London: England coasted to a six-wicket victory in the third T20 against Ireland to win the series thanks to a half-century from Jordan Cox. After Phil Salt led England to victory in the first match on Wednesday, and Friday’s meeting was washed out without a ball bowled, the win secured a 2-0 victory for the tourists in what was the first ever T20 series between the sides.
According to BBC, Ireland set the visitors a target of 155 after an innings where they were held well in check by England’s bowling attack. England’s bowlers maintained control over Ireland, with their spinners taking six of the eight wickets. Opener Ross Adair made 33 from 23 deliveries, but Ireland’s top order struggled to score at a rate of better than a run per ball. Gareth Delany led the way for Ireland with an unbeaten 48 off 29 deliveries. Despite his efforts, the total of 155 never seemed likely to be defended.
Cox had not been named in the initial squad for this series and was added only after his starring role for the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred, where he was the leading run-scorer and named Most Valuable Player. His return to the starting side represented his first international outing since November and a first T20 for England in over a year. After a near injury scare, Cox stated his determination to play, saying, “I’m not going to let the opportunity to play for my country go because I’ve got a sore knee.”
Fit to bat, Cox contributed significantly to England’s chase, which was delayed by rain. England was at 57-2 after the powerplay, with Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell both dismissed. Cox steadied the innings, scoring 55 before being bowled by Ben White. His performance helped England surpass Ireland’s total and secure the series win.
England spinner Adil Rashid commented on TNT Sports about the team’s adaptability and performance, noting the excitement for the upcoming T20 World Cup where they will face New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Ireland captain Paul Stirling acknowledged the positives from the week, despite being short on runs in the final game. England captain Jacob Bethell expressed his delight at leading the team to a series victory in his first outing as captain.