Alastair Cook to face aspiring England bowlers before first Ashes Test

Alastair Cook’s bravery with the bat has never been questioned but the England captain’s mettle will be severely tested over the next few days when he faces up to a group of giant pace bowlers and two county tearaways, Tymal Mills and Harry Gurney, on the fastest net pitches in world cricket.

Normally it is a captain’s perk to be able to delegate, but not when Andy Flower is in charge and not when three of the colossi, Steven Finn, Boyd Rankin and Chris Tremlett, are vying for the third seamer’s role and are out to impress the captain into handing it to them.

Perception is everything and a good spell against Cook will count double, providing their thunder is not stolen by the rapid Mills who has been joined by Gurney in order to replicate the kind of left-arm bowling – think Mitchell Johnson – England expect to face when the Test series begins in just over three weeks time.

“The third seamer spot is up for grabs,” Cook said after England’s first training session at the Waca Ground yesterday. “In the past Andy Flower always made sure any bowlers pushing for a place bowled at Andrew Strauss when he was captain.”

Mills, 21, is a team-mate of Cook’s at Essex, but is more raw potential than finished article. That means he is very fast but unpredictable, a combination that saw several England players struck by him when they played a practice match against Essex last summer. “I think Tymal is pretty much the quickest bowler in England,” Cook said.

“I think the next couple of weeks are going to be quite interesting. We’ve got four giants who can bowl pretty quickly and two skiddier ones who can bowl just as quick. When I found out Tymal and Harry were joining us I began digging around in my bag for an armguard, but I don’t seem to have one.”

England stress that Mills and Gurney, who plays for Nottinghamshire, are not part of the squad. Yet Cook, perhaps acknowledging his own quick rise into the England team in 2006, following a sudden injury to Michael Vaughan, reckons the two have a great chance to impress the people who count.

“Tymal and Harry are here to offer practice against left-arm bowling,” Cook said. “But it is also a great opportunity for them to train with us. It is amazing how careers can change very quickly. By really impressing you just never know what can happen. They will be looking at it as an opportunity to press their claims.”

The No?6 spot in the batting order will also be contested, the aspirants being Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance. Whoever plays against the Western Australia Chairman’s XI on Thursday will probably play in the first Test. That means nets over the next few days, as they will be for the fast bowlers, are crucial. “All being well, it might be the case that whoever is selected at six for the first match will play in the first Test in Brisbane,” Cook said. “But you can never say for definite.”

View the original article here

England seamer Stuart Broad stands his ground on walking saga to Michael Vaughan

England seamer Stuart Broad remains unrepentant about his controversial decision not to walk after he edged Australia spinner Ashton Agar to slip during last summer’s first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

Broad was given not out by umpire Aleem Dar and went on to share a decisive partnership with Ian Bell which helped to give England a lead in the series which they went on to win 3-0.

In an interview with former England captain Michael Vaughan which will be broadcast on Radio5 Live this evening Broad insists that he did nothing different to most other professional cricketers. “My first comment on that whole incident is I could name you 18 or 19 players who played in an Ashes series who nicked it and didn’t walk,” Broad said. “We could be here all day if I named players from the past. I am trying to think of someone in the modern game who is consistently a walker.

“It’s a really interesting debate and something that got blown so out of proportion maybe because the Australians were frustrated they had wasted two referrals.

“It was an important moment in the game because, let’s be honest, if Belly and I hadn’t put on those runs, we wouldn’t have won the Test match so we would only have won 3-1 or something.”

Asked by Vaughan whether he would stand his ground again if the same situation were to happen in the first Test of this winter’s Ashes series, Broad said: “Yes. I won’t nick, I’ll hit it for four.”

Broad’s refusal to walk at Trent Bridge was criticised by Australia coach Darren Lehmann, who accused him of “blatant cheating” and urged Australia fans to make Broad cry this winter.

Broad revealed that Australia players had criticised Lehmann for his comments and that the coach had apologised to him for his comments.

“Ryan Harris came over to me and apologised. First of all he said from the players we have given him [Lehmann] a hard time and his comments were unacceptable,” Broad said. “Then he [Lehmann] came across and said: I meant it in jest. I said that in black and white it doesn’t look like jest to me. He said something along the lines of, listen to the interview, and I said, I have far better things to do with my time, and that was about it. We shared a nice beer and I said, 'See you in November’.”

Lehmann has since described England’s cricket as dour and questioned the technique of batsman Jonathan Trott but Broad said England would not be distracted by Australia’s attempts to play mind games.

“It’s like a big boxing match coming up a bit of trash talk. We are the side that don’t need to get involved in that, we are very happy where we are as a team, we have got some very skilful players,” Broad said.

“We don’t need to comment on Australia we don’t need to comment on them as a team. We are more than happy for them to comment on us.”

You can hear more in Stuart Broad Uncovered on BBC Radio 5 Live tonight at 9pm

View the original article here

England v Australia: Eoin Morgan hails Kevin Pietersen influence

Eoin Morgan will be delighted to welcome Kevin Pietersen's expertise and wisdom back into England's one-day international team.

Morgan, standing in as captain in place of the rested Alastair Cook for the five-match series against Australia set to get under way at Headingley, may well deploy Pietersen in the opener's position in which he has fared so well.

Pietersen, returning to the 50-over format for the first time since January because of injuries, is an obvious contender to help fill the vacancy left at the top of the order by the absence of Cook and Ian Bell.

He batted at number three when he last featured in ODI cricket but previously signed off as an opener with back-to-back centuries against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in early 2012.

Much has happened to Pietersen and England in the intervening time - including Cook and Bell's prolific partnership.

But with both rested, Pietersen's average of 58.85 in eight attempts against the new ball - albeit exclusively in sub-continent or Middle East conditions - presents a compelling case for him to return to that role, probably alongside Michael Carberry.

It will not be merely Pietersen's runs, but his presence as a senior player in a largely inexperienced squad, which Morgan will hold dear.

"Kev offers a hell of a lot as a senior player and as a batsman," he said.

"He leads by example. The confidence with which he goes about his business, people rub off on that - and that's crucial.

"When I came into the team, he was one of the most senior players - the guy you could turn to and ask difficult questions.

"He's fantastic to have in the squad and back in for the one-day series."

View the original article here

Eoin Morgan backs Michael Carberry to put horror England ODI debut behind him

Carberry became a figure of fun for the crowd as he dropped two catches in England's six-wicket defeat of Ireland in Dublin on Tuesday.

His luck did not change as he conceded 12 runs in bowling a single unimpressive over and then failed in his principle job, opening the batting, managing just 10.

But after the 32-year-old was selected on the back of some superb form for Hampshire, Morgan expects him to come good.

Morgan said: "With debuts you are on a hiding to nothing most of the time. More often than not they do not go right for you.

"Carbs is a very experienced cricketer. He will pick himself up, re-evaluate where he is at and we will encourage him to play with the freedom he does at Hampshire.

"We have very strong belief in him as an opening batsman."

Carberry - who played one Test match in 2010 - is one of a number of players to be given an opportunity this autumn as England rest several of their star names following their Ashes exertions.

Regular captain Alastair Cook, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann are all sitting out the late-season one-day internationals, which primarily consist of the five-match series against Australia starting on Friday.

Carberry, Boyd Rankin and Gary Ballance all made their debuts in the format against the Irish while other inexperienced players in James Taylor and Ben Stokes came back into the side.

Changes could be made as Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Joe Root come back into contention for the first of the Australia matches at Headingley.

Morgan said: "We picked a team specifically for Tuesday and the conditions. We will see what we are going to do."

Edited by Michael Beattie

View the original article here

England v Australia: Ashley Giles has chance to show he can succeed Andy Flower

Speculation that Andy Flower’s tenure as England’s team director may draw to a close after the next Ashes series has brought Giles, England’s one-day coach, into focus.

As a result of Flower’s policies of rest and rotation, Giles has not been able to work with a full-strength one-day side since his ascension to the one-day role at the start or the year, a position he finds himself in again.

A sensitive player, Giles has matured into sterner stuff. Those who have seen him evolve from England cricketer to Warwickshire’s team director to his current coaching role speak of a man who is strong-minded with clear ideas.

The unfamiliarity within this squad will have blurred some of that lucidity and judging from their recent match against Ireland in Dublin, England looked a proper bowler short, a curious decision now there is once more a new ball at each end.

Australia’s attack, by contrast, looks strong in most departments with only the spin of Fawad Ahmed untested at this level.

Giles’s challenge for the opening NatWest match against Australia, at Headingley, is where to bat Kevin Pietersen.

On Thursday, Eoin Morgan, England’s captain in the absence of the resting Alastair Cook, said they would consider Pietersen’s previous role as an opener but also his current one in the middle order.

If Friday’s side is one that looks forward to the next World Cup, then a middle-order role for Pietersen is unlikely, what with Joe Root, Morgan, Ravi Bopara and Jos Buttler occupying four to seven.

That leaves No 3, usually the domain of Jonathan Trott, or one of the opening spots, which neither Michael Carberry nor Luke Wright was able to lay claim to in Dublin.

Pietersen last opened against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates 18 months ago, when he made successive hundreds, but forfeited his position when he retired from one-day cricket two months later. As a result the job fell to Cook and Ian Bell, the pair opening for the last 27 ODIs before both were rested for in Dublin.

On Thursday, in the nets, Pietersen slogged away with the air of someone not really fussed about his intended role (he averages 58.8 as opener but 116 at No?5), though he did something similar before the Test here against South Africa last year, and played one of the great innings.

England handed out three new caps in Dublin but only two of them, Carberry and Boyd Rankin, are likely to play here, though Steven Finn has not been threatening to take many wickets with the new ball, the prime reason for his inclusion, which gives Chris Jordan or Jamie Overton an outside chance.

Whoever plays, Giles will tell them what is expected of them in a calm but incisive way. A good communicator, one habit he has been advised to drop is his jotting down of notes, Rafael Benítez style, every time an error is made. If it makes experienced players anxious, as the TV director zooms in on him scribbling frantically, it could play havoc among the youngsters, especially if Aaron Finch starts teeing off as he did in the T20 match at the Ageas Bowl when he struck 156 off 63 balls.

How Giles and his team handle themselves during this series is unlikely to have that much bearing on the next World Cup in 18 months time, but it could be germane if Flower does decide to go after the next Ashes series. Then, when the pros and cons of his successors are assessed, this series, especially if Giles can turn the raw ingredients he has been handed into gold, could count double in his favour.

View the original article here

Rankin and Morgan in England squad

Boyd Rankin and Eoin Morgan are in the England squad to play against their former team Ireland in Tuesday's one-day international at Malahide.

Bready paceman Rankin took a wicket on his England debut in a Twenty20 game against New Zealand in June.

Rankin could make his England ODI debut against the Irish, who he played 37 times for, while Morgan, who captains the team, is a former Malahide player.

"It is exciting to see him with three lions on his chest," said Morgan.

"The opportunity is endless and if he achieves his potential, hopefully we will see him in a white Test shirt sooner rather than later."

Morgan is also hopeful of forcing his way back into the Test set-up having not played for England in the longer-format of the game since the series against Pakistan in Dubai in February 2012.

"It is just weight of runs and lack of form has led me to where I am, being dropped," he continued.

"I think one-day runs can help. It was the prime reason I got selected in the first place."

The 26-year-old is England captain in the absence of Alastair Cook, who is being rested.

Bowler Steve Finn is among six England players with Test experience.

One-day specialists Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler and Luke Wright are included, while the highly rated Ben Stokes, James Tredwell and James Taylor will all be out to impress with an Ashes tour coming up in the winter.

There are call-ups for Michael Carberry, Jamie Overton, Gary Ballance and Danny Briggs.

There promises to be a number of intriguing personal battles with Ireland's county players coming face-to-face with their colleagues.

There's the prospect of Middlesex pair Paul Stirling and Tim Murtagh against Finn and Morgan, Ed Joyce tussling with Sussex stars Wright and Chris Jordan, and George Dockrell aiming to get the bragging rights over Buttler and Overton.

There's also the very real possibility of best friends and Warwickshire team-mates William Porterfield and Rankin coming head-to-head from the very first delivery of the biggest cricket match ever to be hosted in Ireland.

It's a return to a familiar hunting ground for Morgan - he began his Leinster senior career with Malahide as a mere 13-year-old back in 2000.

