England v Ireland, third one-day international – live!

34th over: England 216-7 (Willey 2, Curran 2) As Niall O’Brien notes on telly, it was Tom Curran who dug England out of a hole when they were wobbling at Malahide against Ireland last May. Nothing silly here, four dots to finish Young’s over, making another wicket maiden for Ireland; the second of this this productive period.

“Il Duce & the Sticky Wicket,” is Robbie Wilson’s essay/book title. “If they’d let him have a have dozen jammy long-hops, maybe history might have been different. Just like that other grumpy sod, Sammy ‘Giggles’ Beckett.” For the record, this email arrived before I published Ian Forth’s reflections on Beckett. I like the other of the other Samuel Beckett, from Quantum Leap, playing cricket in an episode. If only.

Billings goes too! Young is back and nabs the vital middle-order man with his second ball, miscuing a lofted drove to Adair at mid-on who completes a diving catch. Ireland have taken 4/26 and really opened up this game. Keep going!

33rd over: England 216-6 (Billings 19, Willey 2) Dangerous Delany’s turn again and he’s doing a top job at Willey, who can’t get him away however hard he tries. He shelves the muscular approach by the end of the over, playing him respectfully.

“Re Bobby Wilson’s post,” says Ian Forth, “one true celebrity and the only Nobel Prize winner to play first class cricket was Samuel Becket. Pivot alert, I once met Nobel Prize winner William Golding when he came to our college (where he was a student). The idea was for a collection of undergrads to read a piece from one of his novels and for him to comment. I read out a piece from The Inheritors and eagerly awaited his penetrating analysis. ‘I can’t remember writing that,’ he said. ‘So I don’t know what you want me to say about it.’ Bit disappointing.”

Samuel Beckett’s First Class career another regular OBO topic, too. Nice crossover.

32nd over: England 214-6 (Billings 18, Willey 1) Billings has played so well this week. Here he is, breaking up that bit of pressure England are under, with two fours in three balls. The second is a lovely cover drive, perfect to go to drinks on.

We have some TV recommendations. Andew Robinson pointing Richard O’Hagan in the direction of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, The Detectorists and Dix Pour Cent, which has “lots of famous French actors sending themselves up.”

31st over: England 206-6 (Billings 10, Willey 1) Blimey, forget what I said earlier about McBrine being Ireland’s primary spinner – Delany is seriously dangerous. Not a big turner of the ball but his pace and high point of delivery are making life difficult for everyone he bowls at – especially when landing his slider, as he does to Billings here. Not at all far away from another leg-before victim. Three of it.

30th over: England 203-6 (Billings 8, Willey 0) So, it’s the pair England were able to depend on in the Saturday chase, combining then for an unbeaten 79 after Campher and Little ran through the England middle order. The former has once again influenced the game, his dismissal of Moeen giving Ireland a real chance of bowling England out. To think, 20 minutes ago Morgan and Banton were blasting them everywhere. What a sport cricket is. And the all-rounder goes on to complete a fine over, a wicket maiden. Fantastic stuff. England, it’s your turn.

Three wickets in four overs! The first ball of Campher’s fresh over arrives with Moeen a fraction earlier than he thought, the leading edge spitting out to cover.

29th over: England 203-5 (Billings 8, Moeen Ali 1) Well played Tom Banton, coming in as he did after three early wickets, but his departure does open the door somewhat for Ireland. Sure, they’ve given up plenty of runs at a very good clip but they are a couple of wickets away from getting a look at England’s bowlers. Ooh, not far from a run out chance to finish, too. A little of pressure on Moeen, of course.

“Afternoon, Adam.” Hello, Digvijay Yadav. “When India tour Australia later this year, will we have separate bubbles for Tests and LOI teams with both playing on successive days like during this English summer?”

I don’t expect so given the schedule, but everything might be up in the air soon if the Melbourne situation doesn’t improve by the end of this lockdown period.

