Joe Root had a fine game with bat and ball as England won by 85 runs to complete a comfortable 2-0 series victory
That’s a good weekend’s work for England, who won both matches comfortably and will take encouragement from a number of individual performances. Their next challenge is a three-match series against South Africa in a couple of weeks, and then it’ll be time for the Champions Trophy in June. Thanks for your company, night!
Related: Jonny Bairstow turns on the style as England claim ODI series against Ireland
Wood arrows a yorker straight through Dockrell, a nice way to end a comfortable victory.
46th over: Ireland 243-9 (target 329; Dockrell 28, Chase 6) Chase flashes and flashes hard, edging Plunkett for four.
45th over: Ireland 235-9 (target 329; Dockrell 26, Chase 1) This is now Dockrell’s best ODI score, 26 not out from 27 balls. I have no idea what else to say.
44th over: Ireland 232-9 (target 329; Dockrell 24, Chase 0) Plunkett slips a couple past the outside edge of Chase, who looks like a No11 in nature as well as name.
Murtagh makes room to steer Plunkett’s slower ball straight to Ball at backward point, and England are one wicket away from victory.
43rd over: Ireland 231-8 (Dockrell 23, Murtagh 1)
42nd over: Ireland 227-8 (target 329; Dockrell 21, Murtagh 0) Plunkett has stealthily become an important member of this ODI side as a death hitter and old-ball bowler. He has superb figures of 6-0-14-2 today.
McCarthy goes cheaply. He clouted Plunkett miles in the air towards long-off, where Ball took an accomplished running catch.
41st over: Ireland 224-7 (target 329; Dockrell 18, McCarthy 0) An excellent over from Wood: three runs and the match-clinching wicket of Porterfield.
That should seal victory for England. Porterfield is bowled by Wood, missing a premeditated scoop as he walks across his stumps. He played extremely well, making 82 from 83 balls.
40th over: Ireland 221-6 (target 329; Porterfield 81, Dockrell 18) This is a superb and unexpected counter-attack from Dockrell and Porterfield, who have taken 32 from the last 13 deliveries. Dockrell pulls Ball for four and then Porterfield swings him high over wide long-on for six. Ireland need 108 from the last 10 overs.
39th over: Ireland 208-6 (target 329; Porterfield 73, Dockrell 13) Rashid almost gets a second wicket in his final over, with Morgan just failing to reach Porterfield’s top-edged sweep. A brilliant lofted off-drive on the run takes Porterfield into the seventies and then Dockrell blasts Rashid’s final delivery over long-on for six! Rashid ends with figures of 10-0-68-1.
38th over: Ireland 193-6 (target 329; Porterfield 64, Dockrell 7) Dockrell cuffs Jake Ball confidently through midwicket for four. It’s not patronising to say that Ireland have been much better today and that the game should end in a respectable margin of defeat.
37th over: Ireland 185-6 (target 329; Porterfield 62, Dockrell 2) Porterfield might be starting to think about a century, which would be pretty special for an Ireland captain in their first ODI at Lord’s. He already has nine ODI hundreds, a record for an Associate nation (I think).
36th over: Ireland 180-6 (target 329; Porterfield 59, Dockrell 0) “From an Irish perspective it’s great to see a better performance today,” says Fergus Carroll. “That so many of today’s team were part of the Bangalore victory in 2011 shows a level of consistency but also that we just don’t have the pool of talent to draw upon at the moment. Have any of the younger players played well enough to suggest there’s reason for optimism going forward? Hopefully Dockrell can rediscover his form.”
My knowledge of Irish cricket is not the greatest, but Tim Wigmore is an authority on the subject.
35th over: Ireland 179-6 (target 329; Porterfield 58, Dockrell 0) Ireland need 150 from 15 overs. You do the math.
Well bowled Adil Rashid. He kept his nerve and tossed the ball up, despite the six in his previous over, and Kevin O’Brien top-edged a sweep high to Ball at short fine leg. O’Brien goes for 18 from 10 balls, and that should be the match.
34th over: Ireland 175-5 (target 329; Porterfield 56, K O’Brien 16) Kevin O’Brien has gone straight into 2011 mode. He makes room to scream Root over extra cover for six, his second in the first five deliveries of his innings. Root ends his spell with figures of three for 52.
