Stirling and Balbirnie combine to beat England
PAUL STIRLING and Andrew Balbirnie starred as 329 once again proved to be the magic number for Ireland, who claimed only a second win over England in their history after overcoming the world champions in a final over thriller.
Set an identical score to the one they finished on to famously beat England at the 2011 World Cup, a 214- run stand between Stirling and captain Balbirnie laid the foundations in the final match of the Royal London series. Stirling was run out for 142 while Balbirnie holed out for 113 with 50 still required from 33 deliveries, but Kevin O’Brien – the hero of Bangalore – fittingly got them over the line from the penultimate ball with seven wickets to spare under lights.
After being asked to bat first, England had stuttered to 44- 3 but Eoin Morgan’s fantastic 106 from 84 balls was the cornerstone of 328 all out in 49.5 overs, the captain sharing a 146- run stand with Tom Banton.
Morgan, though, felt tightness in his groin and was restricted to a watching brief as Stirling and
Balbirnie quietened the criticism of Ireland’s top- order following their under- performance in the first two one- dayers.
England run out 2- 1 series winners but Ireland – by first restricting their opponents, with Craig Young taking 3- 53, and then holding their nerve with the bat – have their first ODI win on these shores.
Young accounted for Jason Roy and then James Vince via the outside and inside edges, while inbetween Jonny Bairstow missed a heave off the returning Mark Adair and was bowled by a nipbacker.
Morgan, back at his more customary position of four for the first time in the series, punished over- pitched deliveries with some sumptuous straight drives and while he was struck flush on the helmet early on, it was a rare misstep underneath the short ball as he pulled authoritatively thereafter.
There were three monstrous sixes off Josh Little in amongst being dropped on 67 by a diving Balbirnie at midwicket off Andy McBrine, who was taken the distance by Banton as the 21- yearold stepped out of his more senior partner’s shadow with some lusty blows.
After he moved to a 41- ball fifty, his first at international level, Morgan brought up three figures off 78 balls with his 14th four. He would add one more to go along with his four sixes before skewing Little to backward point, the start England lurching from 190 for three to 216 for seven.
Banton was trapped plumb lbw for 58 by the part- time leg- spin of Gareth Delany, while the out- ofsorts Moeen Ali and in- form Sam Billings were both caught in the ring after leading edges off Curtis Campher and Young.
David Willey ( 51) ensured the wheels did not fall off and was the aggressor in a 73- run stand alongside Tom Curran ( 38).