Delany gets Banton with a ripper! He’s trapped with a quicker slider that hits the right-hander on the line of the crease – that’s smashing leg-stump.

28th over: England 201-4 (Banton 58, Billings 7) With Morgan gone, my man Curt is back into the act from the Hotel End. Campher, with the ‘keeper back, gets a look at Billings who is off the mark with a couple behind square. They have to race back for the second, the third umpire called upon to make sure the Kent man is back in time – he is, easily. He doesn’t worry about running from the next offering, picking it up in front of the square – a lovely clipped boundary to bring up England’s 200.

27th over: England 193-4 (Banton 57, Billings 0) Billings, unbeaten in both chases this week, joins Banton. The latter keeps the board ticking after Morgan departs.

You’re right, I shouldn’t have said it. Little goes fuller to Morgan who tries to wallop him anyway but the top edge is in the air long enough for Tector to take a good catch running in from the third man rope. The end of a quite outstanding innings.

26th over: England 189-3 (Morgan 106, Banton 53) Gareth Delany is on a hiding to nothing with his legbreaks here, isn’t he? He has no margin of error to Morgan, who sweeps him over square leg with a minimum of fuss for four more. Dare I think it, let along say it, but could this be a very big ton? A record-breaker? Let’s dream.

25th over: England 182-3 (Morgan 101, Banton 51) SIX MORE for Morgan on the hook! Little is having no luck with this short strategy. Now the captain brings up his ton with a lovely straight drive, there in 78 balls. What a fine hand: four sixes and 14 balls. And remember, these two came together with the score 44/3. Excellent.

24th over: England 171-3 (Morgan 91, Banton 50) Another big over for England and an important one for Banton too, bringing up his first one-day international half-century from 40 balls. He reaches the mark with a single off McBrine but to start the over he joined his captain in going big, dancing and slamming over long-on for SIX! Morgan makes it another double-digit over from the final ball, missing his sweep but the edge runs away for four anyway. They all count. He’s into the 90s.

23rd over: England 160-3 (Morgan 87, Banton 43) Well, that’s one way for Morgan to respond to whispers that he’s becoming vulnerable to short bowling. He’s hit that miles off Josh Little, hooking over the first bank of seating onto the concourse. His third six. What a striker of the ball he’s been over such a long period of time.

22nd over: England 147-3 (Morgan 80, Banton 39) Morgan 20 away from a ton now, bookending this McBrine over with two more boundaries. He’s lucky with the first, not getting all of it but still clearing long-on running in off the rope. The sweep to finish is pristine, though, straight into the gap at backward square. In the process, the 100 partnership was raised between this pair after coming together at 44/3.

“May I recommend the very excellent ‘Staged’ on the iPlayer?” You can, Richard O’Hagan. “David Tennant, Michael Sheen and their families going slowly up the walls during lockdown. One of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time – and I’ve seen film of me batting.” Good enough for me, I’ll put it on later tonight. Cheers.

21st over: England 139-3 (Morgan 72, Banton 39) Banton back on it with back-to-back boundaries to complete Campher’s fifth over. The first stroke is another stand-and-deliver effort after coming down the track at the seamer, smashed through midwicket. Boy, can this lad hit a ball. Next, it’s a big top edge over the cordon, going within inches of clearing the rope. I’m doing him a disservice there – more an uppercut than an edge, the replay confirms. They’re really moroting now.

“Yo Ad.” My man, Bobby Wilson. “Nice Jerusalem piece (though I latched on thinking you’d be covering the Intifadas from a cricketing angle). Some actual reporting. Isn’t it bloody hard, actual reporting! Makes you miss the freewheeling sunny downlands of the opinion piece.” Tell me about it. Although, I think, the longer I’m in this caper, the more I enjoy the fact-finding side of it. Anyway, I’ll save that conversation for the next time we’re in the same pub. “The great neglected theme of OBO contributions is lies. We did a decent riff on spoof averages a while ago (obviously, as the possessor of no fewer than FOUR fake averages, I won). But the finest falsification is in making up random and unlikely celebrities and historical figures who have played cricket. You can convince almost anyone that Tom Cruise, Albert Einstein or Gary Cooper once played in a Californian scratch game. But if you can manage to credibly claim that Baudelaire, Eamon de Valera or Mother Theresa played some club cricket, you have got some serious game. I hate to boast but I can’t see anyone beating that bibulous night I genuinely persuaded a prominent English novelist that Benito Mussolini once played a Minor Counties game. Thing is…can you spot the one that’s true?”

