England v Ireland

One-day internationals (2): England 2, Ireland 0
"I don't think so," said England's Dublin-born captain Eoin Morgan when asked if Ireland's first one-day international in England was a significant moment in his career. It was typical Morgan, thinking never of the past, only of the next challenge. And this was the start of what he hoped would be ten ODIs in 45 days, culminating - if everything went to plan - with the final of the Champions Trophy on June 18.

Ireland also had one eye on the future. For many years they had aspired to Test status; following an ICC board meeting in June they got it. In the meantime, a repetition of their shock World Cup win over England at Bangalore in 2011 would do them no harm, and in early-season conditions - with Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes all at the IPL - the Irish might have sensed an opportunity. But there was to be no repeat. At Bristol, England wrapped up a seven-wicket win before the scheduled interval, as seven Ireland batsmen fell to the spin of Adil Rashid and Joe Root. Then, in Ireland's first official one-day international at Lord's (they had first played MCC there in 1858, and a World Twenty20 game in 2009), the result was closer, but never in doubt.

While England had clearly moved on from Bangalore, Ireland seemed stuck in the past. Seven of their players on show that evening played in this series, whereas England fielded an entirely new XI. The performance of Kevin O'Brien, in particular, did little to quell the suspicion that Ireland had stood still. Having smashed a 50-ball century six years earlier, he fell this time for four and 18.

Match reports for

1st ODI: England v Ireland at Bristol, May 5, 2017
Report | Scorecard

2nd ODI: England v Ireland at Lord's, May 7, 2017
Report | Scorecard