33rd over: Ireland 167-5 (target 329; Porterfield 55, K O’Brien 9) No messing from Kevin O’Brien, who slog-sweeps Rashid for six off the third delivery of his innings. He didn’t middle it but, with his power and the short boundary, he didn’t need to do so.
32nd over: Ireland 158-5 (target 329; Porterfield 54, K O’Brien 1) The new batsman is Kevin O’Brien, whose legendary 50-ball hundred took Ireland to victory over England in not dissimilar circumstances at the 2011 World Cup.
A third wicket for Root. Wilson slices a drive high to deep point, where Hales takes an easy running catch.
31st over: Ireland 153-4 (target 329; Porterfield 50, Wilson 13) Wilson sweeps a single to bring up the 150, and then Porterfield works a single to bring up his own fifty. Well played. Ireland have had a much better day than they did in Bristol, though the result is likely to be the same.
30th over: Ireland 148-4 (target 329; Porterfield 46, Wilson 12) Root continues and almost grabs a third wicket when Wilson drags the ball just past his off stump. Ireland are playing well enough but they need more if they are to win this game. To be precise, they need 181 from the last 20 overs.
29th over: Ireland 143-4 (target 329; Porterfield 42, Wilson 11) Porterfield is dropped! He tried to turn Rashid’s googly to leg and got a leading edge towards short extra cover, where Root put down a relatively straightforward diving chance.
28th over: Ireland 136-4 (target 329; Porterfield 36, Wilson 10)
27th over: Ireland 132-4 (target 329; Porterfield 34, Wilson 8) Rashid is generously providing one four-ball an over, in this case a low full toss that is driven crisply to the boundary by Porterfield.
26th over: Ireland 124-4 (target 329; Porterfield 27, Wilson 7) Root might do a 10-over stretch here. His sixth over costs just two runs. He is hurrying through the overs, the old Gloucestershire trick, sometimes even running back to his mark.
25th over: Ireland 122-4 (target 329; Porterfield 26, Wilson 6) Wilson pulls Rashid flat and hard for a one-bounce four. It was a dismal delivery that Wilson treated appropriately.
24th over: Ireland 116-4 (target 329; Porterfield 25, Wilson 1) In this short series, Joe Root is averaging 9 with the ball and 122 with the bat. Take that, “Sobers”.
Niall O’Brien dies by the sword, attempting a second straight six off Root but picking out Willey at long-on.
23rd over: Ireland 113-3 (target 329; Porterfield 23, N O’Brien 15) Rashid is bowling plenty of googlies to the two left-handed batsmen. So far they have played him respectfully, with four singles from that over.
22nd over: Ireland 109-3 (target 329; Porterfield 21, N O’Brien 13) Niall O’Brien swaggers down the pitch to launch Root back over his head for six. Shot! If Ireland win this, you suspect one of the O’Briens will be behind their victory.
21st over: Ireland 99-3 (target 329; Porterfield 19, N O’Brien 5) It’s time for Adil Rashid. His first ball is pushed sweetly through extra cover for four by Porterfield, who then survives a strange LBW appeal when he misses a slow-motion heave and is hit on the side. I think he was just outside the line.
20th over: Ireland 93-3 (target 329; Porterfield 14, N O’Brien 4) Root continues, racing through an over that costs five. Ireland need 236 runs from the last 30 overs at a rate of toomany per over.
19th over: Ireland 88-3 (target 329; Porterfield 13, N O’Brien 1) Hawkeye shows that delivery from Plunkett was just shaving the outside of leg stump. Niall O’Brien is the new batsman.
England are taking control of this match. Balbirnie plays inelegantly around a straight one from the impressive Plunkett and is trapped LBW. It wasn’t a million miles from missing leg, but it was given out on the field and Balbirnie walked straight off without discussing a review.
18th over: Ireland 86-2 (target 329; Porterfield 12, Balbirnie 2) Porterfield reverse-sweeps Root for four, then misses with the same shot next ball. The required rate is now above 7.5 an over.
17th over: Ireland 81-2 (target 329; Porterfield 7, Balbirnie 2) Just two singles from Plunkett’s over. You’d expect the two new batsmen to regroup for a wee while. England have squeezed Ireland impressively, with 31 runs and two wickets from the last 10 overs.