Laughed out loud at Mussolini. Do you dare turn this into a fictional piece?

20th over: England 129-3 (Morgan 71, Banton 30) Banton’s turn to have a dip at McBrine, making room to pop him over mid-off for four. Lovely, modern batting.

19th over: England 123-3 (Morgan 70, Banton 25) Good recovery from Campher after copping some tap from his previous set; just four off the over this time around.

“Afternoon Adam.” G’day, Simon McMahon. “John Starbuck also forgot the weather, but I forgive him. It’s hosing it down here in Dundee, so I’ve cracked open the beer and snacks early while Mrs McMahon works from home upstairs. Like Denly in the Tests, I fear, like Ol’ Blue Eyes, that the end is near for poor Vince as far as international recognition is concerned. The Mark Ramprakash de nos jours? Anyway, I’m looking for TV comedy recommendations – everybody I know (ok, my neighbour) seems to be banging on about Schitt’s Creek – is it any good? With a title like that I’m not sure. Sounds like a documentary about English cricket in the 90s.”

We watched the first couple of eps and moved off it but I don’t know why, as it was pretty good. I’m staying with my partner’s parents this week as they don’t live a million miles away from the Rose Bowl. They steered me to an old but good cop show: Life on Mars. It does the trick. I’m legally bound, though, to direct you to the best show ever made, and nobody has heard of in England: The Americans. Once you fall in love with it, from season four on, listen to the weekly re-cap podcast I hosted for the final three years, The Rezidentura. You won’t regret investing in it.

18th over: England 119-3 (Morgan 69, Banton 22) Dropped catch! Andy Balbirnie did well to get his hands on Morgan’s miscued pull through midwicket but it is a missed chance all the same. A much better over from McBrine around the wicket. He has a lot of work to do in the middle overs here as Ireland’s only full-time spinner.

17th over: England 114-3 (Morgan 65, Banton 21) Tucker is up to the the stumps to Campher, which seems a waste given the pace he bowled at on Saturday, hitting the radar at 86mph. Sure enough, as you see so often with a ‘keeper up, the bowler loses his radar, spraying well wide of Morgan early in the over. Overcorrecting to the legside, the left-hander tucks in: another boundary through midwicket. And four more to finish, albeit off the edge, but there’s no chance of it going to hand without a catcher back behind the wicket. 12 off the over. These two have put on 70 off 53.

16th over: England 102-3 (Morgan 57, Banton 20) Off-spin straight after the break via Andy McBrine, who has been more influential with the bat than the ball so far in this series. But Morgan isn’t inclined to wait around and take a look, opting for the slog-sweep second ball and hammering it away for another boundary – that’s his eighth four to go with two sixes. The captain is well on the way to his first international ton since the Afghanistan game as last year’s World Cup.

15th over: England 96-3 (Morgan 52, Banton 19) COP THAT! Morgan goes big for a second time, dancing then swinging at Campher, plonking him over long-off for a big SIX. One of the toughest shots in the game, that – class. He moves to 50 from the next ball, reaching the milestone with a single from his 39th delivery. After coming in during the fourth over, the skipper played it perfectly so far. DRINKS!

14th over: England 84-3 (Morgan 41, Banton 18) We’re into the the accumulation overs now, four risk-free runs here from a pretty good Josh Little over.

