, and has a tilt at the stumps for good measure.
17th over: England 80-5 (Foakes 5, Willey 10) Rankin again, big, bold, and Willey, equally colossal, transfers his weight onto his back foot and forces him to the boundary. A yes-no-yikes run-out chance follows after Foakes is sent back by Willey and only just beats a wildish throw, and off the final ball of the over, Willey survives a huge caught behind appeal. Breathe.
John Starbuck is finding bogles. “Not just England psyches (14th over) but also England batting averages. Few of them can be proud about games against Ireland, who seem able to conjure all kinds of bogles out of this pitch.”
16th over: England 73-5 (Foakes 4, Willey 6) Adair replaces Little and the tension notches down a breath. In the crowd I count 456 fleeces, 265 puffa jackets and a few gloves. Brrrrr. Willey drives at Adair and it falls a fraction short of first slip, unfortunately our TV is too small to tell you how short. He redeems himself with a boundary off the last delivery of the over.
15th over: England 67-5 (Foakes 3, Willey 1) Well, I’m looking for the positives for England here. Now Malan is out they can run. The tail can show what they can do. Foakes showing an admirably straight bat to the temptations of Rankin. I think England will be ok as long as he stays there
WICKET! Denly c K o'Brien b Rankin 8
Denly toe-ends a pull straight into the hands of Kevin O’Brien, thanks very much.
14th over: England 66-4 (Denly 8, Foakes 3) Foakes comes in, hey, relax guys, and sends the Ireland fielders scampering after a timely push, they just beat the ball to the boundary. Little bowling around 80 mph and causing problems to the English psyche.
WICKET! Malan c Wilson b Little 24
OOOOH! Too close to cut, a trampolining left-gloved catch by Wilson, who was nearly caught unawares. Wilson now has 3-11.
13th over: England 62-3 (Malan 24, Denly 7) The sun suddenly comes out and Malan, lit like a Madonna and child, cuts Rankin tantalisingly past Stirling at backward point for four. No more runs off the over. England need 137 more off 32 overs.
12th over: England 57-3 (Malan 19, Denly 7) Denly needs reminding that Malan’s leg isn’t up to much. Left-arm Little is proving a little tricky to get away - and as I write that, Denly pushes him straight back past Little for four
11th over: England 51-3 (Malan 19, Denly 1) Just what England want right now - Boyd Rankin! Legs up to his ears, casual approach. I think it would be fair to say he’s lost a little bit of pace over the years. A wide gives England some breathing space and a scattering of singles.
10th over: England 46-3 (Malan 15, Denly o) Four leg byes to start the over, a wicket to finish! That really was a great bouncer to dismiss Morgan - right in the ribs, brutal.
It’s difficult to tell whether it is the weather outside my window that is adding to the atmosphere - but it looks dark out there.
WICKET! Morgan c Wilson by Little 0
Morgan lasts just an over! A super bouncer from Little which nudges the top of a ducking Morgan’s glove.
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9th over: England 41-2 (Malan 15, Morgan o) Murtagh showing why he is just so valuable for Middlesex - on the money, ball after ball. Root drives a boundary, but then misjudges one that nips in. Is there a whiff of upset in the air?
WICKET! Root lbw Murtagh 7
A full ball from the magnificent Murtagh, jumps in and hits Root mid-way up the pad
8th over: England 35-1 (Malan 15, Root 1 ) A shame for Vince, who might well be muttering into his beard as he walks off. Root will presumably bring out any orders for Malan - like hit out or retire?
WICKET! Vince c Dockrell b Little 18
An astonishing flying catch from Dockrell at backward point - Jonty Rhodes-esque
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7th over: England 30-0 (Malan 15, Vince 14 ) Huh, anything he can do ....Malan launches at Murtagh’s first ball and sends it soaring over point for four. A single , then a half-hearted lbw appeal against Vince. England potter on - this is an alternative to the fireworks approach. The sparkler approach?
6th over: England 24-0 (Malan 10, Vince 13 ) Adair sends down a wider one and per-ching! Vince, backwards-forwards, drives the ball to the boundary. Lovely. A single thwarted, then another off-drive from Vince - what style!