16th over: Ireland 79-2 (target 329; Porterfield 6, Balbirnie 1)
Joe Root, who dismissed Porterfield in the first ODI on Friday, comes into the attack - and this time he has got rid of Ed Joyce! It was smart bowling, a quicker delivery that skidded through to hit the leg stump as Joyce tried to hit inside-out. Joyce’s laboured innings of 16 from 43 balls is over.
15th over: Ireland 75-1 (target 329; Joyce 15, Porterfield 5) Joyce clunks a pull off Plunkett that lands just short of the man running in from deep midwicket. At the moment Joyce is seeing it like a Subbuteo football; he has 14 from 39 balls.
14th over: Ireland 72-1 (target 329; Joyce 13, Porterfield 4) William Porterfield (LHB) is the new batsman, and he gets off the mark with a flowing off-drive for four. This has nonetheless been a very good, order-restoring spell from Ball: 4-0-16-1. He’s a really interesting prospect who might become a key man in Australia in the winter.
Paul Stirling is given out on review. He tried to force a wide, back-of-a-length delivery from Ball that shaved the edge on its way through to Billings. It was given not out on the field, but England were certain he hit it and Ultra-Edge confirmed as much. That’s the end of a splendid innings of 48 from 43 balls.
13th over: Ireland 68-0 (target 329; Joyce 13, Stirling 48) Ireland could not have wished for a much better start than this. There is still plenty do - the required rate is above seven an over - but they at least have a chance. The match might be decided by how they play Adil Rashid.
12th over: Ireland 67-0 (target 329; Joyce 13, Stirling 47) Ball has settled into a good rhythm and has probably been the best of the England bowlers so far. He almost gets the first wicket, too: Stirling mishits a pull that loops just over the head of Wood at mid-on.
11th over: Ireland 62-0 (target 329; Joyce 12, Stirling 43) Liam Plunkett replaces Mark Wood (5-0-28-0) and Joyce edges him short of Rashid at third man. He and Stirling have each faced 33 deliveries; Joyce has 12 runs, Stirling 43.
10th over: Ireland 59-0 (target 329; Joyce 11, Stirling 42) Stirling boings his wrists to back cut Ball for four, another brilliant stroke that takes him out of the nervous thirties. Two balls later he misses an almighty yahoo across the line at a wide delivery. For the most part he has batted beautifully, with as much finesse as power.
9th over: Ireland 54-0 (target 329; Joyce 10, Stirling 38) Stirling’s flying start means Joyce can play an old-fashioned ODI innings, 10 not out from 26 balls. His objective is to bat through and make around 130 not out while those at the other end give it some humpty.
8th over: Ireland 52-0 (target 329; Joyce 9, Stirling 37) To the amusement of dorm rooms everywhere, Jake Ball replaces David Willey. Stirling, on the walk, is hurried by a short ball and lobs it safely into the leg side for a single. A good first over, two from it.
7th over: Ireland 50-0 (target 329; Joyce 8, Stirling 36) Stirling pulls Wood high over the leg side for four more. He was slightly beaten for pace but it was a safe enough shot. Two balls later, he nails a tremendous flat pull that goes for six. This is blistering stuff from Stirling, who has 36 from 24 balls - 34 of them in boundaries.
“I know pinch hitters are a bit out of fashion, but I like them,” says Gary Naylor. “As Sunil Narine is showing in the IPL, if you have a player (like Paul Stirling) who can make a contribution with the ball, it’s worth gambling his wicket in the Powerplay to get off to a flier. If he comes off (say at least 40 off 25 balls) one match in seven (because you should have seven batsmen in a white ball side), I reckon it’s worth it. Liam Plunkett should do it for England in T20s and David Willey in ODIs.”
6th over: Ireland 39-0 (target 329; Joyce 7, Stirling 26) After hitting 22 from his first eight balls Stirling then failed to score from the next nine, mainly due to Willey’s change of angle. Another supremely timed cover drive for four ended the drought, and the next ball swerved down the leg side for five wides. This is a perfect start for Ireland.
5th over: Ireland 30-0 (target 329; Joyce 7, Stirling 22) Joyce gloves Wood down the leg side for four, the only runs from a good over. England are bowling very straight, particularly to Stirling,
4th over: Ireland 26-0 (target 329; Joyce 3, Stirling 22) Willey gets the first suggestion of swing to beat Joyce outside off stump. He then goes around the wicket to the right-handed Stirling, a sensible change of angle that gives Stirling less room to free his arms. One from the over.
