In the first game David Willey returned to the England ODI side with a career best five for 30 to come away with the man of the match award. Sam Billings and captain Eoin Morgan guided the team home after an early wobble (78-4) in what would have been regarded as a straightforward run chase for this England side after bowling Ireland out for 172.
Clear intent was shown by Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie to right the batting wrongs on Thursday in electing to bat after winning the toss. The used nature of the surface could well have influenced Balbirnie’s decision.
Gareth Delany was the first to be dismissed for a 12 ball duck by Willey in his third over as he continued his fine bowling form. Paul Stirling was the next to go to a phenomenal catch by Tom Banton diving to his left again off the bowling of Willey for 12. After a watchful powerplay, Morgan threw Ireland an unexpected curveball by bringing on James Vince to bowl. This could have been an opportunity for Ireland to inject some impetus to their innings. Balbirnie perished to Vince for 15 as he attempted a cut shot but could only edge it to keeper Jonny Bairstow. Adil Rashid came into the attack in the next over and struck immediately with a ripper of a googly to dismiss Kevin O’Brien for three.
As Harry Tector sought to take the attack to Rashid, he skipped down the wicket but could only pick out mid-on for a well made 28. Lorcan Tucker in an attempt to negate Rashid’s effectiveness by using the sweep shot could only top edge it to Reece Topley behind square for 21.
Curtis Campher again showed off his ability with the bat in a partnership with Simi Singh worth 60. The latter being dismissed for 25 by Saqib Mahmood after trying to run the ball down to third man only to get a thin edge through to Bairstow. Campher has had an incredible start to international cricket with back-to-back fifties against the world champions. Mahmood produced the delivery to remove Campher as he charged down the wicket looking to push the Irish total upwards but sliced it to Rashid at third man. 1,597 days since his last ODI wicket Topley took the wicket of Andrew McBrine from the last ball of the innings. A wicket he thoroughly deserved after toiling away and not getting much luck with fielding errors preventing him from claiming more than the one scalp.
Ireland once again got off to the perfect start by removing one of England’s hard-hitting openers early. This time it was Jason Roy as he was served up a half volley hit me ball by Craig Young but he was only able to hit it straight to cover. This dismissal meant Roy had been dismissed in back to back games by Young. Jonny Bairstow counter attacked in blistering fashion in equalling England’s fastest ODI fifty on his way to 82 and reaching 3000 ODI runs in the process.
James Vince and Tom Banton both looked fluent in making 16 and 15 respectively but again neither one could kick on alongside Bairstow. Both wickets were taken by Ireland’s man of the moment Curtis Campher to add to his batting exploits in the first innings.
Bairstow’s exit at the hands of Josh Little saw Morgan join Sam Billings at the crease. The hope would have been that the two of them would once again take England to victory. History was not to repeat itself as Morgan hit it straight to cover off Little with guess who…Campher taking the catch for a two-ball duck. You just cannot keep him out of the game. Moeen Ali suffered the same fate as Morgan in not troubling the scorers succumbing to a Little short ball after skying a pull shot high into the sky and came down into Lorcan Tucker’s gloves.
Billings showed great maturity in again being part of the partnership that took England to victory. This time with David Willey who showed his ability with the bat as well as his renowned skills with the ball. With this victory England take an unassailable 2-0 lead in this three-match series.