Indeed, he was part of the Malahide side which captured the Irish Senior Cup in 2002.

Morgan will find the new international venue at Malahide barely recognisable from the club venue of a decade ago.

The ground has been transformed into a 10,000 capacity venue for the blue-riband fixture, and the game is on course to be a sell-out.

Ireland squad : William Porterfield (captain) (Warwickshire), George Dockrell (Somerset), Trent Johnston (YMCA), Ed Joyce (Sussex), John Mooney (North County), Tim Murtagh (Middlesex), Kevin O'Brien (Railway Union), Niall O'Brien (Leicestershire), Eddie Richardson (North County), Max Sorensen (The Hills), Paul Stirling (Middlesex), Andrew White (Instonians), Gary Wilson (Surrey).

England squad: Eoin Morgan (captain) (Middlesex), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Ravi Bopora (Essex), Danny Briggs (Hampshire), Jos Buttler (Somerset), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Jamie Overton (Somerset), Boyd Rankin (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Notts), James Tredwell (Kent), Luke Wright (Sussex).

View the original article here

England Women complete Ashes thrashing of Australia Women with third Twenty20 win

By comfortably winning the third Twenty20 international with seven wickets and 3.4 overs to spare, England Women completed their drubbing of Australia Women to win their multi-format Ashes by 12 points to four.

While the Test was drawn in Australia’s favour – with two points for each side – England won the one-day series 2-1 and the Twenty20 series 3-0, sealing the first multi-format series for either gender.

Australia had overtaken England as the leading country for women’s cricket by winning the last 50-over and 20-over World Cups.

“A bit more self-belief,” was what England’s captain Charlotte Edwards said was the key difference, which was particularly evident when England twice chased down their target. “And we’ve won the key moments.”

The third T20 international did not make a good advertisement for women’s cricket because Australia’s batting was poor. The attraction of 20-over cricket lies in big hitting, and Australia could hit only five fours, even though the boundaries were 10 yards further in than for the men’s match that followed.

The best features of the game were England’s fielding, the wicketkeeping on both sides, Australia’s pace bowling and the batting of Lydia Greenway who followed her match-winning 80 – the highest for England in a T20 – in the second international with another unbeaten innings of 35.

Katherine Brunt was player of the match, partly for her opening spell but also for a direct hit run-out from deepish cover that set the standard for England’s fielding. There was no unforced error except one when the England captain’s knees let her down.

Australia’s opening bowling pegged England back to 14 for three as they chased only 92, but it was also pacy enough to offer scope for back-foot shots. There have been bowlers who have consistently reached 70mph – notably Brunt, Ellyse Perry and India’s Jhulan Goswami – but Holly Ferling, a willowy 17-year-old, could raise the bar to new heights.

For the moment, the challenge is hitting boundaries when there is little pace on the ball, and Greenway solved it with her similarities to Eoin Morgan as a wristy left-hander who loves to reverse-sweep.

View the original article here

England team director Andy Flower deserves far better after Ashes series victory

But apparently England have possessed a negativity and, according to some, an arrogance that has irked. That charge of arrogance has been mainly made by Australians, which is side-splittingly funny in itself. One only had to listen to debutant James Faulkner upbraiding England’s first-innings batting at the Oval to confirm that.

England and Flower were not being arrogant in selecting Kerrigan and Woakes. Yes, the results of that selection were disappointing, but the rationale was hardly ridiculous.

They thought the pitch would spin like a top. They had summoned Kerrigan in case of that eventuality, with Woakes to accompany him, because a four-man attack, including a debutant, would have been too risky.

It might also be worth pointing out that Kerrigan actually has a better first-class bowling average, albeit in a much shorter career, than both Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar.

But a farce it was, apparently, and the subsequent condemnation merely continued a year of frustration with Flower and his team: from not enforcing the follow-on against New Zealand to accusations of a ban on Ashes talk, to outrages against the spirit of the game, to more negative cricket and interviews perceived as anodyne from all concerned, to finally the story that players had urinated on the Oval pitch during the Ashes celebrations.

There is little doubt that Flower’s relationship with the media has deteriorated significantly.

He is clearly wearied by the constant criticisms, often appearing prickly and increasingly reserved and, in turn, there are gripes about his accessibility and that of senior players.

I should stress that I have not heard or read one person calling for Flower’s head - although I reckon a few would have done so had he made comments anything like those delivered on radio by Australia coach Darren Lehmann about Broad.

They were simply disgraceful, but instead of the jovial Lehmann the Australian media has fixed it sights squarely on Flower, with the likes of arch Pom-baiter Malcolm Conn talking of his “command bunker mentality” and his players’ interviews being “as colourful as a concrete driveway”. It was little surprise that it was Conn who broke ‘Splashgate’.

Yes, that behaviour was poor but it was hardly a heinous crime. When England went to Australia in 2010-11, the local media were like pussycats, resigned to defeat from the outset. They have clearly decided to rectify that during these two Ashes series.

I spoke to Flower last week. It was an off-the-record chat between old mates, and he obviously would not reveal any thoughts about his future (“you are still a journo” he always says), but I do not think he will mind my revealing that what was striking were the similarities between him and Duncan Fletcher in his later days as England coach.

The Zimbabwean accent was the same but so, too, was the mood. What is remarkable is that Fletcher had just endured a 5-0 Ashes whitewash in 2007; Flower has just won 3-0. These truly are curious times.

The speculation about Flower’s future began during the Oval Test when it was first mentioned, buried deep, in an article on the Cricinfo website. Then there was a story in the Sunday People that Flower will stand down after this winter’s Ashes.

I think there is some truth in these stories. I do not know for certain, but it would be no huge surprise should he go after this winter’s Ashes.

However, the suggestion that his employers at the England and Wales Cricket Board feel “he has run his course” and want to move him on is frankly preposterous.

Flower will go of his own accord. In my 2012 book The Plan, about the transformation of English cricket overseen by Flower and Fletcher, I wrote that I could not see Flower lasting more than two years in his position. That was before his job-share with Giles, who will certainly replace him full-time in due course.

Back-to-back Ashes means that leading the Test team is a stressful and time-consuming job. And this summer has been especially traumatic with a relative of Flower’s suffering a stroke while on holiday.

Flower travelled abroad between the second and third Tests to help. Thankfully, a good recovery is being made.

Hugh Morris’s resignation has not affected Flower’s thoughts - Morris only told him during the Oval Test – although Flower will doubtless assess the identity of Morris’ successor, for whom the England and Wales Cricket Board is already searching, before making a final decision.

And we can rule out Flower replacing Morris. That will not happen. It is a job Flower could do, of course, but he would probably need some breathing space away first.

England will struggle mightily to find a better man than Flower, but, if this is to be his last series this winter, then maybe we should cherish him a little more.

The importance of the peripherals is being exaggerated. Flower has created a winning culture, and it is not anywhere near as blinkered and unfeeling as some suggest.

How about we enjoy what is still a golden era for English cricket?

View the original article here

Andrew Strauss a candidate to carry on excellent work of Hugh Morris at England and Wales Cricket Board

So it was rather strange to see the post advertised last week. Of course, the England and Wales Cricket Board is quite rightly acting swiftly upon Morris’s resignation – even if he will remain in the post until the end of the year – but you just assumed that Morris would always be a fixture within the organisation.

He has, after all, been there in a variety of roles, all performed with the utmost diligence and excellence, since retiring from the game in 1997.

There is now disbelief in Wales; disbelief that Morris has been tempted back to his former county to sort a mess long in the making. Morris will be chief executive and director of cricket. As one player said to me: "There is quite literally no better person in the whole world to do the job."

But if Glamorgan have struck gold, what now about the ECB? It should be remembered that the managing director’s role was only introduced upon the recommendation of the Schofield Report after the 5-0 Ashes drubbing in 2006-07. Morris was actually part of that report and there were some screams of a "job for the boy" when he was appointed.

The truth, however, is that there was no better man; a former England international with business experience (an MBA), a sports science degree, extensive knowledge of the ECB’s coaching systems (he set up the National Academy), as well as a Level Four coach himself.

To my knowledge there is nobody like that banging at the door right now. The job description is interesting in that it stresses that "international playing experience" is required.

Presumably that is in cricket. No, I’m not being silly for the sake of it. Australia recently copied England and appointed an equivalent of Morris, but it was a former rugby union international, Pat Howard, rather than a former cricketer.

On which point it has been interesting to read that Mickey Arthur, the Australia coach summarily sacked just before the Ashes, has been in talks with Super??15 rugby franchise Western Force about a role in talent development and recruitment.

However, I cannot see the ECB appointing someone like Sir Clive Woodward (although Rob Andrew, the Rugby Football Union’s professional rugby director was once accomplished enough as a cricketer to have scored a first-class century for Cambridge University).

The contenders are more likely to be Andrew Strauss, then three current directors of cricket: Angus Fraser (Middlesex), Mike Watkinson (Lancashire), Martyn Moxon (Yorkshire), and maybe the ECB’s own Steve Elworthy. None of them fit the role as snugly as Morris did.

If Strauss should want the job, then you suspect it would be his, although, if Andy Flower stays on as team director, there would then be the curious role reversal of former captain Strauss suddenly being Flower’s boss.

What is sure is that the appointment will not come from the current crop of county chief executives, of whom only two – David Smith at Northamptonshire and David Leatherdale at Worcestershire – played first-class cricket. In that respect Morris’s return to Glamorgan is a boon for the county game in general, providing some much-needed cricketing intelligence and clout.

There is simply too little of it. Of course, there are some who believe that former professionals are not necessarily the best people to fill such positions.

I am reminded of the recent comment of Michael Henderson, who, writing in The Cricketer magazine, concluded a piece about the spirit of cricket furore surrounding Stuart Broad with the words: "Cricket is too fine a game to be left in the hands of professionals."

In administration posts, however, it can also be too complex for pure businesspeople. As in most things, balance is required.

Cricketers can be blinkered as Mike Atherton noted to an extreme in a column last week – "very few players I played with (in fact, I cannot think of a single example) thought of the wider questions of the good of the game".

Some like Strauss have probably always had that broader vision. Retirement may have broadened it even more. He has been a useful addition to Sky Sports’ coverage this summer, as well as penning some decent stuff for a rival rag, but too many of his ilk are lost from the inside of the game.

View the original article here

Ireland v England: Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara both hit centuries as hosts lose by six wickets in Dublin

Ireland had their moments, with Will Porterfield’s century and Tim Murtagh’s early wickets reducing England to a perilous 48 for four.

At that point, Morgan walked to the crease to a few boos, but he is widely respected in Irish cricket as its greatest batting talent and in the end his century was given a standing ovation by the biggest crowd for a cricket match in this country, which exceeded 10,000.

“It was amazing really,” said Morgan. “I won a trophy with this club – the All Ireland Trophy in 2002 – and it was a fantastic feeling today. I love this area. It is a fantastic part of Dublin and to get a victory like that was very satisfying.”

Despite the defeat, Ireland proved to their high-powered visitors from the International Cricket Council, including chief executive Dave Richardson, that a cricket culture exists here, which is one of the main requirements for a country to be granted Test status.

Now they just need to start beating Test-playing nations again.

They have not done that since their famous night in Bangalore and the grumbles over England sending weakened teams to Ireland will ring hollow in future after a fourth successive defeat on their own turf by a patched-up side.

England had a new look but debutants Rankin and Michael Carberry and the likes of Ben Stokes and James Taylor have realistic hopes of touring Australia with the Ashes squad this winter.

High stakes lead to nerves and Rankin started with five wides down the leg side and conceded 14 runs off his first two overs, before he settled with the wicket of Paul Stirling, caught off a thick edge to a rising delivery.

Then Rankin’s bounce pushed Ed Joyce back in his crease with the result he eventually trod on his stumps.

Rankin was the only player on the field to notice the bail had been dislodged and informed the umpires, who checked the replay before telling Joyce to go with a perplexed sell-out crowd silent as they tried to work out what had happened.

It was a dismissal which highlighted cricket’s porous borders. In the 2007 World Cup, Joyce, batting for England, was dismissed by Rankin, bowling for Ireland.

Porterfield has struggled for Warwickshire this season, with a highest score of 36 in the championship, but his measured innings was just what his side needed to post a respectable target.

James Tredwell came on in the 15th over and soon turned the ball.

He should have had Niall O’Brien caught in the deep but Carberry dropped a straightforward chance.