3rd over: Ireland 25-0 (target: 329; Joyce 2, Stirling 22) Stirling is off to a flyer. Two beautifully timed off drives for four off Wood take him to 22 from his first eight balls. This is his home ground and, as Nasser Hussain says on Sky, he knows that if you pierce the infield you’ll usually get four.
2nd over: Ireland 15-0 (target: 329; Joyce 1, Stirling 14) Those who didn’t know that Paul Stirling is a dangerous, meaty hitter have just been educated to that effect. He took boundaries off each of David Willey’s first three deliveries with a clump through the covers, a thumping pull and a lovely back-foot drive. No swing for Willey, so Stirling was able to throw his hands through the ball.
1st over: Ireland 2-0 (target: 329; Joyce 1, Stirling 1) Mark Wood, England’s wildcard, opens the bowling to Ed Joyce. A fit Wood would make such a difference to England’s chances in the Champions Trophy and the Ashes. Joyce works a single to leg, Paul Stirling cloths another single into the off side, and that’s the lot.
Anyone out there? Any nominations for England’s best-ever ODI reserve? They left Robin Smith out of the 1992 World Cup final, of course, but he wasn’t a regular reserve like Bairstow.
If you’re into the whole podcast thing, this chat with Eoin Morgan and Joe Root is quite splendid. Morgan, the quiet revolutionary, has been such an impressive influence on English cricket.
Hi there. It’s so easy to get carried away with the present, to be Brexiteers to the past, but even so… it is a long time since England last had an ODI reserve as good as Jonny Bairstow. He monstered 72 not out from 44 balls, continuing his wonderful form in all formats since 2015, to help England to a strong total of 328 for six at Lord’s. It is not an Ireland-proof score – we know that from the 2011 World Cup– but England will expect to win and wrap up this series 2-0.
50th over: England 328-6 (Bairstow 72, Willey 1) Bairstow hits yet another six, over deep midwicket, and then a four off the last ball. Like a true finisher, he finishes with 72 off only 44 balls. He made 42 off the last four overs, which is sensational stuff, whoever you’re playing. Ireland were good early on, then poor, then good, then blameless in the face of Bairstow’s blitz. The cameras zoom in on his sister Becky, who is clapping while looking unimpressed, in the great Yorkshire tradition.
So Ireland have to get 329, and The Wasp, which forecast 330 at the start, can be very pleased with itself. Time to hand over to our own ace finisher, Rob Smyth. Thanks for your company.
Rashid gets a top edge to give Ireland a much-needed breather. England are 317-6: game off again.
49th over: England 311-5 (Bairstow 62, Rashid 33) The pyrotechnics continue as McCarthy replaces Murtagh and Barstow turns into Viv Richards. He gets lucky with an edge for four, but there’s nothing streaky about the two sixes that follow – one over long-on, one square, both dismissive. That’s 44 off the last three overs.
48th over: England 294-5 (Bairstow 46, Rashid 32) Time for some proper fireworks. Bairstow plays a wonderful shot off O’Brien, a flat-bat back-foot off-drive for four that deserved at least eight. Then he hits a near-six which ends up as a three because Dockrell catches it on the boundary and has the presence of mind to throw it back onto the field as he himself is thrown off it. Rashid follows up with a flick for four to leg and a creamy drive into the covers. Proper entertainment.
And here comes John Starbuck again. “One thing about playing Ireland at cricket is that we in England are more likely to have Irish connections. I myself feel slightly more neutral than usual, owing to having been over there a few times and having distant relations too. It could be that we are not yet fully excited because their isn’t much cricketing history so a lack of statistics colours the match. We also want to see the Irish do well anyway, given their potential, but it may only last as long as they are underdogs.” Ah yes, the British love of the underdog. After Brexit, will that turn to self-love?
47th over: England 277-5 (Bairstow 39, Rashid 22) Murtagh is bowling with third man up, which forces him to bowl straight and begs the batsmen to explore the short leg-side boundary. Bairstow accepts the invitation with a one-handed pull for four. Murtagh takes his sweater with figures of 1-50. He would not have been flattered by 3-30.
