Three days ago, more than 90,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground were treated to one of the great T20 World Cup finishes, orchestrated by a player of God-like aura.
This morning, at the same near-empty ground, a mere fraction of that number were denied another potential nail-biter by the heavens.
Those of an Irish persuasion will not care one jot, Duckworth-Lewis-Stern confirming, in somewhat anticlimactic fashion, one of the most famous victories in their cricketing history, perhaps their greatest since the 50-over triumph over England at the 2011 World Cup, on their first ever competitive outing at one of the sport’s most storied venues.
Chasing 158, England were 105-for-five - five runs short of the DLS par - when rain spelled the end 14.3 overs into their reply, behind the rate but still firmly in the game with Moeen Ali just starting to purr on 24 off 12. Ultimately, England got what they deserved for a slack bowling display and another top-order failure with the bat, but need only point to Sunday and the last game played on this ground for proof of what might yet have been.
Ireland’s triumph did not come with the shock value of Bangalore 11 years ago, Andy Balbirnie’s side an established threat on the international stage who thrashed the West Indies by nine wickets less than a week ago. England were wary and even with what is now a monumental meeting with Australia only 48 hours away, kept their team unchanged. Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, both recently back off long-term injuries, were rolled out once again.
Woakes, in particular, struggled, wicketless in three overs that cost 41 runs and if England’s performance with the ball and in the field in the five-wicket win over Afghanistan on Saturday was Louvre worthy then this was more college art fair.
Balbirnie (62 off 47) and Lorcan Tucker (34 off 27) were the beneficiaries, tucking in as Ireland played with freedom and intent. By the time what would be Woakes’ final over, the tenth, was carted for 18 runs, England were looking ragged and Ireland 92-for-one at halfway, on course for something way above par.
England needed a breakthrough and, as so often over the years, Adil Rashid delivered it, though hardly in conventional fashion, brushing Balbirnie’s push onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end to have Tucker run out backing up and break a partnership of 82.
It proved a turning point, Ireland losing nine-for-54 to be skittled with four balls of the innings left, Wood finishing another hostile spell with three wickets and Liam Livingstone picking up T20i best figures of 3-17, including two in two balls at one stage.
The collapse briefly felt like an opportunity missed for Ireland, but Jos Buttler’s second-ball duck was the first of three power play wickets to fall, while neither Harry Brook nor Dawid Malan made the most of brief reprieves after being dropped in successive balls trying to build the partnership that would take the game deep. Moeen looked on course to do just that, but was swiftly stopped in his tracks by the rain.