O’Brien then edged through vacant slip area before being bowled by a flighted delivery that turned and hit off stump.

England fielded just three specialist bowlers, picking instead all-rounders such as Ben Stokes and Bopara, which prompted Morgan at one point to turn to Carberry’s off-spin.

That decision cost 12 runs in an over which kick-started a late Irish surge as Porterfield brought up his hundred in a classic style with a six off his old mate Rankin.

Carberry’s nightmare debut, not quite on the Simon Kerrigan scale but uncomfortable enough, was completed when he went lbw for 10, and he was soon followed by Luke Wright.

Murtagh, such a consistent performer in county cricket, probed away on a pitch suiting his line and length style and Wright succumbed to the pressure as he was bowled off a bottom edge.

James Taylor played a horrible shot across the line to a nip-backer from Murtagh and Gary Ballance’s first innings for England was only two balls old when he tried to leave a ball outside off stump but feathered a catch behind.

Murtagh bowled his 10 overs for 33, but what followed let Ireland down.

Morgan and Bopara, who had been unable to take England home in the Champions Trophy final, shrugged off the pressure.

They did not put a foot wrong, attacking the spinners with precision hitting. The pair hit nine sixes with Bopara finding his range in his favourite area over midwicket.

He began what turned out to be the final over of the innings 14 runs short of his hundred but hit George Dockrell for 4, 6, 4 before Morgan ended the match with another six.

How England's debutants fared

Michael Carberry
Became a joke figure for the crowd after dropping two catches, fumbling the odd ball in the field and then bowling one over for 12 runs. Out lbw to a good ball from Johnston.

Gary Ballance
Took a good catch at first slip but out second ball edging when trying to leave a delivery from Murtagh. Not selected for Australia series so can now impress only in county cricket before Ashes selection.

Boyd Rankin
Made nervy start but looked dangerous once he settled. Outbowled Finn and can feel aggrieved fellow Irishman Morgan did not let him bowl his full 10 overs to give him a chance to claim a fifth wicket.

View the original article here

England see at first hand simmering Ireland discontent over the enticement of best cricketing talent

The discontent was not helped by the lack of senior players selected for the match on Tuesday when the grand opening will take place of Cricket Ireland’s new ground in Malahide, north Dublin, where nearly 10,000 fans will make up the biggest gate for a cricket match in this country.

The fact that England will be led by an Irishman, Eoin Morgan who started at Malahide Cricket Club, and Boyd Rankin, from Derry, could open the bowling only stirs the pot further.

"There could be a bit of disgruntlement. I suppose to the new cricket fan in Ireland, they don’t fully understand or appreciate the reasons why he [Morgan] went to play for England and that could be the fans perception," Kevin O’Brien, the Ireland all-rounder, said.

Officials from Cricket Ireland were diplomatic on Monday and there has been an assurance behind the scenes from senior officials at the England and Wales Cricket Board that it will not pick any players named in Ireland’s 30-man extended squad for the 2015 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Will Porterfield, the Ireland captain, believes that Rankin could be the last Irish player to make the move to England if their dream of Test status comes true.

"It is frustrating to lose your best players but it is all credit to us for producing those players as well," Porterfield said. "As long as we are producing those players and showing we can host events like this then hopefully a lot of young Irish cricketers coming through will not have to take that step of playing for England.

"It will be a no-brainer in that you stay here as we will have an international calendar."

Key to that will be playing Test cricket. Cricket Ireland launched a three-day domestic tournament this summer, which it hopes will gain first-class status within three years, and the aim is to be able to play at Test level by 2020, an incentive that Morgan believes is vital to prevent players from copying his lead.

"The fact it’s still not there means the same subject keeps cropping up and if you have a young, ambitious guy who wants to play Test cricket he’s going to look elsewhere.

"It’s unfortunate but it’s the nature of playing cricket in Ireland and for Ireland," he said. "If you watched any of the Test matches this summer you’re dreaming if you think anything has changed. The Ashes is everything. The rivalry, the hype and the standard of cricket and how everyone adores and admires the guys playing in it should drive you to want to play cricket."

The reality is that the ECB is in a difficult position. It offers Irish players a path to Test cricket and in a packed international calendar one-off trips to Ireland for fixtures without context are hard to justify for coaches who want to rest cricketers for Ashes series.

"For the ECB, they’re probably damned if they do and damned if they don’t," said Warren Deutrom, the chief executive of Cricket Ireland.

"England sent over what purported to be an understrength team in 2006, 2009, 2011 and they’ve beaten us each time. So it's difficult for us to talk about how the B team is in some way disparaging Ireland."

England made few friends the last time they played here in 2009. They appeared as reluctant visitors spending less than 36 hours in the country and flying home as soon as the game ended.

This time England will stay an extra night and picking young players with a point to prove rather than those weary after the Ashes, could help Ireland put on a show.

The weather forecast is good and the ground, set in the environs of Malahide Castle, an attractive venue to promote Ireland's credentials to Dave Richardson, the chief executive of the Internional Cricket Council, who will be a guest on Tuesday alongside Michael D??Higgins, the President of Ireland.

One of the criteria for Test status at the ICC is to prove a country has a cricket culture and this match, which will also be shown live in India, is a big chance.

"This game is in some ways the embodiment of that culture, we’ll have 10,000 people to watch a game in front of Sky Sports cameras, the president of Ireland, 650 hospitality guests. This is a proper sporting event," Deutrom said.

View the original article here

England v Australia, second T20: live

WICKET! Coulter-Nile c Briggs b Finn 13 Steve Finn was seeing his life flash before his eyes there! First two balls of the over, both are slammed for six by Coulter-Nile. On the 45th anniversary of Sobers's six sixes in an over... But calm is restored as Coulter-N swings and misses at ball three, a slower ball. Then another dot ball, a quick one. Now fifth ball of the over Finn produces a slower ball bouner, Coulter-Nile swings at it, gets the top edge and is easily caught at fine leg. FOW 162/9

Mike Turney, our Danny Briggs correspondent: "Hmmm – humble pie for tea then." Ha, fair play to you Mike. He hadn't done a lot prior to this game.

OVER 18: AUS 150/7 (Johnson 1* Coulter-Nile 1*) Mitch comes in and survives the hat-trick ball, which was wide outside off. Should have gone for the striaght slowie, I reckon Jade. Mitchell has to swing at everything, so.... Anyway. Super over, two runs and two wickets, and you can't say fairer than that. 46 needed from 12 balls.

WICKET! Maxwell c Lumb b Dernbach 27 But that has to be the game. Maxwell has flicked a full toss straight to deep square leg, and Australia's last hope surely goes with him. The batsmen cross. FOW 148/7

... and next ball ...

WICKET! Faulkner c Morgan b Dernbach Excellent short ball from Jade, Faulkner backs away and tries to pull, but the ball is too slippery and quick for that. He slides the ball off the top edge and Morgan takes a wonderful catch at backward point. FOW 148/8

OVER 17: AUS 148/6 (Maxwell 27* Faulkner 5*) Could be a promising physical comedy double act down there, Finny and Morgs with a bit of relay fielding. That's about the best thing that England can say about this Bopara over, which gets slammed for 19 by Maxwell. Too short balls from Ravi get the treatment, six and a four, and then a length ball smacked down the ground. Could have been worse: Maxwell misses out on a full toss off the last ball of the over. So Aussies need 48 off 18 balls, that over has just (just) about kept the Aussies in it.

Graeme Whittaker: "Respect to Marc. 7 hours! Did a few myself earlier and got seriously nettled. However had the pleasure of seeing the Red Arrows, 2 'V' formations of 5 and the chap at the back either trying to keep up or marking them for their formation, low over Hereford on their way to Portrush I guess. Don't want to tempt fate but I think we should win this one."

OVER 16: AUS 129/6 (Maxwell 8* Faulkner 5*) Faulkner comes in, lovely shot as he steps away and hits in-to-out through cover. Very attractive. But Briggs is able to end the over with two dots. Ball was changed after the wicket, should you be interested. Aussies need a huge over now to get back in this.

WICKET! Wade b Briggs 4 First ball of the over, around the wicket, quicker ball, Wade heaves and misses and he's a goner. Your move, Mike Turney. FOW 123/6

OVER 15: AUS 123/5 (Maxwell 7* Wade 4*) Skilful over from Ravi, cutters and slower balls, it's hard for the two new batsmen to line him up and there are eight runs off the over.

Mike Turney's not for turning: "Harsh? Briggs has got 3 wickets in 5 matches with an economy of 11 an over - neither a wicket taker or a run miser. If the aim in 20/20 is to bowl full tosses, he’s the man."

OVER 14: AUS 115/5 (Maxwell 2* Wade 1*) Single to Mawell and Wade to end an impressive over from young Briggs, four runs and a wicket. England firm favourites from here.

WICKET! Bailey lbw Briggs 23 Nicely done, Briggsy. He gets a ball to straighten from around the wicket, Bailey misses with the big slog sweep and that's band LBW. FOW 113/5

OVER 13: AUS 111/4 (Bailey 22*) Seven off the over. Glenn Maxwell will be the new man.

WICKET! Warner c Hales b Dernbach The key man goes, and nobody is happier than Steve Finn. Off the fifth ball of the over, Warner flat-bats it high back over the bowler and Finn, running back from mid off calls for it, runs back and.... gets nowhere near it. The onrushing Joe Root, coming in from long on might have been a better bet. Anyhow, it doesn't matter too much because Warner has spanked a Dernbach slower ball out to Hales on the cover boundary, and he takes a good low catch dicing forward.

Mike Turney: "Has Briggs got incriminating photos of ECB selectors? There can be no other reason why he keeps getting picked. He’s a village green bowler at best." Bit on the harsh side, Mike?

OVER 12: AUS 104/3 (Warner 50* Bailey 19*) Good cricket from the Aussie pair in this over, England's fielders left looking rather flat-footed as Bailey gets no fewer than three well-run twos into the leg-side off Root. In between those, Warner gets the singles that bring up his 50.

OVER 11: AUS 95/3 (Warner 48* Bailey 12*) Skipper Bailey has a look at a couple from Broad and then puts the foot down. A full ball driven for four, pulls the ensuing short one for a couple, and then chips it with the breeze for six over midwicket.

Marc Melander: "Liking your 'Warner looking dangerous' (Over 6). You can tell he's playing cricket and not attempting to connect with Joe Root's chin in a Walkabout battlecruiser. As ever am enjoying your updates. Just slapped a lip over a cold beer after a 7 hour gardening stint." SEVEN HOURS? Bloody hell, what is this, the Burma Railway?

OVER 10: AUS 82/3 (Warner 47*) Looks to be all about Rocky Warner to me. England in control at halfway, 114 needed from 60 balls, although of course a big over or two changes everything.

WICKET! Marsh b Root 13 Nicely done, Joe. Marsh had tonked him over midwicket for six, but Root gets one to skid on with the arm from around the wicket and Marsh is cleaned up off the last ball of the over. FOW 82/3

OVER 9: AUS 73/2 (Warner 47* Marsh 7*) Broad doesn't fancy another of Briggs, or at least not yet, and Ravi comes on. Okay over of cutters. He sends down two wides. But no boundaries, and just seven off it.

OVER 8: AUS 66/2 (Warner 44* Marsh 5*) Joe Root on for a bowl. It's the Warner show so far. Marsh has made a quiet five off seven balls. But Warner is cracking on. He shows he's not just a biffer, a nice delicate back cut for four.

OVER 7: AUS 57/2 (Warner 39* Marsh 1*) Briggs on. Starts with a wide! Dear me. Excellent from Warner in this over. Four through mid on, drive through the offside, and now a six down the ground that defies the leaping effort of Joe Root. Nick Knight wonders if England should have a taller fielder there.

OVER 6: AUS 42/2 (Warner 25* Marsh 1*) Dernbach comes on. Shades of England's failing the other night as he serves up the ball, full and in the slot. Slightly overpitched, it comes on nicely and that's six down the ground. Bouncer called a wide on height. Good stuff in the rest of the over, though. Powerplay comes to an end and you would imagine England are pleased enough. 154 more needed, off 14 overs, and my maths skillz (calculator) tell me that's 11 an over. Warner looking dangerous.

OVER 5: AUS 34/2 (Warner 18* Marsh 1*) Languid swing of the bat from Warner as he plonks Finn over long off for six first ball of the over. Short ball down leg is called wide. Good duel between bat and ball as Finn beats Warner swinging. Finishes with a leg bye. Ten off the over.

