From juggernaut to nought. England’s air of invincibility was washed away on a damp and dramatic afternoon in Melbourne, where they lost an abbreviated game to an outstanding Ireland by five runs.
With rain forecast and the required score in case it arrived displayed throughout on the giant stadium scoreboard Englandbatted as if bathed in sunshine and paid the price, deservedly cast in Ireland’s shadow at the end.
They say that failure is an orphan, but England’s here had a long and indistinguished family tree. It was rain in the end that washed away their victory hopes, their innings cut short 5.3 overs from its scheduled conclusion and with the score frustratingly just behind DLS par.
But they had been poor in the field, key bowlers had leaked runs and the batting had been pedestrian. Ireland batted brilliantly in the opening half of their innings and their seamers followed that up with the ball.