England debutants were on display at Trent Bridge, Nottingham as the hosts beat Ireland by 48 runs in the second ODI to take a 1-0 lead. Will Jacks and debutant Sam Hain missed their respective centuries but helped England post 334/8. Later, debutant George Scrimshaw's three-fer and 19-year-old spinner Rehan Ahmed's four-wicket haul helped England bowl out Ireland for 286 and win the match by a comfortable margin.
Earlier, Ireland skipper Paul Stirling won the toss and opted to field first. Phil Salt played a few exquisite shots but became Craig Young's first victim of the day in the seventh over. Then skipper Zak Crawley was trapped in front of the wickets for a silver duck in the same over. Ben Duckett shared a 102-run partnership for the third wicket with Jacks. Duckett missed his half-century by just two runs. Jacks was approaching his maiden ODI ton but lost his wicket to George Dockrell. Jacks scored 94 runs from 88 balls including seven fours and four sixes.
Dockrell picked another wicket in the form of wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith. Hain shared a crucial partnership with Brydon Carse who scored 32 runs from 30 balls. Hain batted with the tail and scored 89 runs from 82 balls including eight fours. He missed joining the elite list of batters to score a century on his ODI debut.
Chasing a target of 335, Stirling took on the bowlers straightaway. Scrimshaw struck first to dismiss Andrew Balbirnie. In the next over, Matthew Potts got the wicket of Stirling who scored 25 runs from 17 balls. A few overs later, he got the wicket of Curtis Campher as well. Scrimshaw got the wicket of Lorcan Tucker as well. Leg-spinner Rehan rushed through Ireland's middle order with the wickets of Harry Tector (39), Dockrell (43), Andy McBrine and Mark Adair.
The tailenders prevented Ireland from getting bowled out under 100. McCarthy contributed with a 38-ball 41 before falling to Carse. Young and Joshua Little shared a 55-run partnership for the 10th wicket. Young remained unbeaten for 40. Little was the last to fall for a run-a-ball 29 as Ireland got all out for 286 with 20 balls left in the innings.
“We just couldn't rack up in the first 40-odd minutes. We have another game. The wicket wasn't tough to score. 330 seemed a par score. Last game of the season before we get a break. The energy levels should be up. We were on top for a few moments. Dockrell had a good game with the bat and the ball,” Stirling said in the post-match presentation.
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