5th over: England 16-0 (Malan 10, Vince 5 ) Hmmm, interesting out here between the two bearded musketeers. Malan can’t run, so Vince can’t run. No quick singles. With both of them thinking about their places, it will be interesting to see how this one works out. Malan has aged 40 years between the wickets.
4th over: England 14-0 (Malan 9, Vince 4 ) No runners allowed anymore under ICC regulations and Malan fiddles with his bat and then decides to continue. Vince glides the ball down and Malan trots through. That hurts! He decides to throw the bat - a cover drive for four then a wild swing. Not sure he’s going to be out there too long.
Ah no, could be bad news for England here - Malan pushes the ball into the off-side then pulls up at the end of a quick single and calls out the physio immediately. He’s down on the ground being prodded and poked.
3rd over: England 7-0 (Malan 3, Vince 3) Scampered single-land. Vince shows some speed between the wickets. It’s dark out there in Malahide and lushly, gorgeously, green.
2nd over: England 4-0 (Malan 1, Vince 2 ) Not Rankin but Adair, who has a longer, heavier, run-up than Murtagh, and is a little more nippy. England cautious here, both men with points to prove - Malan has had his run-ins with the selectors , and Vince has still not proved that he can translate talent to the big boys’ arena. Hales’ misfortune, self-inflicted as it is, has given these two a chink of light. They aren’t going to waste it by going for a huge swing.*
*probably
1st over: England 1-0 (Malan 0, Vince 1 ) A tight first over from Middlesex stalwart Tim Murtagh. He jiggles in, arms characteristically low, and his Middlesex teammate Malan fails to nip a run off him.
And here we are - Dawid Malan and James Vince, both with a point to prove, with bats ready out in the middle.
Ah! Someone else puzzling over Archer’s speed. Especially when you compare him to someone like Darren Gough who was all pumping arms and legs and ruddy face - the effort was obvious.
@tjaldred I never understood how Archer got those speeds with his action. He looks effortless bowling, as the Aussies would say, 140 clicks.
— Quinn Investigates (@kbrit23) May 3, 2019
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Here are England’s three ODI debutants - as my mum said to me while weeding the garden, “nature loves a void.”
Congratulations @dmalan29, @craig_arch and Ben Foakes! 🏴🧢
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 3, 2019
Follow: https://t.co/xvqyYg1EvA#IrevEng pic.twitter.com/efDblkc9sm
This is better analysis than I can provide - all I can add is the deeply technical observation that he looks the part and is deceptively quick.
Jofra Archer has the highest average speed of any bowler today, 140.16kph, and with an average of 0.82° of movement of the surface, he's also getting the most out of the pitch. #IREvENG
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) May 3, 2019
The spoils this afternoon went mostly to Plunkett (4) and Curran (3), but the talk, of course, is still of Archer. Not a bad first international wicket!
🚀 “Jofra Archer wins the battle!”
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 3, 2019
A first international wicket for @craig_arch! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/MHnxW3GKvI
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Thank you John! And hello everyone, hope this match is helping you while through a bit of Friday afternoon work avoidance. It doesn’t look as if this total will trouble England’s troubadours too much - though plenty of time in 45 overs for things to go wrong.
So that’s that. Ireland fail to use up their 45 overs and fall short of 200. England will, surely, have very little difficulty in chasing down 199, though there are several players very eager to impress in the batting lineup so it will be worth watching. My esteemed colleague Tanya Aldred will be with you for the chase very shortly.
WICKET! Little b Curran 9 (Ireland 198 all out)
Twelve balls to come. But England need only one. Curran’s slower ball does for Little.
43rd over: Ireland 198-9 (Rankin 5, Little 9) Willey returns for the first time since his opening burst. Little jumps to the off side and looks to scoop over the keeper but misses the ball with his attempted flip. An inside edge from the next gives him four more.
42nd over: Ireland 192-9 (Rankin 4, Little 4) Tom Curran comes back as England look to polish things off. Rankin clubs through the covers for two then flicks a single away to give Josh Little the strike. He’s the third and final of Ireland’s debutants … and is beaten all ends up by a slower ball. The next, though, little hammers down the ground for four.
