Wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow hammered 82 runs off just 41 deliveries before Sam Billings and David Willey took England home by four wickets against Ireland in the second ODI at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
England chased down the target of 213 runs with nearly 20 overs to spare to gain an unassailable lead of 2-0 in the three-match series. The Eoin Morgan-led team had earlier defeated the Irish team by six wickets in the first ODI, which had marked the beginning of the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.
The Super League has been initiated to determine the team for the ICC World Cup 2023. It will see all the top-ranked 12 ODI sides playing three away and three home series before the top seven sides qualify for the perennial event in India.
Meanwhile, Bairstow’s efforts ensured that England crossed the 130-run mark within the first 16 overs of the match, although his innings also did not last longer than that. His opening partner Jason Roy went for a third-ball duck.
Bairstow went on to share a 71-run stand with James Vince, which came off just 49 balls, most of it courtesy the England wicketkeeper-batsman. He however got a nick off Josh Little that flew straight into the hands of Lorcan Tucker behind the stumps to be dismissed on 82 off 41 balls.
Little then dismissed England captain Eoin Morgan and Moeen Ali in his next over to give the Irish boys a ray of hope but Sam Billings and David Willey saw them through to the end.
Little was Ireland’s highest wicket taker with three scalps while Curtis Campher, who led the way with the bat in both matches, took two.
Earlier, Campher led another late fightback from Ireland to help them cross the 200-run mark. After being 91/6 in the 28th over, Campher helped the visitors post 212/9 at the end of their 50 overs.
Brief Scores: Ireland 212/9 in 50 overs (Campher 68, Tector 28; Rashid 3/34) vs England 216/6 in 32.3 overs (Bairstow 82, Willey 47; Little 3/60)