OVER 4: AUS 24/2 (Warner 11* Marsh 0*) Flashing blade from Warner, a pull for four and a cut for the same. Broad keeping it wide of off, fearing the breeze across the ground will allow the ball to sail into the stands.

OVER 3: AUS 15/2 (Warner 2* Marsh 0*) In fairness to Warner, there was never a run there, that run out was all of Watson's own making. Earlier in the over, the blond powerhouse had slammed Finn for four, but his day is done. Finn beats Marsh with a snorter first ball, shaving the off-stump. And again next ball! Finn all over the Aussies here.

WICKET! Watson run out 7 Oh dear! By which I mean "ha, ha, ha." Watson dabs it to backward point and sets off. Warner sends him back. Watson turns and tries to get back, Morgan with the direct hit and Watson is gone by a street. FOW 15/2

OVER 2: AUS 9/1 (Warner 2* Watson 1*) Good stuff from Broad, England are off to a strong start. Watson can manage just a single from his first four balls.

WICKET! Finch c Wright b Broad 5 Skipper himself has removed the danger man. Stock ball from Broad, Finch has a go at it and he's spooned it off the top edge to mid-on. No fireworks today. Well, he'd nailed the first ball of the over, a full one outside off, for four, but that's ancient history now. FOW 8/1

OVER 1: AUS 4/0 (Warner 2* Finch 1*) Useful over from Finn. Very good, quick bouncer in there. Only four runs off the over.

16.06 The players are back out, England better hope they get Aaron Finch out cheaply. Steve Finn will bowl the first over, he has a bit to prove. England should win from here. Only seven times have the Aussies managed more than this score in 63 T20s.

ENGLAND MAKE 195/5 A good effort from England again with the bat, Hales just missing out on a century but, to my mind, the story is Fawad Ahmed. Obviously it's early days, but Australia look to have acquired a useful leg-spinning asset here. The way he dealt with the pressure of bowling the last over was impressive, he did for Buttler with a big, slow, leg-break and he had Eoin Morgan on toast with that googly. Encouraging signs. Alex Hales has now made three scores in the nineties in this format. England's score looks very handy, although they would have been hoping for 200-plus, having been 110/0 off 11 overs. And how will they deal with the FINCH HITTER?

OVER 20: ENG 195/5 (Bopara 1* Root 1*) Neither Ravi nor Root can do a lot with the last couple of balls of the over and that's England's lot. Eight runs and two wickets for Fawad Ahmed in the last over.

WICKET! Buttler b Fawad Ahmed 0 Ooh, nice bit of bowling! He tosses it up, it's a slow leg-break, it pitches and turns a fair bit. Buttler heaves all around it and he is bowled. Golden duck! Nice one Fawad. FOW 187/4

... Morgan now nails the ball for six over cow corner.

WICKET! Morgan c Coulter-Nile b Fawad Ahmed 20 Love it! That's the googly, Morgan goes for the same shot but the ball's spun the other way this time, he's hit against the spin and he's hit it right down the throat of Coulter-Nile at deep midwicket. FOW 194/5

OVER 19: ENG 187/3 (Morgan 14*) That came off the last ball of the over and it looks like it is Jos Buttler who comes in. And it looks like Fawad will bowl the last over - I like it. Bold move.

WICKET! Hales c Warner b Faulkner 94 Faulkner. So I guess that means Watto or Fawad will bowl the last? Time running out for Hales, the pair have managed just six runs from the first five balls. He goes for the big shot, smears it down the ground and.... there's that man Warner! Very good catch, Hales goes for 94; that is his third score in the nineties in international T20. FOW 187/3

Peter Rowntree: "Finch is certainly a mighty hitter of the ball and England will need to clip his wings early to stand a chance. England's effort on Thursday taken on its own, 200-plus, was not a bad effort, and they look as though they will get over 200 today. So not much wrong with the batting in this T20 team. It is the bowling that worries me, Finn is below par, I have never had much faith in Dernbach, although he was our best bowler in the first T20 - but look at the bowling figures we had the other day mostly in the 40's from 4 overs - and just think Dave Willey took him for 55 in 4 overs in the T20 final and that is why I lack confidence in our friend Jade."

OVER 18: ENG 181/2 (Hales 91* Morgan 13*) No sooner has 'Beertickers' emailed, then Morgan slams Ann Coulter-Nile over midwicket for six. Bad times for Ann, he's hit for two by Hales, and that's a no ball as well. Could have been worse, Hales only chips it into the offside for two. Hales slices through point for four and all told there are 18 in the over. Can Hales become England's first T20 centurion?

Beertickers: "As an additional point to the non-appearance of Carberrry, I see that Morgan is selected again despite not having scored very much at all recently. In fact he's been rubbish for too long now. It does seem that certain players are always selected irrespective of form whilst others like Carberry and particularly Onions are constantly overlooked. What is it about these players that they never quite make the grade - despite outstanding displays all season long? Or don't the selectors fancy them when it comes down to it? Very confusing."

OVER 17: ENG 162/2 (Hales 82* Morgan 4*) Eoin Morgan comes in, on his way right away with a cut for two, singles make this a seven-run over.

WICKET! Wright c Johnson b Faulkner 30 Aw, what a catch from Mitch! Low full toss from Faulkner, Wright toe ends it to mid off, Johnson with a superb leap to pluck the ball from high above his head. Handy 30 off 18 balls from Luke comes to an end. FOW 157/2

OVER 16: ENG 155/1 (Hales 81* Wright 28*) But the wheels are off for Maxwell now! Wrigth finds his timing and drills him down the ground for six, then carves him for four through point. Maxwell lets slip a full toss, Wright heaves it away and it lands just inside the rope for four. 18 off the over and England are back in front, I'd say.

OVER 15: ENG 137/1 (Hales 78* Wright 13*) Wright hasn't got his timing working yet, he cannot get Johnson away, couple of mistimed pulls, then the batsmen trade singles before Wright does manage to get a boundary with an inside (bottom?) edge wide of the keeper.

OVER 14: ENG 131/1 (Hales 77* Wright 8*) Tidy over from Glenn Maxwell, his brisk off-darts keeping England to seven. Looks like spin is the way to go on this pitch on the limited evidence so far; England have been able to line the quicker lads up nicely. Warner stumbles as he fields, gets a roar from the crowd, raises his cap in good humour. Proper old-fashioned Aussie pantomime villain. These Aus spinners have put the match back in the balance: four overs for 24 from Fawad and the Silver Hammer. England need a big finish.

OVER 13: ENG 124/1 (Hales 76* Wright 2*) Superb yorker from Coulter-Nile, known to all the Aussie lads as Ann; he's very unlucky to see that go for four as Hales somehow jabs the bat on it and slices it down to fine leg. Four for that; eight off the over.

OVER 12: ENG 116/1 (Hales 69* Wright 1*) Fawad the pick of the bowlers so far, just ones and twos in this over. The ball has been changed.

WICKET! Lumb c Wade b Fawad Ahmed 43 Go on Fawad lad! The Pakistan-born leggie has his first international wicket as Lumb top edges a slog-sweep, the ball spooning high to Matthew Wade for a shelling-peas catch. Nelson's done for England, the newly-minted Aussie has his first scalp and it's FOW 111/1

OVER 11: ENG 110/0 (Lumb 43* Hales 64*) Nice! England's 100 is up as Alex Hales spots a Mitchell Johnson cutter early and slams it over long on. Now Mitch, easily rattled fellow that he is, drops it short and that's an easy pull for four. Lumb also gets in on the act with a boundary, stepping back to hammer the ball through the offside and that's a 16-run over.

OVER 10: ENG 94/0 (Lumb 38* Hales 53*) Third quiet-ish over in a row, Hales clips the ball off his pads for a two, that brings up his half century. Just ones and twos off Fawad. England look on course for 200-plus.

OVER 9: ENG 88/0 (Lumb 36* Hales 49*) Faulkner now. Second running mix-up of the day, and a direct hit from Faulkner would have been curtains with both batsmen at the striker's end. Hales turns it off the legs for four, Marsh makes a game effort with the diving catch at square leg.

OVER 8: ENG 82/0 (Lumb 35* Hales 43*) Fawad Ahmed into the fray in an effort to put the brakes on a very good start from the E. Second ball is wide and airy, Hales drives it for four. But just a single and a couple of leg byes in the rest of the over, as well as a shout for a caught-behind that didn't hit the glove.

Marc Melander: "Presumably the triumphant ladies team refrained from wetting their collective lettuces on the square?" I have had no reports of on-pitch wee-wee so far today, Marc, but I'll keep you posted. Pictures in a plain brown envelope to the usual address? Actually, what with bongo being all online these days, has that harmed sales of plain brown envelopes?

OVER 7: ENG 74/0 (Lumb 35* Hales 38*) Back to Watson, England enjoying this now. Watto tries a leg-cutter but it's on a plate for Lump, who produces the shot of the day so far to send a six sailing over long on. Right into the box where some of the women cricketers are sitting! Ones and twos make this a 13 run over.

OVER 6: ENG 61/0 (Lumb 26* Hales 34*) I reckon this could be Alex Hales's day: he's now top-edged a pull for four over the keeper's heid. Over to Lumb. He comes down the pitch and strokes a four, now bludgeons the ball through midwicket, hardly any backswing, just a lot of power from his strong wrists and arms. Excellent start from England as they powerplay comes to a close. And this after a one-run first over!

OVER 5: ENG 46/0 (Lumb 16* Hales 29*) James Faulkner into the attack. Four boundaries to in the over! First two have an element of luck. Inside edge past the stumps, then a smeary sort of a pull, both ill-deserved fours. But nothing wrong with the towering straight six that comes up next! And then a ball slogged hard along the ground to cow corner that beats the desperate dive of Bailey, who tips it onto the rope. A nervy single and Hales has pinched the strike.

OVER 4: ENG 27/0 (Lumb 16* Hales 10*) Here's Coulter-Nile. Beats Hales on the inside edge, appeal from Wade but nobody else. Lumb up-and-unders a ball high, high, high to deep midwicket and Maxwell makes good ground, dives but cannot get the catch. Four. Just a single to go with and that's a useful over.

OVER 3: ENG 22/0 (Lumb 12* Hales 9*) Alex Hales is off and running, two fours into the legside and a quick single to mid off.

OVER 2: ENG 13/0 (Lumb 12* Hales 0*) Counter-intuitive from Bailey, he tosses the ball to Watson. This is a better over for England, first ball sits up nicely for Lumb to cut for four. Too much width from Watto, and now too short, Lumb pulls that away for four. Warner maybe should have stopped it on the boundary. The crowd jeer. It was a bit of failed fielding that 30 years ago wouldn't have raised an eyebrow, but standards are so high that Warner is mocked for failing to effect a running, sliding stop. He takes it in good heart, as he has all summer. Seems like a decent lad, as it goes.

OVER 1: ENG 1/0 (Lumb 1* Hales 0*) Good start from Mitch, three dot balls. Lumb hits two straight to the cover fielder and then is hit on the thigh pad playing across the line. Lumb finally on his way fourth ball with a mistimed pull for one. Hales ducks a bouncer, and then plays and misses. The Aussies are up - they think it's a caught behind! Umpire Rob Bailey thinks otherwise. Even still, very handy over for the Aussies, just one off it. Mitch with the higher than usual arm, looking impressive.

14.30 Lovely day. And here's lovely MItchell Johnson! He will open the bowling to Michael Lumb.

Lanky: "As expected the England Boys Club maintains its terminal behaviour by selecting an unchanged team. The omission of Carberry is no more than everybody expected - so what is the value in selecting him? Just what is it about the England selectors that they can wilfully leave out the best batsman of the season - again? Favouritism is the only reason."

14.18 This new lad in the Aussie side, Nathan Coulter-Nile, then. He's a right-armer, plays for Western Australia and he gets it down there with a muscular action. Not one for the purists, plenty of shoulder in the action, so I dunno how that will hold up for him long-term. He is a powerful lower-order batsman and he is rated as among the best fielders in Australia. 25-years-old, nickname: River. Obviously. Well, it wasn't going to be 'Ann' Coulter, was it? He's on the card to bat 10, and I imagine he'll share the new pill with Mitchell Johnson.