46th over: England 267-5 (Bairstow 30, Rashid 21) Ireland are going for the world record for most bowling changes in a session. This is the 20th, as Chase returns for his ninth over. He concedes no fours, which is good going at this stage, so he’ll probably be taken off.
45th over: England 262-5 (Bairstow 29, Rashid 18) Rashid is enjoying this. He flicks a respectable ball from McCarthy for a classy four through square leg, to go with several ones and twos. The partnership is 33 already, off only 19 balls – the tempo of a T20.
Guy Hornsby has a question. “Am I the only one struggling to get excited about this game @TimdeLisle? It’s great for Ireland, but not sure we’ll learn much. I’m hungover.” No, Guy, you’re not the only one. The old postbag has been particularly threadbare.
44th over: England 250-5 (Bairstow 26, Rashid 9) Jonny be good now: he’s got 26 off 26, and everything but the sweep is in full working order. Nine off the over from Dockrell, whose travails are backing up England’s decision to leave out Moeen.
43rd over: England 241-5 (Bairstow 20, Rashid 6) As if hearing that question, Rashid answers it with a four through the vacant first slip off Murtagh. That’s either a stroke of genius or a streaky edge. Barstow caps it with a cut that somehow bisects the two backward points. England are back in the driving seat.
42nd over: England 230-5 (Bairstow 16, Rashid 0) Bairstow is bustling along, but England’s other keeper proves to be not a keeper at all, picking out the man at long-on. And, thanks to the IPL, there’s no Stokes or Woakes to bring us some last-minute mayhem. Can Adil Rashid add a few boundaries to all those wickets?
Another one, as Billings chips Dockrell’s slow left-arm over mid-on. It could have been six, but instead it’s a comfy catch for O’Brien at long-on. England 229-5: game fully on.
41st over: England 226-4 (Bairstow 12, Billings 7) Chase returns and Sam Billings shows his mettle with a rasping off-drive for four. You know a batsman means business when his bat ends up scratching his lower back.
40th over: England 220-4 (Bairstow 11, Billings 2) Pulling the strings confidently now, Porterfield summons George Dockrell, who comes within an inch of getting Bairstow lbw. Ireland have settled nicely now, and the short boundaries should give them a chance.
39th over: England 215-4 (Bairstow 9, Billings 1) Porterfield’s bowling changes are suddenly working wonders: he takes Murtagh off, brings McCarthy back, and persuades Morgan to join Root in the stymied seventies. Off the last three overs, England have scraped 9-2, which is very sporting of them. Sam Billings joins Bairstow, so after a pair of captains, we now have a pair of keepers.
One wicket brings two as Morgan chips into the covers and Ed Joyce takes a lovely diving catch. England are 213-4: game almost on.
38th over: England 213-3 (Morgan 76, Bairstow 8) Peter Chase is taken off straight after bagging that wicket, presumably to save him for the death, but it seems a shame when his tail is up. O’Brien, who has been less threatening, goes for a couple of twos. Mind you, most bowlers do against Bairstow, who is a magnificent runner.
37th over: England 207-3 (Morgan 73, Bairstow 6) Murtagh is still landing it in the right place, but Bairstow – or Barstow, as The Grauniad’s autocorrect longs to call him – is in such good form that he just pushes a length ball back past the bowler for four.
36th over: England 201-3 (Morgan 72, Bairstow 1) So Chase gets his man as Root, for the 21st time in ODIs, fails to turn a fifty into a hundred. But that was a formidable partnership of 140 at more than a run a ball, and it gives Jonny Bairstow the chance to bat for nearly an hour. He is fresh from walloping 174 in this format for Yorkshire.
Root dances down the pitch – and slams a half-volley straight to the man at mid-off. Shame. England are 200-3.
35th over: England 200-2 (Root 73, Morgan 72) Porterfield plays the only trump card in his hand and summons Tim Murtagh. But it’s not elevenses now. Root, using the crease, eases him for two, two and one, and the 200 is up. The Wasp was probably right: 330 is within range.
34th over: England 193-2 (Root 67, Morgan 71) Just when they could do with a big over, England take O’Brien to the cleaners. Root plays a crisp cut, picking his spot past backward point; Morgan stands and delivers, chipping a four over mid-off, and then pulls for four more. That’s drinks, the partnership is 133 from 128 balls, and the Irish Sea is looking almost as wide as it did at Bristol on Friday.