13th over: England 80-3 (Morgan 41, Banton 15) My man, Curtis Campher! I was speculating with the Wisden Almanack Editor, Lawrence Booth (previously of this parish and OBO, of course), that he might be a sneeky chance for a Wisden Five gong next year if he makes a ton today. Well, maybe a double ton and a five-for. What a joy it has been tracking his first week in international cricket. He can’t replicate his achievement of Thursday and Saturday with a wicket from his fourth ball, but he does get through his first over conceding just a couple of singles.

“I think Brian Withington has just proved that OBOs are not complete, i.e. there are some topics that we cannot show are OBO topics,” Bob O’Hara. “Although such a proof assumes that OBOs are formal systems, so it probably doesn’t hold when the OBOer has .casual in their email address.” My email does what it does on the tin, for I am a casual man. Not really, come to think of it. .freelance was a better fit.

12th over: England 78-3 (Morgan 40, Banton 14) Singles for each early in the over before Little tries to bump Morgan. It’s too high though, called a wide. Oooh, there it is, Morgan thumpig a second short ball over square for SIX! He’s looking very good so far today, with so much time at his disposal to bat and bat and bat.

“An excellent piece on Jerusalem.” Thank you, Ian Forth. It took me long enough to pull it together! Time well spent around the time of the 2016 Presidential Election. “If I may now ‘pivot’ – in the contemporary idiom – to John Starbuck’s Point 4 and recall The Fall’s rendition of Jerusalem (1988). Mark E Smith contemporarises the lyrics and predicts the ECB’s stance on life after Covid:

I was very let down from the budget
I was expecting a one million quid handout
I was very disappointed
It was the government’s fault
It was the fault of the government…”

11th over: England 68-3 (Morgan 32, Banton 13) The field is back but that doesn’t matter when Morgan gets a look at a straight half-volley, driving it straight down the ground for four. Lovely stuff. As it is from Banton, pulling hard through midwicket for a second boundary. He hits the ball hard, the young man.

“I would add to your tenth point to complement John Starbuck’s list an eleventh, being a Mac Millings XI list.” Ah yes! Very good, Brian Withington. “We can then move on to discuss lists of lists, and inevitably segue to Russell’s paradox regarding the set of all sets that are not members of themselves before disappearing into the nearest available orifice.” As I was advised early on, include XIs sparingly…

10th over: England 59-3 (Morgan 27, Banton 9) Josh Little for the final over of the power play. The 20-year-old copped a demirit penalty point on Saturday when giving Bairstow a fairly aggressive send-off. Granted, he was on 82 from 40-odd balls at the time, but whatever gets you into the game, I suppose. He went on to take two more wickets, Moeen and Morgan both falling for nothing. The latter is on strike to begin, grabbing one to third man off the outside half of the blade. Banton’s turn to take advantage before the field goes back and he does, executing a stand-and-deliver carve through extra cover. “High class,” Mark Butcher says on TV. An even better shot comes next, Root-esque from the balls of his feet, through the same gap at cover; back to back boundaries. He tries to make it three on the trot to end the power play but cue-ends a wide delivery along the ground to first slip.

“Well so much for the Vince ton but I sadly fear that it may indeed have been a career defining innings,” adds Brian Withington. Sorry mate! “Meanwhile young Khushi is looking unorthodox but good alongside the old master at Chelmsford.”

9th over: England 50-3 (Morgan 26, Banton 1) Oooi! Morgan is clunked on the head by a Young bouncer! He’s not quick but the England captain has ducked straight into it. He’s fine, up and smiling, but they go through the formal concussion process with the medicos, which takes a while in the age of Covid. Earlier, in the successful (and marathon) Young over, the skipper responded to losing Vince by playing a lovely cover drive, racing along the outfield for four. Right, Morgan has his helmet replaced after a long way; Banton facing because they took a leg bye off his lid, raising the 50. He defends to mid-on with nice timing. Over, at last.

