Ireland’s tailenders rally in 48-run defeat to English second-string selection
Ahead of this de facto series opener after a washout at Headingley earlier this week, England’s XI contained a combined 38 ODI appearances – compared with Ireland’s 720 – as the hosts made use of their deep pool of reserves, with their World Cup stars resting ahead of travelling to India next week.
Tipped as the successors to Jason Roy and Alex Hales, Jacks and Salt paid a fitting tribute to the pair who revolutionised opening the batting for England in the shorter formats, feasting on Ireland’s fruitless pursuit of early swing with a rash of fours to bring up the 50 stand in the sixth over. Put down on 44, Jacks went to 50 in style by clearing extra cover off Andy McBrine, who also went the distance off Duckett.
England added just 140 in the final 20 overs but 15 of those came with Hain as the only frontline batter left after Smith holed out. While England had their highest score in ODIs against Ireland, the tourists were aided by Scrimshaw’s repeated front-foot faults. From the next ball, Ireland skipper Paul Stirling, whose 250 List A appearances before Saturday was just 29 fewer than England’s XI combined, chopped on for 25 off 17 balls after Matthew Potts found lavish inward movement.