33rd over: England 179-2 (Root 62, Morgan 62) McCarthy again keeps England honest. He has 1-30 off seven overs, quite something against this pair.
32nd over: England 176-2 (Root 61, Morgan 60) Just when Stirling thought he was being parsimonious, Root plays a dancing cover-push for four and a pull for four more. He is a majestic sight in this mood. When he takes over the Test team, he will be the most elegant England captain since his role model, Michael Vaughan. Sheffield, where they make style.
31st over: England 166-2 (Root 52, Morgan 59) McCarthy, still bustling in, concedes only four. Second only to Murtagh among his team-mates, he can be proud of his morning’s work.
30th over: England 162-2 (Root 51, Morgan 56) After allowing Root to catch up, Morgan pushes ahead again with an off-shove off O’Brien, mistimed but still meaty enough to reach the rope. And that’s the hundred partnership, achieved with the greatest of ease. If you double the 30-over score, as England should do with so many wickets in hand, you get 324, which will be a mountain for the Irishmen to climb.
29th over: England 155-2 (Root 50, Morgan 50) Never mind Twenty20, welcome to Fifty50. The two skippers have added 95 already, without breaking sweat. Come on Ireland, conjure up a wicket.
Root hurdles a single to reach 50 off 57 balls, and off the next delivery Morgan swats a single to reach 50 off 49. Two captains’ innings at the same time.
28th over: England 150-2 (Root 48, Morgan 47) After the briefest of flirtations with spin from both ends, Porterfield recalls Kevin O’Brien, who keeps it immaculate for five balls and then hands Root a short one outside off. It is duly crunched for four to bring up the 150. You just hope Root is still doing this at the end of the longest summer.
“Re the first Brexit match,” wonders Gary Naylor, “can we make use of DRS to see if we can get a Not Out on review?” We’ve got to, haven’t we? The tide has turned against Brexit, and it just remains for the prime minister to spot this.
27th over: England 145-2 (Root 44, Morgan 46) Root plays the deftest of reverse sweeps, flicking a decent ball from George Dockrell over his right shoulder and past two gobsmacked fielders. Shot of the day so far.
26th over: England 138-2 (Root 39, Morgan 44) Stirling gets milked for seven, as off-spinners do. The sun has come out now. This is the first Brexit cricket match: Little England against a country that thought about turning its back on the European Union, and decided against.
25th over: England 131-2 (Root 36, Morgan 40) Just when the game was going to sleep, Joe Root hits a glorious straight drive back over Chase’s head for four. And that’s the halfway stage of an absorbing innings. This game is already far better than Friday, unless you’re a member of Adil Rashid’s family.
24th over: England 125-2 (Root 31, Morgan 39) Paul Stirling comes on with his off-breaks and hits Morgan’s stumps – but doesn’t dislodge the bail, as the ball has hit both pads on its way. England are still on top, but not out of sight.
23rd over: England 121-2 (Root 29, Morgan 37) Dockrell is taken off, with 0-24 off three, as Chase resumes. He does well, and England’s momentum is at least checked.
22nd over: England 118-2 (Root 28, Morgan 35) McCarthy restores order, conceding only two – a very Rootish cover drive from Root, well saved by the sweeper.
21st over: England 116-2 (Root 26, Morgan 35) A lap for four from Root brings up the fifty partnership in no time, or 45 balls.
I’m just wondering what the hell has happened to John Starbuck, when this arrives. “Tim,” yes John. “What hot drinks are consumed on the cricket field? Teas various, coffee (however elaborate, it won’t match the full range of coffee shops today), Horlicks, Bovril, Green & Black’s Hot Chocolate, or fortified milk drinks with a dash of hot water? Or rubbish sugar-filled junk? Does anyone out there have experience of this?” Starbuck at his best: not merely contributing but soliciting contributions from others.
20th over: England 107-2 (Root 19, Morgan 33) McCarthy keeps it tight-ish, which may also be the state of his hamstring. Sky keep showing shots of the ground taken from a helicopter, which must be maddening for the spectators. Perhaps Morgan could hit it with his next six.