41st over: Ireland 185-9 (Rankin 1, Little 0) Plunkett steams in to Boyd Rankin, Ireland’s No 11, on a hat-trick … and the batsman keeps it out calmly. He’s panicked a little more by the next and has a big airy waft at the next. Two wickets, three dots and … oh, a wide. Rankin pushes into the off side to get off the mark with a single.
WICKET! Dockrell c Morgan b Plunkett 24 (Ireland 183-9)
Two in two! Dockrell should punish a short wide one from Plunkett but instead picks out Morgan at cover. Hat-trick ball coming up …
WICKET! Murtagh c Foakes b Foakes 12 (Ireland 183-8)
Murtagh has a huge swing at the first ball of Plunkett’s next over and can only watch as the ball steeples into the (increasingly damp) Malahide sky. Foakes skitters back to take a straightforward catch.
40th over: Ireland 183-7 (Dockrell 24, Murtagh 12) The batsmen are managing to clear the square but they’ve really struggling to beat the fielders on the boundary so it’s been ones and twos in the main. Dockrell looks to get Rashid away but can’t get a clean enough strike on anything to trouble the boundary rope. Rashid’s last is a gorgeous floated leg spinner that rips viciously past Dockrell’s outside edge. Five to go.
39th over: Ireland 180-7 (Dockrell 23, Murtagh 10) Dockrell clubs away a much-needed boundary as Plunkett drops short at the start of his over but the bowler is back on target next up, beating the batsman outside off. There’s a bit of rain in the air now but it doesn’t look anywhere near heavy enough to cause a problem.
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38th over: Ireland 174-7 (Dockrell 18, Murtagh 9) Murtagh just gets home after running for a second as Rashid probes away. Ireland are edging their way towards 200.
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37th over: Ireland 170-7 (Dockrell 17, Murtagh 6) Plunkett returns to the attack. A slower ball almost does the trick, but Murtagh is a few inches away from dragging the ball back on his stumps. Four from the over.
36th over: Ireland 166-7 (Dockrell 16, Murtagh 5) There’s a bit of a lull here which perhaps explains why Rob Key is humming the Game of Thrones theme on Sky’s commentary. Murtagh hammers a Rashid delivery straight back at the bowler, who does pretty well to get a hand to it, preventing a run and possibly a pretty painful blow.
35th over: Ireland 165-7 (Dockrell 15, Murtagh 4) Dockrell steers Archer into the leg side but then gets beaten outside off by a fizzingly fast delivery. This has been a battle for Ireland but they have dug in pretty well since 111 for six, even if this doesn’t look like being a matchwinning score.
34th over: Ireland 162-7 (Dockrell 12, Murtagh 4) Rashid returns. Single, single, two … then he beats Murtagh all ends up with a googly that rips past the outside edge of the left-hander. Four from the over.
33rd over: Ireland 158-7 (Dockrell 11, Murtagh 1) Murtagh doesn’t look entirely comfortable against Archer. In fact, I’ve not seen a Murtagh look this unhappy under pressure since [INSERT LETHAL WEAPON REFERENCE HERE]. He gets off the mark, though, with a single into the leg side.
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WICKET! Adair b Archer 32 (Ireland 157-7)
Archer rips off stump out of the ground with a cracking yorker and has his first wicket for England. Adair has been excellent but he had no answer to that.
Ping pic.twitter.com/QOgqp1UZ4c
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) May 3, 2019
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32nd over: Ireland 156-6 (Dockrell 9, Adair 32) SIX! The impressive Adair launches Curran into the cow corner stands to bring up the Ireland 150. And from the last of the over he goes again … and it’s six more! Beautifully struck into the same spot.
31st over: Ireland 142-6 (Dockrell 9, Adair 20) Plunkett does well to save a run as Archer offers up a full toss from an attempted yorker. Adair drives but a diving stop prevents the boundary. Adair does pick up four a couple of balls later, though, flat-batting through mid on. A bouncer from the last, though, has the batsman hopping and ducking. Archer’s figures drift to 6-0-35-0.
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30th over: Ireland 133-6 (Dockrell 8, Adair 12) Curran strays to the pads to give up a few easy singles.
