Right then, that brings the curtain down on this opening T20I of the three-match series, with England taking a 1-0 lead after an entertaining contest. Make sure to join us for the second T20I of the series on Friday (September 19th) from the same venue. The contest will get underway at 12:30 PM GMT, and we’ll be with you well in advance for all the pre-match build-up, expert analysis, and insights. Until then, take care and goodbye!

Phil Salt wins the PLAYER OF THE MATCH AWARD for his blistering knock. Says that he enjoyed the knock, as it was a good wicket and was fun in the middle. Adds that they try to take it on, and when it works, it is entertaining. Shares that it was a good effort from Ireland, and there was help for the slower bowlers, but glad to get over the line. Tells that to start the series with a win was a great effort. Ends by sharing that the Irish team will come up with different plans in the next game, but they hope to continue the good run.

Jacob Bethell, the England skipper, is up for a chat. He expressed his delight after winning his first game as captain. He noted that after the first innings, his team thought they might have given away too many runs, but the successful chase proved that big totals can be comprehensively chased down at this venue. Bethell highlighted the strength of England's opening pair, Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, whose partnership average is around 55, giving his team a significant advantage. He praised the lovely atmosphere at the ground and looked forward to playing in front of a full house in the remaining matches.

Paul Stirling, the skipper of Ireland, is up for a chat. He says that they will take the positives and will look to show improvements in the upcoming games. Adds that the wicket was slow and they were happy with 196. Shares that it is tricky against the English batting, but they tried to get wickets the whole way through, and taking six wickets was a positive. Ends by saying that they have a big winter ahead of them, and he is proud of the way that the lads turned up.

Presentation time...

Matthew Humphreys is up for a chat. He says that there was a bit of spin on offer. Adds that they needed to be brave, but did not do it at times as England came hard at them. Shares that it is very difficult against world-class batters to contain, and trying to stay a step ahead is always challenging.  Mentions that the lads were amazing with the bat, which got them to an above-par score. Ends by adding that they will look to get back on track and do well on Friday.

Earlier, Ireland batted first and set a competitive target of 197. Paul Stirling and Ross Adair gave them a solid start, while attacking half-centuries from Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker helped them surpass the 190-run mark. For England, Luke Wood and Adil Rashid were the standout bowlers. England will be pleased with their dominant win, while Ireland will look to bounce back in the next match. 

After posting an above-par total on the board, Ireland would have been confident heading into the field. However, their bowlers were taken to the cleaners early on. While they did manage to pull things back after the Powerplay and take regular wickets, the damage had already been done. Matthew Humphreys and Graham Hume each picked up two wickets, while Harry Tector and Gareth Delany added one apiece. Craig Young and Barry McCarthy bowled with discipline, hitting hard lengths and troubling the English batters, but England were simply too strong on the day.

England have successfully chased down a target of 197, defeating Ireland by four wickets with more than two overs to spare, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Opening with a fiery start, Jos Buttler and Phil Salt quickly put England on track, adding 74 runs inside the first five overs. Buttler was dismissed for 28, but key contributions from Bethell and Sam Curran kept the momentum going. However, it was Phil Salt who stole the show, smashing a blistering 89 off just 46 balls, including ten boundaries and four sixes. Despite losing six wickets along the way, England comfortably crossed the finish line, securing the win with ease.

Jamie Overton walks in next.

Will Jacks walks in at number 7.