England vs Ireland 2020, 1st ODI: Ireland Predicted XI

Ireland will kickstart their ODI Super-League campaign when they will lock horns with world champions England in the three-match ODI series at the bio-secure Rose Bowl in Southampton.

The first ODI of the three-match series will take place on Thursday [July 30]. Ireland have named a 14-man squad for the series opener. The Andrew Balbirnie-led unit has included two uncapped cricketers in Curtis Campher and Harry Tector in their squad while Mark Adair has missed out due to injury, as has Gary Wilson.

So, what will be the playing XI of Ireland in the first ODI against Eoin Morgan’s England?

Here’s a look at Ireland’s predicted playing XI-

Paul Stirling

The experienced opening batsman scored a whirlwind 55-ball 53 in the practice match against England Lions but the Irish will hope he goes on and converts the starts into a big knock in the actual series.

Stirling is the leading run-scorer for Ireland in ODI cricket since the start of 2018. In 30 ODIs, the opener has scored 1225 runs at an average of 42.24 which also includes 2 hundred and ten half-centuries.

Gareth Delany

Gareth Delany made his ODI debut against the West Indies earlier this year. In 2 games, he could only 33 runs at an average of 16.5. Delany, however, has been a regular in T20I cricket for Ireland, ever since he made his debut last year. In 23 T20Is, he has 436 runs to his name at a strike-rate of 150.

Delany missed out in the warm-up game against England Lions where he was dismissed for an 18-ball 10.

Andrew Balbirnie [C]

Undoubtedly, the best batsman in the Irish side at the moment, skipper Andrew Balbirnie will once again be crucial to his sides’ fortunes.

Balbirnie, who scored a 73-ball 60 in the warm-up game against England Lions, has scored the most number of hundreds [5] for Ireland in the past two years. In 29 ODI innings, Balbirnie has racked up 1153 runs at an average of 41.17 with the help of five half-centuries and as many hundreds.

William Porterfield

An Irish cricket veteran, William Porterfield is the glue that keeps his sides’ middle-order together. Porterfield, who scored 32 in the warm-up game, is the leading run-scorer for Ireland and England in ODIs.

In the 10 games that Porterfield has played against England, he has scored 281 runs at an average of 31.22, including one fifty and one three-figure score. Besides that, he is also the third-highest run-scorer for Ireland in ODI cricket since the start of 2018- 819 runs at an average of 28.24 in 29 innings.

Kevin O’Brien

The only time Ireland has managed to beat England in an ODI, it was because of Kevin O’Brien’s breathtaking assault on the English bowlers in the 2011 World Cup.

But since then, O’Brien hasn’t done much whenever he has come up against England. In 10 games against England, Kevin O’Brien has managed just 239 runs [113 of them came in a single game] at an average of 26.55.

The all-rounder is the fourth-highest run-scorer for Ireland since 2018 [706 runs at 28.24] and he will be crucial to his sides’ fortunes in the upcoming ODI series.

Harry Tector

Ireland named uncapped Harry Tector in their 14-man squad for the ODI series.

Tector, who has played 20 T20Is for Ireland this far, gave a good account for himself in the warm-up match where he scored a 49-ball 55- an innings which included three fours and as many sixes.

Lorcan Tucker (WK)

With Gary Wilson not in the squad, Lorcan Tucker will take over the wicket-keeping role.

Tector scored an enterprising 24-ball 26 in the warm-up game, helping Ireland to post 296. Overall, the wicket-keeper batsman has played 8 games and has scored 142 runs at an average of 20.28.

Simi Singh

Simi Singh has claimed 18 wickets in 15 ODIs since the start of 2018. The spinner claimed one wicket in the warm-up game, and he could be crucial for the Irish in the middle-overs, considering the Rose Bowl aids spin.

Andy McBrine

Andy McBrine was the most economical of Irish bowlers in the warm-up game.

The right-arm off-spinner registered figures of 0-37 in six overs when almost every other bowler went in excess of seven. McBrine has claimed 25 wickets in 23 games at an average of 31.24.

Barry McCarthy

Barry McCarthy will lead the fast bowling unit. The right-handed seamer has claimed 55 wickets in his 30-match ODI career.

Since the start of 2018, he has claimed 25 wickets at an average of 31.24.

Boyd Rankin

The tall lanky fast bowler will once again spearhead the Irish attack. Rankin has been the leader of the Irish bowling unit for the better part of the last decade. The right-hander has been in brilliant form in the past two years.

Since the start of 2018, Rankin has claimed a total of 45 wickets in 27 matches at an average of 24.60 and an economy of 4.60, and he will be the key to his sides’ fortunes against the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy.

Also Read: England vs Ireland 2020, 1st ODI, Southampton- Match Prediction