Player of the Match
Player of the Match

7.58pm: Right, thanks for your comments and company, we've had a day out in the south-coast sun... Matt has wrapped the game, not quite the full 100 overs but a jaunty whack for the first ODI on English soil since the World Cup. Can Ireland bounce back and give a better showing of themselves on Saturday? You can be sure we'll be here to find out. For now, from myself, Shashank, Venkat and Chandan, it's over and out. Ta ra!

7.43pm: Here we go with the post-match... Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie: "Very disappointing, we didn't assess conditions early enough, had a bad 5-6 overs and we can't afford that. Our training has been good but you can't replicate matches and maybe there was some rust. Need to be able to assess conditions better. They bowled well up front, but Curtis Campher was very good, he dug in and got a decent score. We managed to get in the game but 170 is never going to be enough. [Campher] Old-school one day innings, we need a battling innings, he got a score and that's what we needed. Harry Tector has a big future, the two of them, delighted to give them their debuts. [McCarthy injury?] Haven't caught up with him, Barry's been leading our attack, big part of the squad and hopefully it's not too serious. [Changes?] The guys that have gone out today need a chance to redeem themselves, not a lot of technical stuff you can do but just get back out."

England captain, Eoin Morgan: "Pretty happy, winning the toss and bowling isn't always easy here but David Willey was outstanding today. Where he's been in the last year or so, missing out on the World Cup, it's a fantastic story and comeback. Delighted to have him back and firing. He and Saqib were outstanding, they really did peg Ireland back. Having posted a relatively low score it's always nice to get a partnership, me and Sam got going, delighted to star the series with a win. The more times we can see guy sin pressure situations, the more we can find out about them. [Billings took chance] Today was a good example, some guys didn't come off, but there'll be similar situations and we want guys to push to be in our strongest 15. [Strength in depth] Great feeling, down to the success of the 17-18 over last four years, the guys who held on to their spots have excelled and added to the value of the team, so you need to do something special to get into the final 15. [Use squad?] We'll see how guys pull up, it's a quick turnaround for the bowlers, so well make assessments."

David Willey is Man of the Match: "Absolutely, wasn't sure whether my opportunity would come again after 12 months, loved being out there and wearing the three lions and it was a bonus that I did well. [World Cup?] Been a part of the group for four years, to miss out at 11th hour was difficult. Given circumstances, Covid's given me this opportunity, it was about going out and enjoying every minute. As it got close to World Cup selection, you start thinking about that, but it's come and gone and I missed out. I'm 30, however many games I play, I'm going to make sure I enjoy them. I play my best cricket when I'm enjoying it and hopefully results like that keep coming."

7.30pm Not quite an edge-of-the-seat thriller, but you would've been a diehard romantic to have expected one anyway. England have shown why they're among the feared ODI teams. Not even being 78 for 4 in a middling chase have them in any doubts whatsoever. Billings and Morgan continued their sustained attack as the runs started to bleed. Ireland's attack became pretty cold at the first sign of a counter from England.

Not all was doom and gloom for the visitors though. At 29 for 5, there was a real danger of this being a sub-100 score, and thereby an absolute cake walk for the hosts. That they were made to work a bit for the win was thanks to debutant Curtis Campher, who constructed a sturdy unbeaten 59 to take them to 172. His lower order rally with Andy McBrine helped bring some respectability to their total. But of course their batsmen will need to do much more if they are to find a way back in this series.

England would be pleased with the efforts of David Willey, who returned to action with a superb five-for. There was swing, pace and some superb variations in length upfront with the new ball. Saqib Mahmood was fast, too, even if at times slightly off the radar. That he came pounding in from get go and let it rip is an encouraging sign for England. Presentations shortly.

27.5
6
Simi Singh to Morgan, SIX, smacked straight back to finish the game in style! Right underneath the length as he hit it back. Clean as they come
27.4
0
Simi Singh to Morgan, no run, drifts in a skiddy delivery, defended back
27.3
0
Simi Singh to Morgan, no run, driven firmly to cover
27.2
1
Simi Singh to Billings, 1 run, steps out and defends to get a thick inside edge to square leg

Can he finish it off with a six?

27.1
2
Simi Singh to Billings, 2 runs, steps out and works this down to deep backward square leg

END OF OVER:
27 | 8 Runs | ENG: 165/4 (8 runs required from 23 overs, RR: 6.11, RRR: 0.34)

  • Eoin Morgan30 (37b)
  • Sam Billings64 (52b)
  • Gareth Delany2-0-12-0
  • Craig Young8-0-56-2
26.6
0
Delany to Morgan, no run, gets well forward and defends back
26.5
1
Delany to Billings, 1 run, worked against the turn to deep midwicket

This is Sam Billing's ODI best

26.4
4
Delany to Billings, FOUR, too short, he rocks back and hammers this to the vacant deep midwicket fence. Too much of a dragdown that time
26.3
2
Delany to Billings, 2 runs, drilled down the ground, the bowler put his hand out half-heartedly but with the hope that it would elude him. It did. Good work in the end by the long-off fielder with the dive to prevent the boundary. Excellent commitment
26.2
1
Delany to Morgan, 1 run, rocks back and smears this to deep cover
26.1
0
Delany to Morgan, no run, reverse swept nicely but excellent reflexes by the slip fielder to stop

END OF OVER:
26 | 12 Runs | ENG: 157/4 (16 runs required from 24 overs, RR: 6.03, RRR: 0.66)

  • Eoin Morgan29 (34b)
  • Sam Billings57 (49b)
  • Craig Young8-0-56-2
  • Gareth Delany1-0-4-0
25.6
1
Young to Morgan, 1 run, slower ball, steered down to third man

karan: "McCarthy, Murtagh, Adair are literally Ireland's best bowlers. Such a shame all 3 are out!"

25.5
0
Young to Morgan, no run, skiddy length ball on middle and leg, tucked to midwicket
25.4
0
Young to Morgan, no run, leading edge that rolls short of cover
25.3
6
Young to Morgan, SIX, struck magnificently! Too short and Morgan was ready for it. Fast hands, quick reflexes as he rocked back to whip this away deep into the stands at fine leg.
25.2
1
Young to Billings, 1 run, defended back down the ground as they jog the single
25.1
4
Young to Billings, FOUR, imperious flick off the pads, ah, all the effort down the drain at deep midwicket. The fielder put in a dive but parried the ball past the ropes as he tried to pull it back in.

END OF OVER:
25 | 4 Runs | ENG: 145/4 (28 runs required from 25 overs, RR: 5.80, RRR: 1.12)

  • Sam Billings52 (47b)
  • Eoin Morgan22 (30b)
  • Gareth Delany1-0-4-0
  • Craig Young7-0-44-2
24.6
1
Delany to Billings, 1 run, half-pull down to deep midwicket. There was some skid but too short
24.5
1
Delany to Morgan, 1 run, full and flat on leg stump, nudged into the leg side for an easy single
24.4
1
Delany to Billings, 1 run, full toss drifting in, worked down to long-on

England 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st12JM BairstowJJ Roy
2nd22JM VinceJJ Roy
3rd25JM VinceT Banton
4th19SW BillingsT Banton
5th96EJG MorganSW Billings