29th over: Ireland 129-6 (Dockrell 5, Adair 11) Jofra Archer returns to the fray. His spell earlier produced unspectacular figures of 4-0-21-0. Adair drives nicely to the cover boundary for a couple, then weaves out the way of a bouncer. Five from the over in total.
28th over: Ireland 124-6 (Dockrell 3, Adair 8) Tom Curran – probably still the pick of the bowlers so far – comes back into the attack. He restarts with a wide, then Adair – who has looked pretty organised for a debuting No 8 batsman – flicks him away for a single. And just as I’m praising his batting, he flaps wildly at the last like a man furiously trying to swat a flay.
27th over: Ireland 121-6 (Dockrell 2, Adair 7) Adair skips down the pitch to Denly and thunks him through mid on for four. Despite that wicket (which was down to Foakes, really, and came off a ball sent down the leg side) Denly has been a little untidy – his figures are 5-0-24-1.
26th over: Ireland 114-6 (Dockrell 1, Adair 2) The debuting Adair flicks Rashid away for a single and Dockrell gets off the mark but it would be no surprise if England wrap this innings up pretty quickly from here. Rashid, though, can’t make any further inroads here.
25th over: Ireland 112-6 (Dockrell 0, Adair 1) That really was sharp from Foakes. Quick-thinking in perfect harmony with quick reflexes. And a quick reminder if you missed it earlier (or are scroll-averse) this game is 45-overs-a-side after a two-hour delayed start. Though Ireland are struggling to use them.
WICKET! Balbirnie st Foakes b Denly 29 (Ireland 111-6)
This is sensational wicketkeeping from Foakes. Just wonderful stuff. Balbirnie missed a sweep, Foakes gathered. And just as the batsman adjusted his balance his back shin and foot lifted slightly (and briefly) from the ground. Foakes whipped off the bails. Appeal. Third umpire. Out.
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24th over: Ireland 110-5 (Dockrell 0, Balbirnie 29) Rashid seems to be enjoying himself here. Ireland have lost five for 55 in the last 12 overs.
WICKET! Wilson c Root b Rashid 8 (Ireland 110-5)
Lovely bowling from Rashid, a googly taking Wilson’s outside egde as he pushed outside off stump. Root pouches the simplest of slip catches.
23rd over: Ireland 109-4 (Wilson 8, Balbirnie 28) A reprieve for Balbirnie as umpire Dharmasena’s finger goes up for a caught-behind off Denly. The batsman reviews straight away and looks pretty relaxed. And he should – replays show no bat involved, with any noise coming as the bat slapped the pad.
22nd over: Ireland 105-4 (Wilson 6 Balbirnie 26) After the drinks break, Rashid continues. Wilson paddles for a single, Balbirnie drives for likewise. And from the last Rashid beats Wilson with a beauty outside off.
21st over: Ireland 103-4 (Wilson 5, Balbirnie 24) More nudge and nurdle off Denly, this time without the pie thrown in. Three off the over.
20th over: Ireland 100-4 (Wilson 4, Balbirnie 23) Rashid’s turn to lose control and he sends down a very wide wide before being carted to cow corner by Balbirnie, who then misses a paddle sweep but picks up a very welcome four byes with keeper and slip equally flummoxed. And Balbirnie brings up the Ireland 100 with a single off the last. An eventful over.
19th over: Ireland 89-4 (Wilson 3, Balbirnie 18) And it’ll be spin from both ends, Joe Denly coming into the attack too. A bit of nudge and nurdle from the batsmen add a couple to the tally, then Denly loses control and offers a full toss so juicy it should come served with mustard and a side of chips – Balbirnie gratefully hammers a slog-sweep into the stands at midwicket.
18th over: Ireland 80-4 (Wilson 2, Balbirnie 10) Adil Rashid comes into the attack for the first time today. He teases Wilson with a few as Foakes chirps enthusiastically from behind the stumps, then gets a one to rip and bounce and the batsman. Wilson is a relieved man to get to the other end with a single off the penultimate ball.
