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. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    If England continue at this rate after the first three overs, they will have chased the total with eight overs to spare, will all the naysayers admit that this wicket is a batter friendly one?

    Matt, Stourbridge

  2. Eng 74-1

    Target 197

    An 11-run over for England, while Ireland end what had been a superb opening partnership.

    Just like England's batting, we have a change of our own.

    I shall hand you to Matthew Henry to take you through the rest of the innings.

  3. Ed Joyce
    Ex-Ireland and England batter

    That was a brutal innings, it felt like every ball hit the boundary. Ireland will certainly need to look for some more wickets because England have got such a deep bating line-up.

  4. Michael McNamee
    BBC Test Match Special

    Ireland, after taking a battering, finally took their first wicket.

  5. wicket

    WICKET

    Buttler c Campher b Humphreys 28 (Eng 74-1) Target 197

    ButtlerPA Media

    A breakthrough for Ireland.

    The slower ball from Matthew Humphreys gets the batter of Jos Buttler, who knew the second it left his bat that his time was up.

    A good piece of bowling from Humphreys as Curtis Campher takes the catch comfortably.

    Captain Jacob Bethell is in next.

  6. Ed Joyce
    Ex-Ireland and England batter

    SaltPA Media

    These are two batters at the peak of their powers. Every shot is calculated, the plan is clear.

  7. 6 runs

    Eng 73-1

    Target 197

    Opening bowler Matthew Humphreys is reintroduced, but his first two balls go for a four and a six.

    Phil Salt with a sweep and gets all of that, sending the ball into the stands over deep square leg.

    Salt is closing in on 50.

  8. Ed Joyce
    Ex-Ireland and England batter

    It's hard to know what the discussion is between Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, they just keep hitting fours and sixes.

  9. How's stat?!

    Kieran Parmley
    CricViz analyst

    The highest successful chase in a T20I at Malahide is 194, chased down by Ireland in September 2019. England have successfully chase three of their last five 190+ targets in T20Is.

  10. Eng 63-0

    Target 197

    A better end to that over from Craig Young after starting with back-to-back fours.

    11 come from it and total and already, England's required run rate has dropped to 8.38.

    The opening duo of Phil Salt and Jos Buttler have been going at almost double that rate so far.

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. Get Involved

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    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

  14. 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.

  15. Ed Joyce
    Ex-Ireland and England batter

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

  16. 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?

  17. 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.

  18. 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.

  19. Michael McNamee
    BBC Test Match Special

    There is a message being sent here by Phil Salt.

  20. 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.