England v Ireland 2nd ODI at Trent Bridge September 23rd

Neil Whitaker reports

THE next generation of England’s ODI players took a 1-0 nil lead in the three match series as they beat Ireland by 47 runs at Trent Bridge in the second Metro Bank match.

England gave debuts  to Sam Hain, George Scrimshaw, Jamie Smith and Tom Hartley. Opener Will  Jacks fell six runs short off his first ODI  century as he top scored with 94 in England’s 333 for eight in their 50 overs. With a century on the cards and 18 overs left in their innings  all he had to do was knock the ball around but he  swept George Dockrell toAndy  Balbirne who didn’t have to move an inch on the mid wicket boundary. 

Jacks said: “At the  end of the day you have to play for the team and I’m  happy about the way I went  about it, you can’t just knock it around. I’ll get another opportunity at Bristol on Tuesday to get a hundred.”

After England had lost two wickets in the seventh over Jacks was joined by Ben Duckett and they wrested the initiative from Ireland as they added 102 in 17 overs. Jacks pulled Barry McCarthy over deep mid wicket for the first six of the innings.

Five shy off his 50, Jacks edged a drive off McCarthy but Harry Tector  at backward point couldn’t take the catch.  Jacks reached his 50 when he eased McBrine over the extra cover boundary for a six. He pulled Josh Little for another six and he  swept Dockrell for a six over square leg to take him into the 90’s. He  should have put that shot away till he had reached his century.

Sam Hain also fell short off a century but  had he  scored 11 more runs he would have become the third England player to hit a century on his ODI debut.  He did become the 24th England  player to hit 50 on his ODI debut for England.

After a nervy start when he couldn’t get the ball away Hain went down the pitch to McCarthy and flat batted him to the long on boundary.  He cut Craig Young to the point boundary and blasted the next ball to the long off boundary to bring up the England 200.  Hain cut Dockrell for a single to bring up his 50.


Going for a big hit to take him into the 90’s and with five balls left in the innings Hain got a leading edge to McCarthy and the ball went up in the air and McBirnie running in from cover to take  the catch.

Put into bat England raced to 21 after two overs, the first time in an ODI match that England have past  20,with  Phil Salt and Jacks hitting five fours.  Salt pulled Little to the square leg boundary to bring up the 50 in the sixth over, the joint fastest against Ireland.  

Jacks added: “We got off to a flyer and if we get 50 in six overs in every game we’ll be pleased.”

But in the seventh over Ireland got a wicket when Salt miscued a straight drive off Young and found Paul Stirling at cover. Two balls later Young nipped one back in at Zak Crawley who was plumb leg before.


Before he had reached 20 Ben Duckett edged McCarthy in consecutive balls wide of stumper Tucker, where the slip had been moved from, to  the third man boundary.  He  smeared Andy McBrine over long on for a six boundary.

Ducket ramped George Dockrell and tried to get the ball finer of fine leg but found Mark Adair  at short fine leg. Taking that catch must have boosted Adair’s confidence because the next over he bowled was the first maiden of the England innings.

Jamie Smith went down to pitch to Dockrell and gave Little a straightforward catch on the long on boundary.  Brydon Carse used the long handle to Little and flat batted him for a straight six.  Two balls later he tried repeating the but found Stirling at cover. Rehan Ahmed smashed a full toss from Adair to McCarthy at mid off.


Scrimshaw’s first over in International cricket included four no balls. He  joined Jeff Thomson and Curtley Ambrose in bowling four no balls in an ODI over. Stirling smashed the last free hit of the over and nearly decapitated Scrimshaw.  In his next over Stirring went down the pitch and drilled him over the cover for six.  But Scrimshaw ended the over with the wicket of Balbirnie who edged him to Duckett at slip even Umpire Rod Tucker patted Scrimshaw on his back.


Scrimshaw came back at the Pavilion end and got his second wicket when Lorcan Tucker pulled and Rehan Ahmed at mid wicket took a good catch leaping to his left. Stirling was on his way back to the hutch with the first ball of the next over when Potts nipped one back and bowled him.  Curtis Campher and Tector put on a mini partnership of 23 in four overs before Campher nibbled at Potts and Smith took a low catch.

Dockrell who top scored with 43  lofted consecutive balls from Rehan  Ahmed to the long off boundary.  He  hit his first of two sixes when he dropped kick Rehan Ahmed straight into the Radcliffe road end.  He pulled Tom Hartley to the square leg boundary to take him into the 40’s. He became Rehan Ahmed’s final victim when he tried to hit Rehan Ahmed over long off  but it was a googly and the ball skied to Salt at long on.


Rehan Ahmed got his first wicket when Tector lofted him over mid off, Jacks had to turn and run towards the long off boundary to take the catch. Jacks said: “We had a few laughs about that catch, I got a bit lost but he deserved his wickets. He was spinning it both ways.”



Bowing around the wicket Rehan Ahmed got his second wicket when he bowled Andy McBrine with a googly. In his next over he trapped Mark Adir leg before.  Adair reviewed it but the replay showed it to be out.


McCarthy decided to have some fun from the moment he came in and was soon into double figures. He made his highest ODI score before he was ninth man out yorked by Carse for 41.

Young went down the pitch to Jacks and smacked him into the Radcliffe road stand for a six. He joined McCarth, who was unbeaten on 40, by hitting his best ODI score. With Little they added 55 before Little smacked Scrimshaw to Carse on the long on boundary.

Dockrell said: “We were up with the rate but we lost too many early wickets.”

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