14.17 Here's the England women spraying the champers. They won the T20 quite comfortably this morning.

14.15 England's batting on Thursday was very good, I thought. No complaints on that score. Encouraging knock from Joe Root in his first international T20 knock, and Ravi in the runs. If you make 209 in a T20, you'd expect to win.

14.10 The new man for the Aussies is Nathan Coulter-Nile, an aggressive fast bowler with a brutish action from the shoulder. He also gives it a whack with the bat and is a handy fielder. A thoroughly modern Millie, by all accounts.

14.05 Here's where England bowled to Finch the other night. You don't need me to tell you that they bowled too few yorkers and two many overpitched balls. Still, it was an incredible knock.

14.00 Aussies win the toss and bowl. Just one change to their team, Josh Hazlewood comes out and Nathan Coulter-Nile comes in. England are unchanged, that's a shame: I was hoping that Michael Carberry might get a chance.

13.50 Afternoon all, and welcome to our live blog of the second Twenty20. England lost the first one, thanks to an astonishing knock from Aaron Finch, so they’ll need to win here to share the two-match series. We'll bring you the toss and the teams in a jiffy.

View the original article here

England may risk giving one-day debuts to four players in international against Ireland

Jamie Overton could become the youngest England player since Brian Close in 1949 if he is chosen in a side which will almost certainly feature batsmen Michael Carberry and Gary Ballance and Irish fast bowler Boyd Rankin for the first time in one-day cricket.

Rankin has played Twenty20 for England this summer and Carberry has one Test cap from a 2010 tour to Bangladesh but this will be their first serious test as they begin challenges for berths on this winter’s Ashes tour.

They will meet an Ireland side full of experience with eight survivors from that win in Bangalore in 2011 plus Tim Murtagh, of Middlesex, one of the most consistent bowlers in county cricket who qualified for Ireland last year through his grandparents.

Overton is a physically strong 19-year-old quick bowler who looks like a rugby player in whites. Overton is also part of the squad to play Australia and when picked he will be the first teenager to play for England since Ben Hollioake in 1997.

“I wouldn’t ever take Ireland for granted and say a weakened side would make it any more level,” said Eoin Morgan, who will captain England for the rest of the summer.

“I think we’ve brought a strong side, a young and very talented side that given opportunities hopefully will show they are world beaters.

“It’s very exciting for us to come across here and give these guys opportunities to hopefully flourish, particularly in a game like this. But we’re certainly not taking Ireland for granted.”

The defeat in the World Cup, when Kevin O’Brien scored 113, reaching three figures off only 50 balls, changed the course of Irish cricket and they are now credible opponents. Ireland tied a match with Pakistan in Dublin in May and narrowly lost the second by two wickets.

“I think all teams in world cricket know that when they play us they are going to get a very tough game so gone are the days when teams turn up in Dublin or Belfast and are here for a jolly,” O’Brien said.

Life has changed for O’Brien, who 10 days ago was playing for Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel in the Caribbean Premier League Twenty20.

“On the field life has changed a lot but it [World Cup innings] was a long time ago now, it was 2½ years ago and I can’t really be living off it for the rest of my life, so I need to keep improving. If I can get another innings that is as half as good tomorrow then it will be very special.”

England (possible): M A Carberry, J W A Taylor, E J G Morgan (capt), G S Ballance, R S Bopara, B A Stokes, J C Buttler, J Overton, J C Tredwell, S T Finn, W B Rankin.

Ireland (possible): W T S Porterfield (capt), P R Stirling, E C Joyce, N? J ?O’Brien, G C Wilson, K??J O’Brien, A R White, M C Sorensen, D T Johnston, T J Murtagh, G H Dockrell.

View the original article here

England v Australia: opener Alex Hales stars as England win second Twenty20 match at Chester-le-Street

England levelled the two-match T20 series by defeating Australia by 27 runs - almost as handsome as the 39-run margin that Australia had enjoyed at the Ageas Bowl.

England owed their win to a fine opening stand of 111 by Alex Hales and Michael Lumb, and to an all-round improvement in their attack, which stopped Australia hitting as many boundaries as England had: T20 can be as basic as that.

Hales contributed half of England’s 26 fours and sixes, whereas Australia managed only 19. In the first game, thanks to Aaron Finch, Australia had outscored England 37-29 in boundaries.

“The guys adapted to the conditions really well,” England’s T20 captain, Stuart Broad, said about England’s recovery from their thumping by Finch, who had taken batting in T20 internationals into a new sphere with his 156 off 63 balls. Broad led from the front this time by dismissing Finch with his bouncer when he had scored no more than five.

“Both batting performances have been exceptional,” said Broad of England’s two-match series, before admitting: “We still need to nail our skills a bit more with the ball.”

There had been a case for England bringing in Michael Carberry in place of one of the openers, as Carberry had been the leading boundary-hitter – and therefore run-scorer – in the county 20-over competition.

But the selectors kept faith, Lumb and Hales delivered, and Carberry will have to take his chance in the 50-over series against Australia that begins on Friday at Headingley.

On a cool and very windy afternoon at Chester-le-Street, against an Australian team with only one serious spinner, Lumb and Hales were more than sufficient. They had merrily thrashed 74 from the opening seven overs before spin appeared in the form of Fawad Ahmed, the asylum-seeker from Pakistan who was fast-tracked to Australian citizenship.

Lumb soon fell to Ahmed, top-edging a sweep, but their stand had equalled England’s highest against Australia. Hales ploughed on to the highest T20 score for England against Australia but, if a criticism has to be made, he slowed down as his innings wore on rather than accelerating as Finch had at the Ageas Bowl.

Hales reached 64 off 40 balls, which was fine going, but hit ‘only’ 30 more runs off his last 21 balls, and 18 off his last 12.

The start to Luke Wright’s innings was another area for improvement. Hales and Lumb each hit their first boundary off their fifth ball.

Wright did not hit his first boundary until his 12th ball, and in the process he allowed Glen Maxwell - a part-time off-spinner - to squeeze in an over that only cost six runs.

But at least England had wickets in hand for their final assault, having lost only Lumb in the first 16 overs. Although Fawad was cleverly kept for the 20th over, and took two wickets for eight after bowling his first three overs for only 17, England came close to 200 on a pitch that offered more to the bowlers than Southampton’s belter.

In addition, when England’s bowlers had succumbed to the Finch-hitting, they had bowled far too much of a normal length: only one yorker in the first 15 overs, by which time Finch had taken the game away. Here England’s pace bowlers mixed up their lengths much better and prevented a flying Australian start – or finish.

Once Broad had bounced out Finch, Morgan contributed some excellent fielding at point, running out Shane Watson with a direct hit and catching James Faulkner over his shoulder.

Joe Root bounced back from his one over for 27 in the previous game, but the pick of England’s bowlers for the second game running was Jade Dernbach.

Dernbach has been through a lot of turmoil at Surrey in the last year, but he has returned to his most productive bowling here, taking six wickets in the two games.

Here Dernbach backed up his captain as a senior seamer should, and did not get sidetracked into petty squabbles with the non-striker.

If there had been a player of the series on each side, it would have been Finch for Australia, for smiting pace and spin, to off side and leg side, off front and back foot; and Dernbach for England.

View the original article here

Fawad Ahmed to wear sponsorless shirt in Australia v England matches due to faith

Pakistan-born Ahmed, who became an Australian citizen in July after his application was fast-tracked, did not have the brewer's logo on his shirt during his international debut in last week's T20 matches against England.

Mike McKenna, Cricket Australia's executive general manager for operations, said Tuesday the player first raised the issue when he was selected for the Australia A tour of Britain in June.

"Fawad expressed discomfort with the conflict this created for him, due to his religious beliefs," he said.

"Cricket Australia and Carlton United Breweries (CUB) are respectful of Fawad's personal beliefs and have agreed with his request to wear an unbranded shirt.

"CUB have been a long-standing partner of Australian cricket for more than 17 years and Fawad was thankful for their understanding of his personal situation."

South African batsman Hashim Amla, also a Muslim, is another player in a similar situation and has been permitted not to wear the logo of Cricket South Africa sponsor Castle, a beer company, on his kit.

The sensitive issue also reared up in English football with striker Papiss Cisse pulling out of Newcastle United's pre-season tour this year, saying he was not prepared to promote the club's sponsors, money-lending company Wonga.

But the Senegal international has since donned a Newcastle shirt featuring the logo after talks with the club and Islamic teachers.

Ahmed, whose rapid rise has made him a hero to some in Australia's immigrant communities, impressed in his second T20 match for Australia on Sunday, returning three English wickets for 25 runs.

His performance was timely after he took none for 43 on debut during the first T20 last week.

Edited by Oliver Pickup

View the original article here

England stand-in captain Eoin Morgan refusing to get carried away after ODI victory over Ireland

"I enjoy the moment for what it is and then try to move on from there.

"But it was very satisfying, particularly getting over the line."

Ireland's score of 269 for seven was built around a fine hundred from their captain William Porterfield.

When that was followed by the capture of four early wickets in England's reply, three of them by Tim Murtagh, Ireland sensed a repeat of their famous 2011 World Cup defeat of their neighbours.

Morgan said: "Tim bowled really well. It did suit him and the length he bowled was terrific, asking a load of questions of the batsmen.

"We never got going for a while, but when we did, we capitalised.

"We managed to rebuild something and built from there."

Despite the loss, the day was still a momentous one for cricket in Ireland.

A crowd close to the ground's 10,000 capacity attended and the hosts proved competitive.

Porterfield said: "You've got to accept the fact we didn't get it quite right.

"Take nothing away from the way the two lads played, they were two fantastic hundreds. An unbroken 220-run partnership with two hundreds is a pretty good effort.

"But having England 48 for four and not being able to build that pressure and see that through is slightly frustrating for ourselves."

Ireland could also have extra reason for grievance given that the country produced both Morgan and another of England's key performers in debutant Boyd Rankin, who took four for 46.

Porterfield said: "Yes it is frustrating when a couple of Irish lads are playing against you, but there is nothing you can do.

"It is water under the bridge as far as we are concerned."

(Edited by Kristian Walsh)

View the original article here

Ireland v England, ODI: live

OVER 41: ENG 245/4 (Morgan 115* Bopara 81*) Ravi Bopara launches that one down the ground, six runs. Bosh. Oof, painful business for KJ O'Brien in this over. Ravi now with another aggressive shot down the ground, four runs. Annoyingly, the keeper doesn't read the slower ball bouncer and it bobbles for four byes, and then the crowning bit of pain, a six from Morgan over midwicket. 22 runs off the over. Just 25 runs now needed, I suppose Ravi will be hoping that he can get 19 of them...

Ken Andrew: "Good luck with Ireland's attempts at full Test status by 2010 but I fear it may be some time before the ICC's " culture of cricket " necessary for qualification really exists. My sons play cricket in Cork City where there are just two clubs.The nearest indoor net is three hours away in Dublin. Not a lot of use in a country where it rains for 9 months of the year."

OVER 40 PP: ENG 223/4 (Morgan 108* Bopara 70*) Long hop from Dockrell and that gets the treatment from Morgs. A couple of singles and a wide, that makes seven runs and this is England's highest fifth-wicket partnership in ODIs. 47 runs off the powerplay, brutal stuff.

OVER 39 PP: ENG 216/4 (Morgan 103* Bopara 69*) What a shot from Ravi! Steps away to leg and O'Brien serves it up on middle stump, Ravi clatters that for four through cover. That's one of two boundaries in a ten-run over and England are looking set fair from here. The Scots are eight down up in Edinburgh, they need 214 off eight overs, so they've got a bit to do.

OVER 38 PP: ENG 206/4 (Morgan 103* Bopara 59*) That wasn't the worst first ball from Johnston, but Morgan is seeing it like the proverbial and launches it for a one-bounce four. Another single, a deuce and a majestic six and that is his ton. What a way to do it, and what a place, the pitch of his youth. The crowd stands as one in tribute. A fine moment.

OVER 37 PP: ENG 192/4 (Morgan 90* Bopara 58*) Either Mooney has got to stop pitching full and wide, or Porterfield has got to put someone in at third man - without him, boundaries simply there for the taking. Morgan helps himself to a four and Bopara a six, crushed over wide long-on. A run a ball will do it for England from here, and the next three overs should take the rate a fair sight shorter than that.

