Southampton: England skipper Eoin Morgan said Paul Stirling is as dangerous an opener as there is in cricket after the Irishman smashed 142 off 128 balls to help his team to a remarkable upset of the world champions in the third one-dayer on Tuesday. Ireland-born Morgan scored a century of his own as England set the visitors an imposing victory target of 329 at the Rose Bowl but he sat out the second innings because of a minor groin injury.
He watched on from the boundary as Stirling, who was dropped on 95 and 139, and Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie (113) put on 214 for the second wicket to help the Irish overhaul the target for the second victory over England in 12 attempts. “Paul Stirling had a day out and he’s the ability to do that,” Morgan told reporters.
An incredible win!#ENGvIRE | #BackingGreen ☘️ 🏏 pic.twitter.com/0FyiGczyxN
— Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) August 4, 2020
“But we play against world-class players all the time and you know when you do, you need to take those opportunities because they will hurt you. Ireland played really well and thoroughly deserved to win.” Morgan briefly overlapped with Stirling in the Ireland set-up before switching allegiance but knows him better from their time as teammates at English county Middlesex.
“He’s as dangerous an opening batsman as there is around the world,” he said of the 29-year-old. I know guys do not like bowling at him, he hits good balls for four or six and, on his day, he can take a game away from you,” he said. Morgan, who was having a scan on the groin ‘tweak’ but did not anticipate a long-term issue, said despite the seven-wicket loss, England would take plenty of positives out of a series they won 2-1.
We hit 329 in 2011, and we’ve done it again. #ENGvIRE | #BackingGreen ☘️ 🏏 pic.twitter.com/H2Z9R4JT0E
— Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) August 4, 2020
“We don’t take winning series for granted,” he added. “I think today was a kind reminder of how easily you can lose games when you have an average day or an off day,” he added. The victory brought back nine-year-old memories when a whirlwind century from Kevin O’Brien steered Ireland to victory against the same opposition in the 2011 World Cup in India.
Brief scores: England 328 all out (Eoin Morgan 106; Craig Young 3/53) lost to Ireland 329/3 in 49.5 overs (Paul Stirling 142, Andrew Balbirnie 113) by seven wickets.