19th over: England 103-2 (Root 17, Morgan 32) Morgan is enjoying this to an almost indecent extent. With that effortless six, he has 32 off 25 balls – and he usually speeds up through an innings, even more than most batsmen. Joe Root, meanwhile, is practising for being the England captain, adding a touch of sobriety to his exhilarating talent.
Morgan does it again, seeing Dockrell drag another one down and whacking it into the Mound stand.
18th over: England 94-2 (Root 16, Morgan 24) Barry McCarthy changes ends, but it doesn’t do him any good. When he drops short, Morgan sees it so early that he flat-bats a pull for four well in front of square. If he stays in for another hour, the game will run away from Ireland.
17th over: England 87-2 (Root 15, Morgan 18) Porterfield turns to spin for the first time in the form of George Dockrell’s slow left-arm, and Root helps himself to a couple of twos as Dockrell drops short. It would have been more had it not been for some fine sliding stops by Andy Balbirnie, patrolling the Grandstand boundary.
Hot drinks, I hope – it’s that kind of morning. Ireland have done pretty well, Murtagh especially, but Morgan is in the mood.
16th over: England 81-2 (Root 10, Morgan 17) Ireland take their slip out, and Morgan, the Irishman who got away, makes them pay with a delicious late cut for four. He joined England, you may remember, to play Test cricket. His best hope of playing some more of that may soon be to rejoin Ireland, who are expected to be granted Test status. But, for the moment, he remains a cracking one-day batsman.
15th over: England 73-2 (Root 9, Morgan 10) McCarthy keeps it tidy, restricting England’s two captains to three singles.
14th over: England 70-2 (Root 8, Morgan 8) Morgan’s six is the only excitement. It feels like a reproach to Roy for trundling along at an old-school tempo.
Andrew Benton responds to my question about how today’s contests should be ranked. “England vs Ireland – not much of a contest.” Harsh. “Man U vs Arsenal – not much of a contest, but the end of the footy season gets ever closer, hoorah! Macron vs Le Pen – could go pear-shaped with commentator’s curse.” Well yes, anything can: just ask Jason Roy. “But mostly, I’m looking forward to the Giro D’Italia. Will you be MBMing that this year?” Personally, no, but it’s a good question.
Out of nowhere, Eoin Morgan skips down the track and chips O’Brien over the rope at the pavilion end. Bold.
13th over: England 63-2 (Root 8, Morgan 1) McCarthy starts modestly, allowing Joe Root to crack a square drive for four, but then he gets the wicket of Roy, and later in the over he hurries Root into an ungainly shovel-shot. Game on.
Ireland’s surprise package, Barry McCarthy, lures Roy into a cover slap, which is sharply snaffled by Paul Stirling at extra cover. England are 60-2 and Ireland are suddenly on top.
12th over: England 55-1 (Roy 20, Root 1) Jason Roy has been uncharacteristically muted, playing second fiddle to Hales, but now is his moment and he seizes it with a stylish straight drive for four off O’Brien. He has 20 off 32 balls: expect the first figure to catch up with the second fairly shortly.
Ireland’s grass-green shirts are sporting the logo of Turkish Airlines. It may be the most incongruous sponsorship since the Chinese ping-pong team agreed to promote Dubai.
11th over: England 49-1 (Roy 15, Root 0) Murtagh finds enough movement up the slope to hit Hales’s leg stump with a ball that started off heading for middle-and-off. And then he has a decent shout against Joe Root with the same old trick. He has 1-16 off six overs, with no fewer than 28 dots.
Murtagh finally gets his reward for a superb spell as Hales plays around his nip-backer. England are 49-1.
10th over: England 45-0 (Roy 15, Hales 28) The bowling change I demanded comes to pass as Peter Chase goes off to lick his wounds and Kevin O’Brien comes on with his bustling medium pace. He has the broad beam that Fred Trueman considered essential for a seamer. On this evidence, he also has the miserliness of Murtagh. That’s the Powerplay done: England threatened to run away with it, but Murtagh had other ideas.
“Macron vs Le Pen?” snorts Gary Naylor. “French cricket with the googlies being bowled by Russia? Let’s hope Macron isn’t caught out.”
9th over: England 44-0 (Roy 15, Hales 27) Murtagh’s little masterclass continues with a nip-backer up the slope that beats Hales’s inside edge and flips the flap of his pad. Murtagh has 5-0-12-0 and deserves better. Meanwhile the cameras find some Irish jackets that are just as garish as the English, and Liam Plunkett signs autographs for some schoolboys who are in uniform on a Sunday. That’s a bit keen.