OVER 36 PP: ENG 181/4 (Morgan 85* Bopara 52*) Here's the obligatory batting Powerplay, and it suddenly seems like a long time since England were four wickets down with less than 50 on the board. Ireland need a flash of something: inspiration, madness, anything will do. Trent Johnston returns to the attack and Wilson is up to the stumps again to keep Morgs and Ravi honest. Morgan tries to launch him down the ground and catches the toe of the bat, but still picks up two.

OVER 35: ENG 176/4 (Morgan 81* Bopara 51*) The hands in the field shown by Ireland are something to behold on what is, well, not what you'd call a carpet of a pitch. Still, Morgan's suddenly past 80 at a canter, picking up a couple off a low full toss out to deep cover - doesn't seem so long ago he was saluting his fifty.

OVER 34: ENG 172/4 (Morgan 78* Bopara 50*) I've got sympathy for Ireland here. They're just one more bowler away from being a really handy outfit. The captain gambled bravely on Murtagh bowling ten overs in a row, and it paid off with England four down after 15 overs. But once he was done, Ireland tried to fiddle through the overs with their spinners and it's allowed Ravi and Morgan to get well set. Class is starting to tell. There's a change of ends for Dockrell, five off the over, and Ravi notches himself a fifty.

OVER 33: ENG 167/4 (Morgan 75* Bopara 48*) John Mooney comes on with his right arm medium pace. It looks a bit club-side, I have to say. Morgan drives for a couple, pulls a filthy short one for four, the over is a mixture of long hops and full tosses and really 12 off the over could have been worse.

OVER 32: ENG 155/4 (Morgan 63* Bopara 48*) Morgs cuts neatly and they hare back for two. Single. Now it's Ravi on strike, and he's slotted Stirling for two sixes, one over midwicket and one over cow. Ireland have let England settle too readily against these spinners, IMO. The spinners Dockrell and Stirling have now bowled nine over in a row and England are looking comfortable.The 100 partnership is up.

OVER 31: ENG 140/4 (Morgan 60* Bopara 36*) Morgan's lined Dockrell up here! Down the track, and a big six down over wide long on. Now Morgan shows the other side of his game with a deft touch sweep for two. Three singles to go with it and England are starting to look commanding here.

OVER 30: ENG 129/4 (Morgan 50* Bopara 35*) Three singles off the Stirling over, the second of Morgan's giving him his first ODI 50 since August last year.

OVER 29: ENG 126/4 (Morgan 48* Bopara 34*) Yes. That's it, Ireland. Just two off that over. The groundfielding is excellent.

Ken Andrew: "You certainly couldn't accuse Paul Stirling of being a pie-chucker.It looks like he wouldn't let a crumb go to waist....sorry waste. Wahaay!"

OVER 28: ENG 124/4 (Morgan 47* Bopara 33*) Okay, that's a better over from Ireland. They manage to keep England down to three runs, Morgan timing Stirling well but picking out the field.

OVER 27: ENG 121/4 (Morgan 45* Bopara 33*) Ravi going for his shots now. He hits Dockrell against the spin over the infield for four. Now he drives inside-to-out and that was streaky, to my eyes, the ball comes off the outside edge for a single through cover. Now Morgan sweeps Dockrell for four and England, with 19 runs off the last two overs, are giving Ireland some headaches.

OVER 26: ENG 112/4 (Morgan 41* Bopara 28*) Niall O'Brien saves four with a fine bit of fielding on the boundary, but Stirling is having a hard time finding his length. There are a couple of overpitched balls in this over, and Ravi drives one of them handsomely down the ground for four. England are able to find singles without too much difficulty at the moment and there are 10 runs off this over. Stirling has been the weak link so far with the ball.

OVER 25: ENG 102/4 (Morgan 38* Bopara 21*) A clever sweep from Morgan gives him three and brings up the fifty partnership. A couple of singles to go with it and at half-way... well, England have a long way to go. The run rate is ticking steadily upwards, 6.72 now, and another wicket would turn this into a full-blown crisis.

OVER 24: ENG 97/4 (Morgan 34* Bopara 20*) Paul Stirling with his off-breaks. Not brilliant. Two full tosses in the over, lucky for him Morgan doesn't take full advantage. Couple of twos to Morgan, who is able to work the ball around deftly.

OVER 23: ENG 91/4 (Morgan 29* Bopara 19*) No, Kevin. Just... no. You cannot bowl short on a slow pitch at that pace. Morgan slams the sit-up-and-beg to the boundary for four and there are three singles.

OVER 22: ENG 84/4 (Morgan 24* Bopara 17*) Morgan sweeps a four, and there are three singles of Dockrell. Set the controls for: cautious optimism?

OVER 21: ENG 77/4 (Morgan 19* Bopara 15*) Kevin O'Brien is on from the Dublin Road End. Gorgeous cover drive from Morgs to an overpitched ball for four.

Luke Wright's was one of several poor shots for England. And is that a video game sticker on the back of his bat?!

OVER 20: ENG 71/4 (Morgan 14* Bopara 14*) Four singles off the Dockrell over: decent stuff from Somerset's slow left-armer. He's well supported by some handy ground-fielding. 199 runs needed from 30 overs but this partnership is looking a bit more composed. SCotland, meanwhile, are sinking without trace against the Aussies up at The Grange. They're 80/5 chasing 363.

OVER 19: ENG 67/4 (Morgan 12* Bopara 12*) Morgan, you lucky, lucky boy. The skipper prods a slow one from Murtagh back over the bowler's shoulder. Hands on heads and oohs all round. Tim Murtagh finishes up with a splendid ten-over spell of three for 33 with two maidens. Congrats to him - can his team-mates take up the fight?

OVER 18: ENG 65/4 (Morgan 11* Bopara 11*) George Dockrell joins the attack now - plenty of cover on the off side as he does, and just a single off the first ball to show for it.

OVER 17: ENG 64/4 (Morgan 10* Bopara 11*) For the first time, England carry the fight to Tim Murtagh. Two nce shots from Ravi, a late cut and a cording shot off the back foot. Nine overs off the reel for the Middlesex medium pace terror.

OVER 16: ENG 55/4 (Morgan 9* Bopara 3*) Some respite at the other end, though, Sorensen stroked around for a tidy seven runs. That run rate is up to 6.32. Not a crisis yet on that front: England have plenty of guys who can crack on.

OVER 15: ENG 48/4 (Morgan 6* Bopara 0*) England's second most experienced player after Morgan, Ravi Bopara, comes to the crease. The only shame for Ireland is that Tim Murtagh has just two overs left. Ravi defends his first ball.

WICKET! Taylor b Murtagh 25 Fantastic! Well bolwed Tim Murtagh. Full, Taylor drives around the ball and he's bowled. Awful shot, actually, big loose drive and the ball is through the gate. You could drive a bus through there. FOW 48/4 and England are in absolutely all sorts here.

Looks like a good day out there.

OVER 14: ENG 44/3 (Taylor 21* Morgan 6*) England looking more comfortable against Sorensen. LBW shout v Taylor but looked like inside edge to me. He's looking okay, Taylor. Drives through the offside for three, cuts a single.

OVER 13: ENG 38/3 (Taylor 17* Morgan 4*) First bad ball that Ireland's English opening bowler has bowled. Too full to Taylor, and width, and he drives it away handsomely. That's the only score in the Murtagh over, mind you.

Peter: "Firstly based on recent form I doubt whether Morgs will save the day, and even if he did it would mean that our best bowler and best batsman in the match were Irishmen - what possible satisfaction can an England side take from that? To me it looks as though we are in for a beating and as an Englishman, I side to some extent with Ger - the emergence of Ireland as a Test playing nation would be great for cricket - let's get behind them and help them in their aims, because it is certainly going to be a long hard road. But if they make it, how wonderful for cricket to have another Test playing nation."

OVER 12: ENG 34/3 (Taylor 13* Morgan 4*) Max Sorensen on. He has a bit more pace than the opening pair and England find him a bit easier to score off. They manage five singles, the first over that England have looked remotely in control.

OVER 11: ENG 29/3 (Taylor 10* Morgan 2*) Timmy M is into his sixth over. Hearts are in mouths when Morgan edges past gully, squared up by a decent cherry.

OVER 10: ENG 27/3 (Taylor 9* Morgan 1*) The powerplay comes to an end, that's a dream start to the innings for Ireland. They've taken three wickets, got England rattled, and they've pushed the required rate over a run a ball to RRR 6.07

OVER 9: ENG 25/3 (Taylor 8* Morgan 0*) I would imagine that skipper Eoin Morgan is thinking "I will literally never hear the end of this". Captain Morgan, one match-winning captain's knock, please. He survives the last two balls of this double wicket maiden.

WICKET! Wright b Murtagh 5 That's it! Poor choice of shot from Lukey on a slowish pitch, he tries to run the ball down to third man but has managed only to under-edge the ball onto his stumps. Too tight a line for the shot, aside from anything else. FOW 25/2

... here comes Gary Ballance ...

WICKET! Ballance c Wilson b Murtgah 0 And there goes Gary Ballance! He's been in great form for Yorkshire, but he's lasted only two balls today. Decent nut from Murtagh, Ballace half-plays, half-leaves, ends up doing not much of either, feathers an edge behind and it's a doozy of a catch with the gloves. FOW 25/3 This is fantastic stuff, come on the Irish.

OVER 8: ENG 25/1 (Wright 5* Taylor 8*) Johnston continues, Taylor laces the ball through extra cover for four to go with a couple off the pads.

OVER 7: ENG 19/1 (Wright 5* Taylor 2*) Maiden. And it should have been better than that. Murtagh seams it back into Wright, who is hit on the knee roll. Umpire Mark Hawthorne reckons it hit him outside the line, and he is wrong. Let-off! England are in a fight here. Not so the Aussies: they're giving Scotland a right old doing. They made 362, with the Finch Hitter getting 148, and the Scots are already 12/2 off seven overs.

OVER 6: ENG 19/1 (Wright 5* Taylor 2*) Couple of wides but otherwise superb from Trent Johnston. Okay, not much in the way of pace, but he's pitching it up and getting some seriously good seam bowling. Beats Taylor outside off. Gets one ball to rear up on Taylor (not saying much, I guess) and hits his splice.

OVER 5: ENG 17/1 (Wright 5* Taylor 2*) Wright pulls a four but this is another impressive over from Timmy.

There was a very challenging opinion piece by Irish journalist Ger Siggins in the (Irish) Independent and also in Cricinfo this week (sorry, not sure which one was the first apperance of it) about England's relationship to Irish cricket.

It's not just that their selectors have been grooming and cherry-picking our best players for more than a decade. Nor that they have rubbed our noses in it by selecting one Irishman to captain England - at his former club - and another to make his one-day debut here.

Nor even that they have ridiculed Cricket Ireland's best efforts to create a national stadium in a village field and sell 10,000 tickets to watch the nations clash, by sending a team devoid of any of its household names.

No, although all the above contribute to the throbbing ulcer, the real pain and anger are caused by the perception of an utter lack of support for Ireland's efforts to lift itself into the game's elite.

Andrew Holgate really covering his bases here: "Ireland playing cricket is like girls playing football. All well and good, but it will never catch on."

OVER 4: ENG 12/1 (Wright 1* Taylor 1*) Little James Taylor, who is little, comes to the crease. Big day for him as well. Defends three and then tucks a single away for one. England chasing 270

WICKET! Carberry lbw Johnston 10 Ah, shame. Michael Carberry has not had a good ODI debut, and I really fear that he hasn't taken his England chance. Full ball, over the wicket, swings back into the left-handed Hampshire man and he's correctly given out lbw. Good nut. PItched middle and off, would have hit middle. FOW 11/1

OVER 3: ENG 11/0 (Carberry 10* Wright 1*) LBW shout for Timmy M against Carberry, inside edge saved him. Short ball tucked through leg for four.

OVER 2: ENG 5/0 (Carberry 5* Wright 0*) Trent Johnston starts with a poor ball down leg, Carberry helps that on its way for a four. Nothing wrong with the rest of the over, though, accurate and hitting the seam. Five dots.

OVER 1: ENG 1/0 (Carberry 1* Wright 0*) A good over from Tim Murtagh, accurate and getting just enough seam movement. Only one run off the over, Carberry on his way with a single to the offside.

