England win ODI series against Ireland after play is abandoned at Bristol

Ben Duckett’s dashing maiden ODI century after an astonishing early blitz from Phil Salt was negated by the elements as England’s summer ended in soggy fashion against Ireland at Bristol.

Salt caused carnage with a buccaneering 61 off 28 balls as England brought up 100 after seven overs, laying the foundations for Duckett, a contender for a non-travelling reserve spot at the World Cup.

Duckett struggled for fluency initially but moved superbly through the gears and brought up his hundred off 72 balls, reaching 107 not out in England’s 280 for four off just 31 overs before rain intervened.

Unfortunately, due to the sheer amount of rain that fell in the earlier downpour, the match has been abandoned.#ENGvIRE #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/iDK7KhxbYX

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) September 26, 2023

The downpour was brief but a deluge saturated the outfield, where several puddles formed almost immediately, while the ground staff struggled to get the covers on promptly, hindered also by wind.

Barely half an hour after the players came off at 2.48pm, hands were being shaken between the sides on the dressing room balconies at 3.21pm, as an abandonment meant England won the Metro Bank series 1-0.

Salt’s pyrotechnics, containing seven fours and four sixes, plus 39 off 21 balls from Will Jacks helped England set new benchmarks for the fastest a team has reached 50 and 100 when batting first in an ODI.

After an England side with just one change from the 48-run win at Trent Bridge on Saturday – Luke Wood in for George Scrimshaw – were asked to bat, Salt set the tone with 18 runs off the first four balls.

Salt carved, punched then pulled Mark Adair for three successive fours before heaving into the stands beyond midwicket,