In other news, the No 1 batsman in the ICC T20 rankings, Pakistan’s Babar Azam, is joining Somerset for the T20 Blast. He’ll be available for the group stages and a quarter-final (if they get tehre)
17th over: Ireland 79-4 (Wilson 1, Balbirnie 10) Plunkett is on target again here. Wilson gets off the mark with a single, from a yorker nervously dug out, but just the two runs from the over.
16th over: Ireland 77-4 (Wilson, Balbirnie 9) Gary Wilson is next up for Ireland, who have fallen from 55-0 to 77-4 in pretty short order.
WICKET! O'Brien c Denly b Curran 4 (Ireland 77-4)
No heroics from Kevin O’Brien on this occasion. He reaches for one outside off and can only succeed in skewing the ball into the hands of a diving Denly at backward point. Poor shot, fine catch. Ireland in trouble.
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15th over: Ireland 74-3 (O’Brien 4, Balbirnie 6) This is unravelling worryingly quickly for Ireland after a sound start. Kevin O’Brien, the Lion of Bengaluru, comes to the crease and gets off the mark with a thumping back-foot drive through the covers for four.
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WICKET! Tucker c Morgan b Plunkett 7 (Ireland 70-3)
Plunkett gets his fingertips to a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Barbirnie. He drifts to the leg side to Tucker who, ahem, tucks in and picks up four runs to fine leg. Next up he’s gone, chipping rather forlornly to Eoin Morgan at short-ish mid off.
14th over: Ireland 64-2 (Tucker 2, Balbirnie 5) Another big appeal as Curran whacks Tucker on the pad. Tucker adds a single to his tally … but replays show there was no bat. England opt not to review anyway and it’s a fair shout: replays show the ball would’ve clipped the bails and the umpire’s call would have saved the batsman. Balbirnie tucks into the leg side for a couple of the last.
If your want live WHO’S ON THE PLANE updates (though England won’t need a plane seeing as they’re World Cup hosts so perhaps it should be WHO’S ON THE BUS/COACH), Curran has been comfortably the pick of the bowlers thus far.
13th over: Ireland 61-2 (Tucker 1, Balbirnie 3) So one becomes two very quickly. The new batsman is the debutant Lorcan Tucker, who gets off the mark with a single.
WICKET Porterfield c Foakes b Plunkett 17 (Ireland 60-2)
Balbirnie gets off the mark with a couple as Plunkett looks for the yorker and comes up just short. The bowler drags down a pretty filthy wide a couple of balls later but there’s a huge appeal of the next as Porterfield gloves through to the keeper. He’s given not out but England REVIEW and it’s very clearly out. Porterfield is off the field before the third umpire can even relay his decision.
12th over: Ireland 55-1 (Porterfield 16, Balbirnie 0) Curran beats Balbirnie all ends up with his first delivery – one that jags back into the right-hander and misses off stump by a whisker.
WICKET! Stirling c Archer b Curran 33 (Ireland 55-1)
England finally have their breakthrough – Stirling chips an ugly shot to Archer, diving forward at mid on.
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11th over: Ireland 55-0 (Porterfield 16, Stirling 33) And it’s Liam Plunkett at the other end. Stirling plops his first delivery over the covers for a couple to bring up the Ireland 50, then guides him past point for a couple more. Porterfield, who has been starved of the strike, also bags himself a single and there’s seven off the over in total.
10th over: Ireland 48-0 (Porterfield 15, Stirling 27) Tom Curran comes into the attack for Archer, whose first spell in an England shirt was one of 4-0-21-0. Stirling flashes at one outside off, there’s a fine diving stop from Morgan in the covers, and all in all it’s a very good start from Curran.
9th over: Ireland 46-0 (Porterfield 14, Stirling 26) Willey continues into his fifth over as England continue to search for a breakthrough. He beats Stirling outside off, the batsman having an ugly, lazy swipe, then finds the edge but the ball drops well short of Joe Root at slip. After two testing deliveries, though, Willey overpitches outside off and is drilled through backward point for four.
8th over: Ireland 41-0 (Porterfield 13, Stirling 22) Stirling muscles Archer through the backward point for four more. This is developing into a very solid start from Ireland. And it gets even better with one of the more unorthodox shots you’re likely to see – Stirling skipping down the wicket but then forced to flip the ball behind square on the leg side as Archer bangs one in short.