14.45 Right then. Well, whatever countries they might or might not be from, here come the players. Tim Murtagh of Middlesex, a chap I have enjoyed watching many times for his (my) county, will open the bowling. I might add, I think Tim himself could well have had a shot at an England call-up in the past. He took a lot of wickets, season-in, season-out. Perhaps an extra yard of pace would have been the only missing part of the jigsaw. Big innings for Michael Carberry, he had a horrid time in the field and with his bowling.

14.35 Back from another scarfed meal in Victoria Station. What an absolute black hole of food options it is. They want eight quid for a burrito. COME OFF IT PEDRO. Anyway. the players are having their lunch in Dublin, Ireland I think will be pleased with the day so far. I make it about 70-30 in England's favour but who knows. Definitely a live game at half time. A couple of emails, perhaps?

Peter Rowntree: "That is a very respectable performance by Ireland, underpinned largely by a wonderful knock by Porterfield. Rankin did himself no harm there and was the pick of the English bowlers. Two English hopefuls for the winter did themselves no favours. Carberry after a prolific season was woeful in the field. Stokes on the back of a tremenous all-round performance against Yorkshire showing that his bowling is not yet up to standard for international cricket."

Carl McClean, Ulsterman in London: "I am against England and Wales picking Irishmen because. 1) Ireland will be stuck as a sideshow at the World Cup, despite excellent performances. 2) From England and Wales' point of view, surely it's far more fun to pick your own men, and feel that your country wins events, without having to rely on Irishmen, Saffers, etc? 3) Cricket is about honour and glory, not financial incentives which promote a 'win-at-all-costs' mentality. 3) England are number two in the world, for goodness' sake, it's not like they are a struggling outfit trying to make up the numbers! Ditto the All Blacks. 4) Please keep coming to Ireland, North and South, the crowds love it."

I must say I agree with some of Carl's points, although I wonder if point 2) was in play just now when Johannesburg-born Max Sorensen and New South Wales-born Trent Johnston were whacking England's bowlers about. I think the reality of international cricket these days is that guys are going to adopt whichever country gives them the best chance of a living and a career. I personally find it hard to criticise a man for that.

ENGLAND WILL NEED 270 TO BEAT IRELAND (269/7) That is a handy score from Ireland, all told. Porterfield made a fine 112, although he was one of two batsmen dropped by Michael Carberry in the deep. Ireland got becalmed between over 30 (140/4) and over 40 (179/5) but a good late burst of 90 runs in the last ten overs has bashed them to a decent, if not secure, score. England looked a bowler light, but that does mean that they plenty of batting - Buttler seven, Stokes eight, Tredwell nine - and they would expect to win from here, although it is by no means a cert.

I am not sure if Michael mentioned earlier or not, but rather a nice quirk with the Joyce wicket. He was given out hit wicket with Rankin the bowler. In a World Cup match in Guayana back in 2007, Ed Joyce was also bowled by Royd Rankin... expect on that occasion, Ed was playing for England and Boyd was playing for Ireland. I'd love to know if anyone can think of a similar double-reverse wicket? Just going to get a bite to eat and then we'll see if England can get this 270.

OVER 50: IRE 269/7 (Sorensen 24* Johnston 12*) Finn. Good stuff from him in the first half of the over, back of a length in the main but using a bit of pace variation. Crowd give Michael Carberry grief when he fields a smeared pull, Carberry not entering into the spirit. Oh, but now Finn serves up a full, slower, floaty one and Sorensen - making a most handy contribution to his new side on debut - nails it down the ground for six. Single, and then Johnston has drilled a full ball right back past the bowler for four. That all adds up to an expensive 13 run closing over. 40 off the last 26 balls from this pair. Batted.

OVER 49: IRE 256/7 (Sorensen 16* Johnston 7*) Sorensen nudges a legside ball on its way to the fence for four, not brilliant from Stokes with the long leg up, but only singles from the rest of the over. The ball's not really coming on. Nine from the over. Finn will bowl the last.

OVER 48: IRE 247/7 (Sorensen 10* Johnston 6*) Sorensen nails Finny over square leg for six. Shot sir! Decent LBW shout next ball, but the umpire correctly calls it as going down leg. Few singles, Finn knocks the bails off with his knee AGAIN, Rankin nearly gets his face rearranged by a bumpy ball in the outfield, which everyone finds quite funny.

OVER 47: IRE 235/7 (Sorensen 3* Johnston 4*) Those two wickets, naturally, have slowed Ireland up and Stokes sends down a useful five-run over. Johannesburg-born Max Sorensen (one for England to look at maybe, ha ha) and the veteran campaigner Trent Johnson (born New South Wales) at the crease.

Lanky: "Can somebody enlighten me as to why Morgan is the captain of the ODI team? He shows no skill whatsoever as a capain and doesn't deserve a place in the team as his form is so poor. So, why?" Well, he is the most experienced player in the England XI, with 103 ODI caps to his name. Next most is Ravi with 90. Then after that, you're down to Wright with 47. Also, England might reasonably assume that he has some insight into the opposition players?

OVER 46: IRE 230/7 (Sorensen 1* Johnston 1*) Six runs off the over by hook or by crook, but those two wickets a big set-back. Rankin has a four-fer.

WICKET! Porterfield b Rankin 112 Revenge for Rankin after his former team-mate nailed him for six. He spots Porterfield backed away to leg, Rankin followed him with the ball and yorked him leg stump. A memorable knock comes to an end, well batted Will, his sixth ODI ton and I daresay the one he will be telling the grandkids about. He has made 112 before in and ODI, 112 not out in fact against Bermuda. Other tons have come against Scotland, Canada, Bangers, Kenya. I hope I am not being an arrogant Englishman when I suggest that this might be his favourite. FOW 224/6

... this is turning into a bit of an epic over, two balls are called wide ...

WICKET! Mooney lbw b Rankin 27 And off the fifth ball of the over, Rankin gets the other well-set batsman with a full ball, it definitely looked like it would have gone on to hit the stumps, but replays confirm the first-look suspicion that this pitched outside leg. Ireland haven't had a lot of luck with the decisions today. FOW 229/7

OVER 45: IRE 224/5 (Porterfield 112* Mooney 25*) That's an over for Ireland! 13 off it, the highlight a clever flick to leg from Porters. Four byes in there as well, Stokes' slower ball bouncing in front of Buttler and beating him.

OVER 44: IRE 211/5 (Porterfield 104* Mooney 25*) Mooney gets a single with a dilscoop, and launches a ball down the ground for four. But Porterfield and Mooney both miss with huge wild swings in this over, and the frustration starting to build for Mooney as he does a swear. Nick Knight has to apolywog on his behalf. I guess that's the world we live in now. God forbid that someone's day might be ruined by hearing a sportsman bark out an indecipherable curse word in the heat of the moment.

OVER 43: IRE 204/5 (Porterfield 103* Mooney 21*) Quiet over all round as Ravi is worked for four singles. Mooney trying to be inventive but it's not quite happening for him yet.

OVER 42: IRE 200/5 (Porterfield 101* Mooney 19*) Boyd Rankin back on. Fantastic from the Ireland skipper. He takes a step forward and slams the ball over midwicket for a six that brings up his 100! Baseball style. What a way to get there, and I daresay he will enjoy the fact that it came off former team-mate Rankin. Great moment for Irish cricket. Few singles make this a nine-run over and Ireland are back in business after a quiet period.

OVER 41: IRE 191/5 (Porterfield 94* Mooney 17*) Blimey, Michael Carberry is having a DOG of a game. Morgan brings him on for a bowl and he serves up an over of club level filth. All too full, plenty of width outside the offstump of these two left handers, and his very gentle off spin is spanked again and again through extra cover for ones and twos and a four. In fact, pretty much the only straight ball is a full toss, and Porterfield reverse sweeps it for four. 12 runs handed to Ireland on a silver platter and maybe that can get their inning firing again.

OVER 40 PP: IRE 179/5 (Porterfield 89* Mooney 10*) 40 minutes in the 80s for Porters. Few singles and a leg bye, Porterfield drops it and runs, the ball nearly rolls onto the stumps. It won't be a chanceless century, let's say. Anyway, a four-run over, not what you would call a thriller at the moment. 16 off the powerplay.

OVER 39 PP: IRE 175/5 (Porterfield 87* Mooney 9*) Dear me, Michael Carberry! Normally a reliable fielder for Hampshire, but he's shelled a second easy chance in the deep. Okay, this was a bit harder than the first one, but a top-edged sweep from Porterfield really only needed a few steps forward and a safe pair of hands, but Carbs has spilled it. The crowd are delighted.

OVER 38 PP: IRE 171/5 (Porterfield 85* Mooney 7*) Mooney flicks it to square leg and they take two, umpires call it one short, incorrectly as it turns out. Finn does his bail-knocking business. Oh, there's a two off the last ball, I forgot about the no ball. Not exactly an over for the album. Ireland have ground to a halt, they aren't taking any risks at all, I guess planning to save it all up for the last few overs. The pitch has gotten slow with the soft ball.

OVER 37 PP: IRE 167/5 (Porterfield 85* Mooney 4*) Certainly the ground looks very nice indeed, and they've a good crowd in. All temporary stands, but plans are affot for a proper pav and seating and whanot. Pitch is decent. Maybe the outfield not the smoothest but no dramas with that. Anyhow, Ben Stokes comes back on. Just three off the over, Mooney edging it. Porterfield has run aground, hardly scored a run in the last half an hour. Maybe his thoughts have turned to the three figures. I thought for a while that 280 would be on but I would say 250 seems more realistic now. That probably won't be enough, but we should have a game at least. Time for a drink. Umpires are having a word with Eoin Morgan, I am not sure what.

Peter Rowntree: "At the moment I suppose you would have to say we are not good neighbours, and you could feel tempted to say who are England looking at to build a 2015 World Cup squad - the English lads or the Irish lads? But with Ireland's stated objective to become a Test playing nation we have to become better at this and should offer a helping hand. If we can find time in our cricketing schedules to play Lions matches against Bangladesh A, surely we can offer a couple of unofficial Tests played over say 4 days each year with a good Lions squad. I am encouraged by the attendance here. Some 20 years ago I watched cricket in Phoenix Park and at Dublín Universities, there is a good level of interest and capability in Ireland for cricket."

OVER 36 PP: IRE 164/5 (Porterfield 84* Mooney 2*) Powerplay. Excellent stuff from Steve Finn, and excellent stuff from Sky - who have got Big Bob Willis and Charles Colvile in harness on the commentary. Yay, welcome back, Bob. Say something bananas. Well, just one single off that over, Mooney thick edge to third man, and you can't say fairer than that for Finny, who has bowled seven overs for 17. England have kept Ireland very qiuet in the last few overs.

OVER 35: IRE 163/5 (Porterfield 84* Mooney 1*) John Mooney in, very nearly bowled leg stump first ball. Called a wide. I mean, rules is rules, but that only missed the leg pole by about an inch. Quick single to Mooney, direct hit would have been close.

WICKET! K O'Brien c Morgan b Bopara 23 Oh, Kevin O'Brien will be sick. Ravi serves him up two long hops in the over. He pulls the first one for four but he's nailed the second one straight to Morgan at midwicket, excellent catch. The dangerous O'Brien goes, and England will be very pleased to see the back of him just before the PP. FOW 161/5

OVER 34: IRE 157/4 (K O'Brien 19* Porterfield 84*) Better over from Wright, O'Brien gets a couple of leading edges. Five off the over. If these two are still here for the powerplay, they could cash in.

OVER 33: IRE 152/4 (K O'Brien 17* Porterfield 81*) Tredwell head and shoulders above the other England bowlers, the only one who really looks dangerous and this pair will be happy to see him off. Just one off the over. Tredders finishes his ten overs with two for 35. Well bowled.

OVER 32: IRE 151/4 (K O'Brien 16* Porterfield 81*) Ha, as Mike Atherton notes, Wright has made a mug of his captain there! Morgan thoughtfully brings up his third man to Kevin O'Brien... perhaps a plan, little bit of inside knowledge, research, Celtic mysticism or whatever. Wright helpfully serves up a short wide one outside off that O'Brien tucks into the now-vaccant third man area. Cheers, Wrighty.

Ken Andrew: "Living here in Ireland it seems that most Irish sporting heroes appear to play Premier League football."

OVER 31: IRE 146/4 (K O'Brien 11* Porterfield 81*) Tredwell finds the edge of Porterfield's bat and it races past Ballance at slip, he's stood very close there and that would have been a blinder.

