Stirling and Balbirnie star as Ireland beat England

CricketEurope

Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie shared a record-breaking partnership as Ireland chased down to beat England in the third one-day international at the Aegas Bowl. The pair had come into the game short of runs as the top order had failed in the first two games but delivered when it mattered.

The stats show a stand of 214 in 196 balls, but what they don't show is the manner in which the pair complimented each other perfectly in an almost nerveless pursuit of 329. Stirling was back to his naturally attacking best, starting with a series of crunching drives and square cuts. Crucially he upset the rhythm of Adil Rashid, but slog sweeping him again and again out of the attack.

Balbirnie was content to rotate the strike, punctuated by the occasional boundary as Ireland never let the required rate get out of control. They offered little in the way of chances, Stirling dropped only on 95 when Vince got fingertips to a powerful pull, and again on 139 when the same fielder couldn't cling on running back from mid-on.

A mix-up saw Stirling run out for 142 from 128 balls (9 fours, 6 sixes), and when Balbirnie fell for a run-a-ball 113 with 50 still needed from 33 balls, the contest was in the balance. Harry Tector and Kevin O'Brien - Ireland past and Ireland future however knew what had to be done, having been in this situation many times in T20 games over the past year.

They found boundaries at crucial times and aided by a few bowling extras got the Irish over the line off the penultimate ball. Ice cool from both with Tector making an unbeaten 29 and O'Brien 21 not out in a memorable win.

It was a day for the Irish as the third centurion of the day was English skipper Eoin Morgan. The steely eyed Dubliner came to the middle at his customary number four after early strikes by the very impressive Craig Young (3-53) and the recalled Mark Adair, as both accounted for the much vaunted opening pair of Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow.

Morgan ruthlessly dispatched anything remotely errant, and despite being struck on the helmet by a short ball, recovered to club any other bouncers out of the park. He top scored with 106 from 84 balls (15 fours, 4 sixes) adding 146 with Tom Banton (58).

While he was there, a total of 380-400 looked possible, but his dismissal by Josh Little sparked a mini wobble, wickets in this period too for Gareth Delany, Young and Curtis Campher. David Willey (51) got England over the 300, but Ireland knew at the innings break they had a chance.

The omens were there as it was one run more than Bangalore 2011, and on a night to remember this young Irish team wrote their own chapter in the history books. The changing of the old guard and a policy of playing youth has paid off for Graham Ford and the selectors.

The importance of this victory can't be over-estimated. Not only does it gives the Irish ten points in the quest for World Cup qualification, it shows that they are a serious side who can't be taken lightly. There were times in the series when England were guilty of over confidence, taking the Irish lightly, and it came back to bite them.

What is significant though is the nature of the win and the possibility of extra fixtures given the geographical location next door to England. Given the uncertain nature of future games, should a touring side pull out or require a few games preparation, who better than the Irish to provide that? It could prove to be a more important win than the 2011 World Cup. Let us hope so.

It's Déjà vu nine years on

Ireland have done it again. Nine years after defeating England at the 2011 World Cup, by an incredible coincidence they were set the same total they scored in Bangalore to win the third one-day international against England under the Ageas Bowl foodlights. The successful chase was set up by a record second wicket stand in ODIs of 214 between Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie, ended by a mix-up between Ireland’s captain and vice-captain in the 42nd over which saw Stirling’s innings cut short after a magnificent 142.

At that stage Ireland still needed 71 for victory and 20-year-old Harry Tector was sent in to maintain the momentum. But it was Balbirnie, after a superb 113, from 112 balls with 12 fours, who was next to go, failing to clear long-off to give Adil Rashid his first wicket from the third ball of his last over. Enter Kevin O’Brien, the hero of Bangalore and between the oldest man in the team and the youngest they took the game into the last over, with Ireland needing eight to win.

A no-ball from Saqib Mahmood gave Kevin O’Brien a free hit but although he only managed a two, it levelled the scores. He swung and missed at the fourth ball but pulled the fifth to long leg to seal another famous victory by seven wickets. Stirling’s innings, however, will be the one that lives longest in the memory. Coming into the match with just 19 runs in his last three 50-over innings for Ireland, he started cautiously, as he is want to do these days. His first 50 took 52 balls, with just two fours and two sixes, but he was then into his stride, hitting Adil Rashid for two sixes in successive overs.

His fifth six brought up the 100 partnership in the 24th over, from 92 balls and he then enjoyed a slice of luck when James Vince failed to hold on at mid-wicket with Stirling on 95. Unfazed, in the next over, he brought up his ninth ODI century from 96 balls and with the scoreboard reading 171-1 after 27 overs, Ireland were in control. The partnership between Ireland’s two best batsmen went on and on, passing the previous best against a Full Member, the famous 162 between O'Brien and Alex Cusack in Bangalore - until Stirling enjoyed another life, again Vince the fall guy as he failed to get his hands to another skyer at mid-wicket.

This time, though he could not take advantage and four balls later he was walking back to the pavilion, having set off for an unlikely single, was sent back by his captain and run out by the bowler. The players, for the third successive game, took the knee before the first ball and the flag which has been acknowledging the work of frontline workers during this pandemic continued to fly above the Ireland dressing room.

The teams also stood for a minute’s silence and wore black armbands in remembrance of former SDLP leader John Hume, described by Cricket Ireland as a “tremendous man with fantastic vision and a relentless commitment to peace”. Ireland again enjoyed the perfect start with Craig Young having the out-of-form Jason Roy caught at second slip with his fifth ball and three overs later Mark Adair, brought back into the side in place of Simi Singh, struck with his eighth delivery wrecking the stumps of Jonny Bairstow who had scored a whirlwind 82 in the second match on Saturday.

However, it proved to be a case of be careful what you wish for as Eoin Morgan replaced Bairstow. In the first two games, the England captain had come in at No 6, allowing the young talent of Tom Banton and Sam Billings ahead of him. But this time, after losing both openers, the Dubliner took it upon himself to rescue England – and how! He brought up his 50 from just 39 balls, with seven fours and two sixes but he had to survive a difficult chance, high to Balbirnie at mid-wicket when he was on 67, before he picked up the tempo again and scored his second half century, again from 39 balls, with an identical boundary count.

However, just two balls later, Morgan sliced Josh Little to short thirdman where Harry Tector held a comfortable running catch. It was the third time young Little had dismissed the England captain in three ODIs. The dismissal sparked a mid-order collapse which saw Ireland take three wickets in 12 balls, with Gareth Delany trapping Banton on the back foot and Curtis Campher having Moeen Ali caught at cover off the leading edge. When Young returned to attack to have Billings caught low at mid-on – the Kent batsman’s first dismissal in the series – England were 216-7 but David Willey scored his second ODI 50 and when the last pair got the world champions over 300 Ireland knew they would have to produce something amazing to claim their first 10 World Cup Super League points. And they did!

CricketEurope & Ian Callender (Belfast Telegraph)