7th over: Ireland 33-0 (Porterfield 13, Stirling 14) Porterfield shuffles down the pitch to Willey and pushes wide of mid off for a single. Stirling attempts to do likewise – but with rather more aggression – and is fortunate to see the ball whistle past his off bail.
6th over: Ireland 30-0 (Porterfield 12, Stirling 13) Stirling v Archer … we’re in the DANGER ZONE. This is a bit better from Archer, who finds a more consistent line and length, and beats Stirling beautifully with the last ball of the over, one that rises past the outside edge from just back-of-a-length.
5th over: Ireland 28-0 (Porterfield 11, Stirling 12) SIX! Porterfield top-edges a pull off Willey into the stands at backward square leg. Willey, though, finds some nice movement back into the right-handed Stirling and causes a few problems.
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4th over: Ireland 20-0 (Porterfield 4, Stirling 11) There’s a lovely slightly low camera angle at Malahide that makes the bowlers feel right on top of the batsmen and makes the battle a touch claustrophobic. Stirling hoiks Archer over the midwicket but the ball sinks into the lush outfield and they have to settle for two. And from the last he drives straight for four more. It’s not been a particularly fast start for Archer – 2-0-11-0.
3rd over: Ireland 14-0 (Porterfield 4, Stirling 5) Willey strays to the Porterfield pads and four legs byes are the result. The captain has faced 11 balls now without troubling the scorers himself … and Willey beats him beautifully outside off with the 12th. Porterfield, though, slashes through cover point for four from the next to get himself off the mark with a boundary.
2nd over: Ireland 6-0 (Porterfield 0, Stirling 5) And, first ball, Paul Stirling pans him square through the covers for four. Archer recovers his poise pretty well though, and, while unthreatening, it’s a tidy enough over.
And it’s going to be Jofra Archer from the other end.
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1st over: Ireland 0-0 (Porterfield 0, Stirling 0) Two hours late, the alice-banded David Willey has the ball in his hand and is opening the bowling for England on a pitch that should offer a bit of help, given the climatic conditions. Second ball, England REVIEW after Porterfield is struck on the pad and the umpire is unmoved … but the captain escapes with the Hawkeye suggesting the ball is clipping the bails. Umpire’s call. An early slice of luck for Porterfield. And it’s a maiden.
Anthems (featuring a very jaunty drum-heavy version of Ireland’s Call) dispensed with and we’re ready to go, go, go.
The teams
The damp must have got into Sky’s cables because Morgan’s post-toss interview is inaudible. Nevertheless, here are the teams:
Ireland: William Porterfield, Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie, Lorcan Tucker, Kevin O’Brien, Gary Wilson, George Dockrell, Mark Adair, Josh Little, Tim Murtagh, Boyd Rankin
England: James Vince, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan, Joe Denly, Ben Foakes, David Willey, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Jofra Archer
The toss
Will Porterfield and Eoin Morgan stride out to the middle. And the England captain calls … correctly. And England are going to have a bowl.
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This week’s Recap has just landed in my inbox. It’s genuinely a great way to catch up with a ton of articles you may nave missed. You can sign up here:
“You should get Paul Doyle in as a guest MBM writer for today’s cricket. He’s a Malahide man,” suggests Paul McDonnell. “He’ll tell you his stories of running riot in the cricket club as a youngster. I don’t recall him ever playing the game, football was his preference, but while there’s no play, he can provide some Malahidian anecdotes.” Intriguing.
Further deets (as the kids say): it’ll be 45 overs per side, so the bowlers will have nine overs each to impress. “Powerplays 9+27+9,” says our man on the scene, Ali Martin.
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12.45pm BST start
The umpires are happy. Ish. It’ll be a 12.45pm start with the toss at 12.15pm.
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Right then. The umpires are about to have another look. Squidgy bowlers run-ups are apparently the problem. Fingers crossed they’ve dried sufficiently.
While we’re waiting here’s a bit of pre-match reading. And timely: Sky had footage of Jofra Archer warming up with some left-arm spin earlier.
