Summary

  • England cruise to victory despite late loss of wickets

  • Salt, reprieved by no-ball on 51 off 22, clobbers 89 off 46

  • Buttler crashes 28 off 10 as England get off to flier

  • Ireland's 196-3 their highest T20 score against England

  • Tector and Tucker (55) share 123-run stand for third wicket

  • England go 1-0 up in three-game series; next match on Friday

Live Reporting

by Matthew Henry, Jonty Colman, Sam Drury & Esha Nayar

  1. Ed Joyce
    Ex-Ireland and England batter

    England have already taken a huge chunk out of the required total, that required run rate has been brought right down. It's the freedom that Phil Salt and Jos Buttler play with. They can just swing their bats and because their so talented, they know which shots to play.

  2. Eng 60-0

    Target 197

    New bowler, same outcome.

    Phil Salt thumps the first ball over mid-wicket and the second, guided down to the third man boundary for back-to-back fours.

    England already have 60 off 20 balls.

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    A super display by the Irish batsmen but can't help feel they're going to miss the bowling prowess of Mark Adair.

    Pete, Holywood

  4. Eng 52-0

    Target 197

    Two more fours for Jos Buttler in balls four and six of the over see England pass the 50 partnership at the end of the third over.

    Buttler is on 27 off just eight balls, with Phil Salt scoring 24 off 10.

    A fourth over and a fourth bowler for Ireland. Craig Young up next.

  5. Ed Joyce
    Ex-Ireland and England batter

    Lorcan Tucker will be looking to try and keep Jos Buttler in his crease.

  6. Eng 44-0

    Target 197

    Another four for Jos Buttler, who adjusts his body and on the stretch manages to middle his shot while trying not to fall over.

    Through the off side, Buttler is looking very comfortable early on.

    Where do Ireland go from here?

  7. Ed Joyce
    Ex-Ireland and England batter

    It's really hard to bowl at these two. If it was a 50-over game, that's the exact length that you'd want to bowl at. This isn't an ODI and Ireland are facing two of the best T20 openers here. Everything is going to get punished.

  8. 6 runs

    Eng 40-0

    Target 197

    Four, six! Excellent from Jos Buttler

    Graham Hume's start to the over is far from ideal and Buttler is teeing off, clearing the boundary at deep cover for another England maximum.

  9. Michael McNamee
    BBC Test Match Special

    There is a message being sent here by Phil Salt.

  10. Eng 30-0

    Target 197

    Phil Salt ends the over with a lofted drive across his body and just wide of the long-on boundary.

    Initially signalled a four, it is changed to a six following the tv replays, just pitching onto the rope.

    Another new bowler next after that 19-run over, with Graham Hume given a go at the openers.

  11. Eng 23-0

    Target 197

    Four more for Phil Salt as he continues to set the tempo early here for England.

    Flat-batted, Salt pummelled McCarthy's delivery through the covers to find the boundary rope.

  12. Ed Joyce
    Ex-Ireland and England batter

    SaltPA Media

    It's a fantastic shot there from Phil Salt.

    It's been an aggressive start from England, it's been a very defensive mindset from Ireland so far but they'll need to get some wickets early here.

  13. Michael McNamee
    BBC Test Match Special

    Long and straight, it's gone straight into the sightscreen!

  14. 6 runs

    Eng 17-0

    Target 197

    New bowler Barry McCarthy is getting a taste of what Phil Salt has to offer.

    McCarthy's second ball of the day is smashed back over his head by Salt and all the way over the rope for six.

    Start as you mean to go on, Phil.

  15. Eng 11-0

    Target 197

    ButtlerPA Media

    Jos Buttler is in on the act now.

    England's wicketkeeper follows up Salt's first four with a shot that was nigh on a carbon copy.

    An 11-run over to start England's innings.

  16. Eng 6-0

    Target 197

    It takes just three balls for Phil Salt to find the first boundary of the innings.

    A cover drive off the second ball that is stopped on the boundary for two is followed up with a squarer flash of the bat for four.

  17. Eng 0-0

    Target 197

    The players are walking back to out to the field in Dublin.

    Phil Salt and Jos Buttler to open for England, fresh off their heroics at Old Trafford against South Africa five days ago.

    Salt to face the first ball, with Matthew Humphreys bowling the first over.

  18. Pakistan v UAE match delayed
    Breaking

    Pakistan fanGetty Images

    Over in the UAE, Pakistan's match against the United Arab Emirates at the Asia Cup has been delayed by an hour amid the ongoing fallout from Sunday's match against India.

    Pakistan said India's players refused to shake hands after the match - the first between the two countries since the military conflict earlier this year - and also claim match referee Andy Pycroft told their captain Salman Agha not to shake hands with his India counterpart at the toss.

    Pakistan subsequently asked for Pycroft, due to be match referee for Wednesday's match against the UAE, to be removed from officiating at the tournament.

    Wednesday's match, a must-win for Pakistan, was due to begin at 15:30 BST.

    Their players remained at the team hotel as talks continued but did depart for the Dubai International Stadium around 30 minutes before the scheduled toss.

    Full story here.

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    Another shoddy bowling performance from England. What is it about Rehan that Bethell doesn't understand? So much potential, but he gets one over while also-rans like Overton get smashed and Dawson, who is never ever the future, gets a full complement.

    Anon

  20. A concern for England today will be the performance of the bowlers.

    Just three wickets taken and with the exception of Luke Wood (0-24 from three overs), all of England's bowlers went for at least nine runs per over.

    But as we have seen in recent weeks, England certainly have the batting firepower to chase this down.