Vince out in the teens again! Young gets one to come back at the right-hander – a very good delivery – and Vince doesn’t adjust quickly enough, feathering the ball through to Tucker off his inside edge. It’s given not out but Ireland review immediately and they are rewarded with a third wicket inside the power play.

8th over: England 44-2 (Vince 16, Morgan 22) Morgan gets a fat inside edge off Adair, running away for another boundary. A tighter over on the whole, though.

“OBO readers usually go on about one or more of the following,” says John Starbuck. Okay, let’s do it:

1. Drinks

2. Foods

3. Family circumstances

4. Popular (or not) music

5. Crickers past, present and future

6. A funny thing happened on my way to the ….

7. OBO writers’ errors or opinions

8. Fillums and TV

9. The state of the current game

I would add, insisting that Joe Root is too weak to be a Test captain. Oh, and asking for the TMS link (which I then google, and post). Wouldn’t have it any other way.

7th over: England 39-2 (Vince 15, Morgan 18) My hunch is firming – Morgan is tucking in now. First up a half-volley from Young, which the captain drives so straight that it hits the non-striker stumps before running away for four. Later in the over, the swing bowler is too short and is pulled away with real authority.

“Afternoon Adam.” Hello, Brian Withington. “Bit torn this afternoon between watching a JM Vince career defining ton and an AN Cook fourth innings masterclass at Chelmsford. He’s guiding debutant FIN Khushi along nicely too.”

Plenty of Bob Willis Trophy fixtures are heading towards exciting finishes. Follow the final afternoon of the opening roung with Tanya Aldred on the county blog.

6th over: England 28-2 (Vince 14, Morgan 8) Adair is mixing up his pace to Morgan, and it is working – five dots on the bounce. But the England captain makes the most of a wider offering to finish, beating the field with a slap through point for four. I reckon they have missed a trick not getting Little on straight away at him.

A question from Richard O’Hagan. “You’re writing about the proposed Australia series like it is definitely going to happen. Do you know something that we don’t?”

No, I don’t, but the strong sense from Australia is that, once government approval has been finalised, it will be on. There were reports last week that it will likely be three T20s (Rose Bowl) then three ODIs (Old Trafford), from 4-16 September.

5th over: England 24-2 (Vince 14, Morgan 4) A third boundary for Vince, a second reaching the rope via his outside edge without a lot of footwork. He looks better later in the set, flicking Young behind square for a couple. Big day, James. Big day.

“Afternoon, Adam.” Afternoon, Anthony Pease. “I was wondering if you could give me a head start on the OBO riff of the day. I’ve been trying to brush up on as many obscure subjects as possible—all non-cricket-related, naturally—but to be honest I’ve got a busy afternoon planned and could do with some advance warning. Thanks for the help and keep up the splendid work.” It happens organically; I feel pressure to identify. But I know it when I see it, and will telegraph accordingly.

4th over: England 18-2 (Vince 8, Morgan 4) Morgan, who was sorted out for nothing on Saturday by Josh Little’s bouncer, is in early and off the mark straight away from the edge of his bat, through about fourth slip for four. Will they bring the big left-armer on right away to rough the captain up a bit? He won’t be happy if they do.

“Hello, Adam.” Hello, Ian Forth. “Ironically I’m watching via Foxtel in Australia and we most definitely got Jerusalem. Funnily enough, it’s the second time I’ve heard it today. The excellent Quickly Kevin podcast – a football nostalgia show – played it out on an episode as it was the official anthem for England’s Euro 2000 campaign. It’s had a strange sporting odyssey over the years and not one about which I’d wager William Blake would be too enthused.”

Yes, I hit go too early on that – they cut to the coverage about halfway through. This is the bit where I post my essay about the history of Jerusalem and England cricket, right? https://www.thenightwatchman.net/news/editors-choice-issue-16

Bowled through the gate! Bairstow was trying to flick Adair over the top but there was just enough movement to beat his blade. Lovely stump-to-stump stuff.

3rd over: England 14-1 (Bairstow 4, Vince 8) That’s a delicious cover drive, Vince at his most aesthetic. Can he stick around for a couple of hours, though?

