England v Ireland: Only ODI

This happened over a week ago now and it was a pretty pointless ODI that was ravaged by rain. Still, I told Andrew Strauss that I did duck recreations of every match England had played this summer, and I'm not going to lie to the captain of the England cricket team. Here's what happened in sunny Dublin last week:

Eoin Morgan, captaining the England side for the first time, loses the toss. William Porterfield decides that he wants to field first. 

The first boundary of the day comes to Jonathan Trott, who is playing his first match since recovering from the shoulder injury he picked up at Trent Bridge. 

He glances it to fine leg for a four.

Kieswetter gets all in a tangle to Rankin...

But still ends up getting a six that he doesn't know much about.

But, in what seems to be the standard Kieswetter international innings, he gets a start but then gets out.

John Mooney picks up the first wicket as Kieswetter edges behind to be caught by Niall O'Brien. England are 24-1.

He goes for 14.

The Leicestershire batsman, James Taylor, is the next one in, but he departs for a single.

He top edges a pull...

And is caught by Wilson. England are 34-2.

Soon after Taylor's wicket, the rain started to come down. (In er... bright sunshine, clearly.)

In comes Eoin Morgan. He decides that with Trott anchoring one end, it's his job to put some impetus into the England innings. 

He hits a four that causes the Irish DJ to bring out 'That Don't Impress Me Much'.

In a shock to everyone, Trott gets a boundary with a reverse sweep.

Morgan brings up his 50 with another four.

He raises his bat and shares an old fashioned shake of the wings with Trott.

Trott also brings up his half century.

He reaches it with a single...

And also raises his bat. The Sky commentary box is not as appreciative. 

Paul Stirling finally gets the breakthrough for Ireland. 

Morgan manages to get a leading edge...

And Stirling takes the catch. Morgan goes for 59 and the Irish know how important that wicket is. 

In comes Bopara...

And out he goes. He looks to guide a Jones delivery down to third man, but instead guides it into the gloves of O'Brien. 

Ben Stokes comes in.

But Paul Stirling strikes again as he takes the return catch. Stokes goes for 3 and England are 148-5.

Patel comes in and gets a couple of boundaries, but then goes for the big shot.

Kevin O'Brien takes the catch at long off. England are 172-6 in their reduced overs innings.

Trott departs a couple of overs later.

He decides to try and hit out...

But instead only finds Jones in the deep. He goes for 69 off 105 deliveries and it leaves England on 172-7.

Scott Borthwick gets dropped by Joyce after a paddle sweep. 

After these drops, Borthwick hits Mooney straight down the ground for a 6.

Borthwick attempts to go for another big shot...

But can only find Stirling. Borthwick goes for 15 off 9 and England are 197-8.

England's innings closes with a 4 and they reach 201-8 off 42. With no more rain, the match could potentially get interesting.

Woakes takes the first over, Finn takes the second. He begins with a wide and then Stirling smashes him over the ropes for a 6.

Stirling attempts to go for another big shot...

But instead can only sky it. Bopara sets himself for the catch.

Which he takes. Ireland are 6-1.

The wicket seems to boost Finn's confidence a bit. Both he and Woakes are bowling well and Finn soon picks up the wicket of Joyce.

He's caught behind by Kieswetter for 10. As Joyce departs, it's still raining.

And eventually, with Ireland 42-2, the rain forces the players off for a rain delay of over an hour. When Ireland return, they need 129 off 23 overs. 

Their chase doesn't start off well. Porterfield goes for a single that was never there...

And does not get back into his crease fast enough. 

He gets run out by Borthwick and Ireland are 43-3.

In comes Kevin O'Brien and here you have to make a mandatory World Cup reference. He takes a couple of deliveries to get his eye in...

And then hits Borthwick for one six...

And then another.

Niall O'Brien gets a slower ball bouncer...

Which he pulls, but cannot keep down.

And Finn takes the catch. 66-4.

Bopara joins in on the wicket taking. He bowls Nigel Jones for 2 to reduce Ireland to 71-5.

A lot is riding on KOB. He's got 25 off 13, but then gets a yorker from Dernbach...

And gets bowled leg stump. It's a huge wicket for England and a massive blow to Ireland. It reduces them to 77-6 and that's probably Ireland's challenge over.

Or is it?

Mooney hits a six off a Dernbach slower ball and Ireland need 36 off 22.

With the last ball of the over, Mooney goes for another big shot...

He almost gets a hold of it...

But Stokes takes a good catch on the boundary. Mooney goes for 15 off 8 and Ireland are 97-7.

Wilson goes to Patel a couple of overs later. 

He looks for the boundary, but instead can only get an outside edge on a flighted delivery and is caught by Bopara. 108-8.

Ireland need 19 to win off the last over and young George Dockrell faces the final three deliveries. He needs a six...

He smashes a full toss down the ground...

But it bounces before the rope and goes for only four.

Ireland need 13 off the final ball. Dernbach doesn't bowl a wide or a no-ball...

And Ireland scamper through for a bye. England win by 11 runs. 

The stand in captain of Eoin Morgan is named man of the match. England don't really learn much from the match and Trott gets all the negative media again. A standard ODI game really.