8th over: England 42-0 (Roy 13, Hales 27) Chase tries to bang it in, which almost worked in his first over. Now that Hales’s eye is in, it just produces two pulls for four. The other deliveries are fine, but after 4-0-32-0, it feels like time for a change.
7th over: England 34-0 (Roy 13, Hales 19) Hales is going at almost a run a ball, but living dangerously against the excellent Murtagh. He pops an easy catch to short leg, and another to deep gully. Had there only been a man in either position, he would be toast.
6th over: England 31-0 (Roy 13, Hales 16) Poor old Chase continues to leak runs without bowling badly. Roy punches a four through the covers and tucks a two off his hip. Ireland need a wicket.
5th over: England 24-0 (Roy 7, Hales 16) Another tidy over from Tim Murtagh, who has conceded only seven. A question for you: which of today’s contests are you most gripped by?
(a) England v Ireland
4th over: England 22-0 (Roy 6, Hales 15) Hales crunches Chase through the covers and then clips him for three. The cameramen tick two of the boxes in Lord’s bingo: the first bottle of champagne, and the first group of men wearing what passes for fancy dress in these parts – blazers in MCC colours, not so much egg and bacon as mango and strawberry.
3rd over: England 14-0 (Roy 5, Hales 8) Murtagh keeps it tight and beats Hales, running the ball expertly down the slope. The Wasp, Sky’s prediction machine, reckons England will make 330. That will depend on whether the weather has a bigger say than the boundaries.
2nd over: England 13-0 (Roy 4, Hales 8) Peter Chase, Ireland’s lone star on Friday, lopes in from the Pavilion end ... and bowls a big wide. Alex Hales pushes him through mid-on for four, almost plays on as Chase finds some bounce, and finishes the over with a cover drive for four.
1st over: England 4-0 (Roy 4, Hales 0) Tim Murtagh opens up from the Nursery end, has a shout for lbw (straight but too high), and gets thumped down the ground by Jason Roy. The boundaries seem to be indecently short.
This is the first big day for Lord’s latest stand, the Warner, which has been rebuilt. It was opened by the other day by Prince Philip, who, after listening to a talk about bats by Simon Hughes, promptly retired from public life.
When I started out as a cricket writer for The Independent on Sunday in 1990, the Warner was where they had the press box. It was a hopeless position, behind the bowler’s arse, when the bowler was at long leg. It was also deceptively cold: being in the corner of the ground that gets no sun, it didn’t warm up till July. But it did have, just behind the press box, a strategically placed bar.
The man of the match on Friday, by a street, was Adil Rashid, who persuaded a succession of Irishmen to miss his googly. This morning, the man of the moment has got to be Tim Murtagh, a wily old swinger who knows all about dank mornings at Lord’s. The same thought has occurred to the tireless Gary Naylor. “If Murtagh and co can hit the seam on off stump and Porterfield backs them with slips, it will be a very tricky hour for England.”
England resist the temptation to change a winning team, which is understandable but perhaps harsh on Moeen Ali. Ireland make one change, bringing in Barry McCarthy for Stuart Thompson, one seamer for another. You may not have heard of McCarthy, but he has two four-fors in ODIs, which is two more than Mark Wood, for all his pace, has in 50-over cricket.
Heads, says William Porterfield, and heads it is. He opts to have a bowl, for obvious reasons: “it’s a bit cold, and there’s a bit of cloud around”. Eoin Morgan confirms that he would have done the same.
Morning everyone, and welcome to the second day of England’s longest international summer. It’s as if we’re embarking on chapter two of War & Peace. Are you already absorbed, or finding it all a bit confusing?
The weather is murky, but the imperatives are clear enough. England need to carry on lording it and wrap up the first series win of the season, even if it will feel a bit like lifting the Community Shield. Ireland need to show they can compete after starting with a collapse worthy of Jeremy Corbyn. Cricket needs a clear sky and a proper contest, which probably means England batting first, if only to make sure the day lasts till teatime.
Tim will be here shortly. In case you missed it, here’s Vic Marks on the first ODI, won comprehensively by England:
Related: Adil Rashid bowls England to comfortable ODI victory over Ireland
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