Willey’s five-wicket haul tames Irish fighting spirit
WHEN Ireland were 28 for five just half an hour into the first one-day international against England, it looked as if the second half of the day would not be needed.
But, in a positive sign for the future, this young Ireland side refused to lie down and, with the help of an unbeaten half-century from Curtis Campher, they batted almost 45 overs to set the world champions a victory target of 173.
There was more encouragement when the bowlers reduced England to 78 for four, but Sam Billings, with his third and highest ODI 50, and captain Eoin Morgan eased the hosts home, without a spectator in the Ageas Bowl, with more than 22 overs to spare. Inevitably, the Irishman finished the match with a six.
As expected, former captain William Porterfield was sacrificed to allow the debut of Campher, but Boyd Rankin was also dropped as Ireland took all three pace bowlers mauled by the England Lions on Sunday out of the firing line.
But there was more agony for one of the replacements when Barry Mccarthy, given the new ball, pulled up with a knee problem after just five balls, never to return.
Craig Young took two wickets, either side of being hit for five fours by James Vince, and Campher, bowling brisk fast medium, needed only four balls to take his first wicket as history repeated itself when he had Tom Banton caught behind, just as he did playing for South Africa in an Under-19 international in 2018.
Andy Mcbrine was the other successful wicket-taker, but the bowlers just did not have enough runs to play with after Ireland’s horrible early collapse.
David Willey caused the mayhem, removing Ireland’s best batsmen with his first seven balls. First, Paul Stirling turned one straight to mid-wicket and then Balbirnie — was he nervous? — played a loose drive outside his off stump and edged to the keeper.
That brought Harry Tector to the middle for his debut and, trying to force Saqib Mahmood through the offside to get off the mark from his ninth delivery, he played on.
At the other end, Gareth Delany took the attack to the England side, hitting five fours in 10 balls in a breezy opening, but when he cut Willey (above) low to backward point, Lorcan Tucker was trapped in front next ball — and given out on review — to leave Ireland 28-5, the first time they had lost five wickets for less than 30 in more than 150 ODIS.
Total (44.4 overs) Fall:
Bowling:
Hardly the ideal scenario for someone to come to the middle
in his first game for his adopted country, but Campher looked immediately at home in the sparse surroundings, and with a drive through extra cover he was off the mark.
From his arrival in the middle until Mcbrine pulled Moeen Ali for six in the 35th over, Campher was the only player to find the boundary and, when he followed Andre Botha and Morgan to be only the third batsman to reach 50 in his first ODI, he had faced 102 balls and hit four fours.
Mcbrine, happy to score his first 15 runs in singles, then broke free. But after taking 10 off a Tom Curran over, he could not stop himself going for another boundary and holed out to deep square leg.
The second of the three ODIS starts at 2pm tomorrow.
IT has been the perfect start in what is set to be the perfect season for Woodvale.
With all club cricket restricted to 20-over matches, there is no promotion or relegation this year, so the famous Ballygomartin Road club — who were last in the top flight in 2009 — have what skipper Jamie Gibson describes as a free hit over their eight-match season.
“It’s very rare you have the opportunity to have seven games, eight including the T20 Cup, to bed in, but they are still competitive and a great challenge,” says Gibson, one of three survivors from the team that had a one-season stay in the Premier League 11 summers ago.
After wins at Lisburn and at home to Carrickfergus last Saturday, that challenge is upped a notch this weekend when Waringstown and champions CIYMS, in their postponed T20 Cup tie, are the visitors.
“It’s great to get the big teams up to Ballygomartin Road again and show off our facilities. They’ll notice a big difference. The bar will be open and hopefully we will get a big crowd, socially distanced of course.”
Apart from the experienced Paul Robinson and Timmy Browne, new signings Harry Warke and Pavan Karthik both played Premier League cricket last season with Carrickfergus and Muckamore, but Kyle Walsh, who bowled well in the win against Carrick, has joined from Holywood and is revelling in the higher standard.
Tomorrow’s fixtures (2.00) — Robinson Services League Cup: Carrickfergus v CIYMS (12.30), Civil Service North v Lisburn (11.30), North Down v Instonians, Woodvale v Waringstown.
RS Trophy: Armagh v Cregagh, Donaghcloney Mill v Derriaghy, Muckamore v Ballymena (12.00), Saintfield v Downpatrick (1.00), Templepatrick v Cliftonville Academy (12.00).
RS Bowl: Cooke Collegians v Laurelvale (1.00), Victoria v Lurgan, Ards v Bangor (12.00), Holywood v Donaghadee, BISC v Dunmurry, Drumaness Superkings v Dundrum.