“I hope you’re right about Mark Adair,” writes Michael Keane. “The word is that he hasn’t been right since his ankle surgery, is that right? Anyway, come on you boys in green etc.” Went for plenty in the warm-up. But can do it. Worth a shot today.

2nd over: England 7-1 (Bairstow 2, Vince 4) Mark Adair is into the team and has the new ball. Over the cordon and far away! Vince gets off the mark with a streaky boundary when attempting to cut. Judging by my packed inbox, the OBO community have very strong views about the Hampshire right-hander.

“Afternoon, Adam.” And to you, Matt Potter. “Needed to go to the office this week so had to decide between this game and a game of the test starting tomorrow. I chose today. I’ll forever regret that if James Vince scores a century. Looking forward to you to describing it to me instead! (As long as he doesn’t get a start and get out, again).”

I reckon you’ve made the right choice. I spoke to Kevin O’Brien yesterday and he sounded like a man who was fired up for a special performance. As I said off the top, with the Super League in place, there’s still plenty to play for. But from the veteran’s perspective, it’s mostly about giving it big against England. Maybe for the last time.

1st over: England 2-1 (Bairstow 1, Vince 0) Well, then. The second time Roy has been out in the first over this week, Young doing the job for his captain once again.

With an opportunity like this, coming in during the power play, this could not be more important. Especially with so many players back for the Australia series.

Caught at second slip! Conventional as dismissals come, Young getting a little bit of shape with the opener playing with hard hands. Balbirnie makes no mistake.

Craig Young has the ball in his hand. He’s starting off from the pavilion end, running away from where we are seated. Roy is on strike to begin. PLAY!

“This could be last chance saloon time for Vince,” writes Chris Evans. “Don’t want the guy to fail because he’s monstrous against a white ball in domestic cricket, but three games against Ireland on your home ground is a pretty sweet chance. Lots of people want his squad slot.”

True enough. With England batting first, a big opportunity ahead for the No3.

Jerusalem is playing to the empty stadium here. A touch strange given Sky Cricket aren’t taking this bit, but there we have it. And here come the players ahead of the minute’s silence for John Hume. Both teams are also wearing black armbands.

Excited to see Mark Adair back for Ireland. He was out of the squad initially, coming on this tour with an injury. Remember, he was one of the bowlers who knocked England over for 85 at Lord’s last year, picking up three wickets. One of those with Joe Root, who he claimed in both innings. Long story short: can bowl.

Sam Billings is on Sky with Rob Key. “I am at the stage of my career where I know my game well. I’ve made some changes and thankfully, they hae worked out. This is the first time in ODI cricket where I have played games back to back since 2016.”

He’s an excellent communicator and coming off two important (and unbeaten) contributions. He adds that his red-ball England dream remains alive as well.

Those XIs as named.

England: Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow (wk), James Vince, Eoin Morgan (c), Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Moeen Ali, David Willey, Adil Rashid, Tom Curran, Saqib Mahmood.

Ireland: Paul Stirling, Gareth Delany, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Harry Tector, Kevin O’Brien, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Curtis Campher, Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, Joshua Little, Craig Young.

I neglected to say, drop me a line! I’m here for the first dig, Rob the second.

Andy Balnirnie says the pitch looks good. He thinks it will play the same through the day, thus bowling first. Simi Singh is out of the XI for recalled quick Mark Adair.

Eoin Morgan says England would have bowled first too. One change: Tom Curran, as expected, is coming in for the injured Reece Topley.

There will be a minute’s silence before play to pay tribute to John Hume. Ross McCollum, Chair of Cricket Ireland, said: “We were all saddened to hear of the passing of John Hume. He was a tremendous man with fantastic vision and a relentless commitment to peace. He will no doubt be remembered as a giant of his time, and his legacy will extend for many generations to come. On behalf of the Irish cricket community, we pass on our condolences to John’s family and friends.”