Players have been given opportunities to show that they deserve to be involved in the England setup long-term though, even if this engagement looks more like a Lions Tour.
England vs Ireland | Third ODI | Tuesday 26 September 2023 | Gloucestershire County Cricket Club Ground, Bristol | 13:30
England 2/3 | Tie 25/1 | Ireland 9/2
Will Jacks proved to be the star for England with an allround effort in the second ODI after the first was washed out.
Sam Hain, who has also been knocking on the England door for some time, chipped in with a big innings from the middle order.
Ben Duckett didn’t open but showed versatility as the No 4 for England in the previous clash.
Teenaged spinner Rehan Ahmed was impressive once more and showed that he is a good pick as a future multi-format star for England.
There are positives for Ireland but it isn’t in the form of their top-order batsmen, that is for sure.
The old guard of Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling have not been able to get Ireland going for some time.
Ireland are fortunate that they bat deep because, too often, their tail has to do a lot of batting.
The lower and middle order are strong but are often asked to push up the tempo after top order failures.
Verdict: England
England should seal the series in Bristol.