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“Hello again. Good to get started at last, isn’t it?” writes John Starbuck, slightly prematurely. “It looks like we’ll be having the normal early-season disruptions so, to raise a topical topic, how about using cricket grounds to plant a tree or two on the boundary, to do our bit to sequester CO2? There are still a fair few places where trees are part of the local scenery and they often score a six when hit, adding to general merriment as well as being positively green.”
I should emphasise that we’ve got blue skies in Malahide and there’s no wet stuff forecast for the rest of the day. So we’re just waiting for yesterday’s rain to dry up and, although this delay is rather irritating, once we do get under way events are likely to proceed without interruption.
The umpires are prodding the outfield with rather disdainful looks on their faces. And it’s frustrating news – they’re not happy so we’ll have to wait for another inspection at 11.45am.
This is quite special. Good to see everyone looking thoroughly sheepish:
@John_Ashdown while we're waiting for England, did you manage to see surely the worst wicket from yesterday? https://t.co/vQsrSDGJLa
— Thundercleese(Chris) (@southernchris) May 3, 2019
Here’s a rather lovely email from Harkarn Sumal:
Morning John, morning everyone.
Ten degrees, a stiff northerly breeze blowing across the ground, a damp outfield, fingers feeling as brittle as frozen noodles. Base layers on, clapping everything just to keep the hands warm, all the old poor “chat” from previous years being dusted down and rolled out once again. Delayed starts, rain interruptions, cricket balls that lose their shine and movement the first time they’re drilled along the ground by the batsman, the endless fruitless efforts to keep the damned thing dry with a bar towel.
It’s on days like this that you find out whether the character of your newest team members is suited to the cricket you want to play and the sort of team you want to be. In the long breaks, when you’re sat around, or in the conversations between overs when the spirits are taking a dip.
It’s the same at every level of cricket on these isles. Our own competitive season starts in the Cotswold Hills League tomorrow, and our three sides will be faced by broadly the same existential questions and choices as those confronting Eoin Morgan and his team today.
“Lads, this is the worst weather in which I can ever remember playing cricket – it’s horrible”, someone will inevitably say about ten minutes in. “Ah, but we are playing cricket, so it’s automatically the best day of the last eight months already”, a wise old cove will respond (usually from 2nd slip, due to his knees not being what they used to be). And the latter will, of course, be right. What a time to be alive!
A bit of good news: the sun is shining in Malahide so this delay shouldn’t be too lengthy.
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A bit of bad news: the outfield is a bit wet so we’ve got a delayed start. Inspection at 11am.
Today’s England lineup will have something of an experimental look today and more accurately it may well have feel of a trial match, which once upon a time was a regular occurrence. Perhaps my favourite of which is the one that took place in May 1950 when a team of young England hopefuls (which included Peter May, David Sheppard and eight others who would go on to play Test cricket) took on the full England side in Bradford.
The youngsters did their case for inclusion in the full side no good, though, thanks to Jim Laker who, six years before his 19 for 90, came on first change and took eight wickets for two runs in 14 overs. The youngsters were all out for 27. Laker finished with figures of 14-12-2-8. But 10 of the trialists still went on to play Test cricket, so the moral of the story for Archer and co is that today’s ODI isn’t the be-all and end-all.
Preamble
Right then. In some parallel universe Eoin Morgan’s England ODI side are beginning the final stretch of their World Cup preparations today after a quiet, uneventful week of low-key team selection speculation and World Cup ponderings.
Instead, to use the technical term, it’s been ructions agogo since Ali Martin broke the news last Friday of Alex Hales’s ban for the use of recreational drugs. The upshot, after a weird weekend, is Hales’s exclusion from the squad and a whole lot of questions for the ECB. It’ll likely be a relief for all concerned (other than Hales obviously) that we’ve got a bit of international cricket today to concentrate on instead.
Ben Foakes, Jofra Archer and auto-correct botherer Dawid Malan are all in line to make their ODI debuts in Malahide. Joe Denly and James Vince also make returns. The weather forecast is pretty good, with rain interruptions unlikely, and action starts at 10.45am BST.
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