IRELAND’S RASH DECISION
Minnows’ choice to bat first backfires as they get spun out by Rashid
ENGLAND demolished Ireland’s feeble attempt at causing an upset at the start of the summer to win their opener before the mid-innings break.
Ireland were so scrambled by the spin of Adil Rashid and the off-breaks of occasional bowler Joe Root that they collapsed to 126 all out, which did nothing for their claims to be taken more seriously as a cricketing nation.
It was a bizarre decision of captain Will Porterfield to bat first and England cut through their line-up with astonishing ease before Alex Hales and Root led the charge to a sevenwicket win with 30, yes 30, overs spare.
Usually it is England’s batsmen tied in knots by spin, but Rashid rolled out his variations and Ireland simply failed to pick him time and again as he went on to claim 5-27, his first five-wicket haul.
“It was a pretty convincing performance,” said England captain Eoin Morgan. “We didn’t take Ireland lightly but that was a strong performance.
“I was proud of our seamers and then it was Adil’s day today. It was a magnificent effort with the ball and it shows the threat that leg-spin can have in this form of the game.
“I think it’s the best I’ve seen Adil bowl. He had a tough winter but came back from that to show calmness and composure with his variations.”
Rashid took plenty of wickets in India over the winter but they came at a heavy cost against batsmen skilled in dealing with spin, but Ireland played him like novices.
“It is up there with my best performances,” said Rashid.
“You have good days and bad days and it’s about how you deal with it when it’s not your day. I look to bowl my variations and thankfully they came out well and were hard to pick.”
England were ruthless and efficient in everything they did, but they could have been scrappy and wasteful and still completed a thumping victory.
The hostile pace of Mark Wood, playing in his first England game since September, was too much for Paul Stirling, while David Willey trapped Ed Joyce with a leg stump half volley.
With the floodgates open Rashid and Root poured through, the Bristol crowd cheering every Ireland run, hoping for a proper contest. It never materialised.
Ireland struck in the first over of England’s reply to remove Jason Roy, but Hales was twice dropped on his way to 55, while Root’s 49 not out will be the most serene innings of his summer.