OVER 30: IRE 140/4 (K O'Brien 11* Porterfield 76*) Ravi hasn't really cut the mustard as fifth bowler today, but there are certainly worse options as a sixth than Luke Wright. Poor ball to start with, and Porterfield pulls it for four. Handy over for Ireland, they are able to work the ball around for ones and twos. That said, O'Brien doesn't pick a slower ball and nearly scoops it to Tredwell at cover. 11 off the over.

OVER 29: IRE 129/4 (K O'Brien 7* Porterfield 68*) Kevin O'Brien nails a sweep for four off Tredders. Looking again at the Hawk Eye of the Wilson wicket, he probably was hit outside the line. Hard lines.

OVER 28: IRE 123/4 (K O'Brien 2* Porterfield 68*) Nervy single from O'Brien gets him off strike first ball. Porterfield cannot get the next five away, although he does slap one to mid-off, where it takes a nasty bobble and nearly decapitates Eoin Morgan. I suspect there might be one or two in the home crowd who might have found that amusing, and why not? .

12.20 Afternoon all, Tyers here to take you through until the close, and just in time for a bowling change as Steve Finn come on to see if he can unsettle what has been largely comfortable progress so far for the hosts.

Right, time for me to stop playing pretender and leave you in the more than capable hands of Alan Tyers, who won't spell 'bail' wrong.

OVER 27: IRE 122/4 (K O'Brien 1* Porterfield 68*)
Two singles off Tredwell. Pegging back the run rate and notching up the wickets. A fine display.

WICKET! Wilson lbw b Tredwell 2
Alas, poor Wilson, we hardly noticed thee. Tredwell floats one at off-stump that turns back and clatters the front pad, and the finger goes up. Unlucky, seeing as Hawk Eye later suggests he was truck outside of the line. Two runs, but a decent shift keeping Porterfield on strike from Wilson - and in comes Kevin O'Brien. Big breath everyone... FOW 121/4

OVER 26: IRE 120/3 (Wilson 2* Porterfield 67*)
An American college education, Faberge eggs and Ravi Bopara. He's been far too expensive today. Porterfield is having a field day out there, flicking another boundary down to third man.

OVER 25: IRE 115/3 (Wilson 2* Porterfield 62*)
We're halfway, and you'd have to say advantage Ireland at this stage. Porterfield is timing the ball so well - not a sentence read too often this summer - as England's lack of bowling options leaves the side exposed. Then again, this was always a possibility with the core of the Ashes winners being packed away in bubble wrap until the jaunt Down Under.

OVER 24: IRE 110/3 (Wilson 1* Porterfield 58*)
Boyd Rankin does what he can but there's no stopping Bopara's first delivery going for four leg byes. Porterfield is mopping up anything fuller than length to keep the scoreboard ticking at a fair clip. Wilson sees off the last delviery to keep his captain on strike.

OVER 23: IRE 103/3 (Wilson 1* Porterfield 55*)
Hats off to Tredwell, this has been a masterly spell - 16 for one off five overs that have steadied a shaky England attack. Porterfield spoils another fine set of six with a nicked single off the last delivery.

OVER 22: IRE 102/3 (Wilson 1* Porterfield 54*)
Bopara comes back, and Porterfield remins Morgan why he pulled him out, muscling a pull through mid-on for his fifty. Ireland bring up the ton. Carberry's still getting plenty of stick. Sun still is shining.

OVER 21: IRE 95/3 (Wilson 0* Porterfield 48*)
England needed that, no fear.

WICKET! O'Brien b Tredwell 26
One over on from Carberry's gift, Tredwell gets his man. A quicker one does for O'Brien, who defends nothing but thin air as his off stump takes one full in the face on the last ball of the over.

OVER 20: IRE 90/2 (O'Brien 22* Porterfield 47*)
That drop seems to have rattled England. It's certainly buoyed the Irish crowd at Malahide, who are giving Carberry mild-mannered hell. Stokes' length has let him down there, and O'Brien takes full advantage, clipping a fine one for four off too full a delivery. Nine off the over, all said.

OVER 19: IRE 81/2 (O'Brien 15* Porterfield 45*)
MICHAEL CARBERRY. They don't come any eaier than that. Ever. O'Brien flops up another duff sweep off Tredwell, but gives it some real air this time. It's all too easy for Carberry, down his throat in the deep, but he's juggled it, lost it and dropped it. Absolute shocker.

OVER 18: IRE 79/2 (O'Brien 14* Porterfield 44*)
Well, that was comical. O'Brien mis-times a pull towards Bopara at mid-on that doesn't carry. Porterfield comfortably makes his ground but Ravi can't resist a pop at the stumps, hits them ,and Ireland take a single off the ricochet.

OVER 17: IRE 76/2 (O'Brien 12* Porterfield 43*)
Tredwell's getting some joy out of this pitch, but Ireland are still sniping runs. After seeing a couple turn and pass the bat O'Brien has a bite with a tentative sweep that flops over square leg and lands safe.

OVER 16: IRE 73/2 (O'Brien 10* Porterfield 42*)
What's Ireland's target here? 275 seems a decent ball-park figure. Stokes gives up five singles before the drinks come out.

OVER 15: IRE 68/2 (O'Brien 7* Porterfield 40*)
Tredwell comes in for the hapless Bopara, and delivers a fully functional first delivery - albeit one sent packing for a single by O'Brien. Porterfield has rediscovered his touch, steering a reverse sweep for another boundary.

OVER 14: IRE 63/2 (O'Brien 6* Porterfield 36*)
Stokes seems far more comfortable out there than Bopara, but that doesn't stop Porterfield picking up a couple more after lofting one over square and short of Finn at deep point.

"I know the world is obsessed with overhyped and overpaid footballers but please, in cricket the word is “bail”."
Good point well made, Malckam, apologies. Force of habit and all that. Though given what we've just had forced down our throats for the past three months, who wouldn't want Jimmy Anderson to test Real Madrid's new keepy-uppy champion with one of his very finest? Let's see what £86m really gets you, hey?

OVER 13: IRE 60/2 (O'Brien 5* Porterfield 34*)
This all looks a little too early for Bopara. Maybe the ball is still too new, maybe he's not quite woken up yet, but Porterfield is making hay. A couple of solid drives past extra cover help Ireland to 10 from the over.

Our first Irish sporting legend of the day, brought to you by Simon Loughins:
"David Healy – that goal against England and that hat-trick against Spain, hero"
A fine servant of Leeds Utd back in the day as well. Any more, ladies and gents?

OVER 12: IRE 50/2 (O'Brien 4* Porterfield 25*)
We're into the belly of this innings now, and soon we'll see how England get on without that extra quick man in the attack. Ben Stokes takes his bow, and goes for something different with his first delivery - a no ball, and a huge one at that. He gets away with it as Porterfield gets the free hit caught up in his pads. A couple off a nice punch through midwicket that Taylor cuts off brings up the 50 for Ireland.

OVER 11: IRE 46/2 (O'Brien 4* Porterfield 22*)
Ravi Bopara joins the attack and opens with what is becoming the obligatory wide. Porterfield follows O'Brien's lead and punches a short one backward of point past Taylor for four. Borderline bullying on the young man, this. He stops Porterfield's next stab for a single.

OVER 10: IRE 40/2 (O'Brien 4* Porterfield 17*)
Not a bad Powerplay, that - two wickets and a couple of maidens to show for it from England's point of view. Niall O'Brien moves off the mark with a sumptuous pull that teases a diving James Taylor on the way past. Would have been one of the catches of the season, had he plucked thta rocket out of the sky.

OVER 9: IRE 36/2 (O'Brien 0* Porterfield 17*)
Whatever Eoin Morgan said to his bowlers a couple of overs back, it's don'e the trick. The lengths are spot on now and the men in green are struggling to crack the attack. Porterfield cops one from Finn flush on the skid lid, not that you could call it a bouncer - the Irish skipper was all but sat down trying to avoid it.

OVER 8: IRE 36/2 (O'Brien 0* Porterfield 17*)
Should Joyce have walked there? Tough to say. Replays suggest he didn't realise it had happened - he didn't even turn to check - but surely he's felt his foot clip the stumps. O'Brien could have joined him shortly after, returning his second ball for a potential return catch to Rankin.

WICKET! Joyce hit wicket b Rankin 1
There's a bale off there. The wind chanced a run-out by the looks of things...or did it? Ed Joyce leapt back from Boyd Rankin's bouncer, and he's caught the stumps with his heel. The fluoro-pink bale almost apologeitically dropped to the ground. I think only Rankin noticed that - even Joyce hadn't realised. But a quick TV review soon sees to that.

OVER 7: IRE 36/1 (Porterfield 17* Joyce 1*)
Joyce steers his first run behid square, but Finn is starting to get some promising movement off the seam. That's enough to keep Porterfield honest, and that bright start from Ireland is starting to fizzle out.

SUN STOPS PLAY IN IRELAND. Albeit briefly. The glare of the covers is right behind the bowler's arm, but nothing a bit of black-out fabric can't cure. Back underway.

OVER 6: IRE 35/1 (Porterfield 17* Joyce 0*)
Joyce is still looking to get off the mark, a wide and a leg bye all they have to show as the run rate dips below a run a ball. Porterfield gets away with a waft at Rankin's last delivery.

OVER 5: IRE 33/1 (Porterfield 17* Joyce 0*)
Steven Finn is getting the treatment from Will Porterfield. Another four sails through wide of point. This was not the morale-boosting start the Middlesex man needed as he looks to get his England prospects back on track.

OVER 4: IRE 25/1 (Porterfield 9* Joyce 0*)
Stirling will be disappointed but Ireland are clipping along at around a run a ball, which bodes well for a testing target for England.

WICKET! Stirling c Ballance b Rankin 10
He's 23 today, Paul Stirling. Good of Rankin to remember it seemed, offering up a couple of poor lengths to be dispatched to the boundary, much to the delight of the Dublin crowd. They're looking to pounce early, but that was too early, and Rankin has his man when he nicks it through to second slip. Good low catch from Ballance.

OVER 3: IRE 17/0 (Porterfield 9* Stirling 2*)
Ireland getting acquainted with a pleasant time now. Expansive cut from Stirling to third man brings about a single, the Porterfield does likewise, sending a reasonable Finn delivery to third man. Stirling will keep the strike after adding one more. I will not keep the liveblog, I'm now handing you over to Michael Beattie.

OVER 2: IRE 14/0 (Porterfield 8* Stirling 1*)
Boyd Rankin, who's really made the red number 65 shirt his own this morning, will attack from the Dublin Road end. Solid start but yeesh, Rankin's second is all over the shop. Several feet wide, Carberry gives chase but can't prevent a wide, and four byes. Stirling leaves a couple alone but gets off the mark with some positive running. Porterfield adds a duplicate boundary to his first over effort, clipping Rankin away to fine leg. Thoroughly decent start for the hosts.

OVER 1: IRE 4/0 (Porterfield 4* Stirling 0*)
Porterfield leaves the first ball of the day alone, but glances Finn's second delivery off his hip for a four. Plenty of movement from Finn's next couple of balls, positively zipping away from Porterfield off the seam. The batsman plays and misses at Finn's next delivery but let's the final ball of the over go. Good stuff from Finn, apart from the boundary.

10.28 Here we go then, it'll be Steven Finn to get us started.

10.26 Let's hope Michael Carberry has a bowl at some point today. He prompts giggles:

10.20 This is an England line-up we can all get behind, right?

Expecting fairly exciting things from the opening duo. Carberry, interestingly, makes his ODI debut, but has played in a Test for England before.

10.15 Medium part of the morning to you, liveblog fans.

There's a lot said about the sheer weight of cricket, this summer and always. The Champions Trophy. The Ashes. Some T20. Lots of ODIs. It's certainly all slightly wearing. Especially when it's all played against the same team.

What we have today is a delicious palate-cleanser. The mild novelty of a team that generally only come to the casual cricket fan's attention in World Cups, and a delightful change of scenery to a positively sun-drenched Dublin for an England team delighted to be away from stadiums named after energy companies.

Dublin and the England cricket team, eh? What could possibly go wrong.... Fortunately the XI featuring today has very little wicket urination experience in its ranks. To all intents and purposes it's a Lions outfit.

More mild novelty! What more could you possibly want? We shall talk you through it all. Stay tuned.

View the original article here