Updated 3.10pm
Ryan Bailey reports from Malahide
JUST EIGHTEEN OVERS were possible during Friday’s Royal London One-Day International between Ireland and England in Malahide as heavy rain spoiled the day for a capacity crowd of 10,000.
Play was halted shortly after noon but the persistent rain never relented and umpires Ian Ramage and Mark Hawthorne were left with no choice but to abandon the game at 3.10pm, although the majority of fans had already accepted the inevitable.
It means Ireland’s busy international starts on a damp note with Cricket Ireland now left to count the cost of a washout.
As was expected, once the heavens open there was no break in the grey skies over North Dublin and a resumption was always unlikely.
But because ten overs were bowled, fans are not entitled to a refund as per the ticketing policy.
In the action that was possible, Ireland stuttered to 56-4 after James Taylor, the England captain, won the toss and had no hesitation in bowling.
His decision was justified immediately as Mark Wood, one of five debutants for the visitors, dismissed William Porterfield after Paul Stirling had been run-out attempting to scramble a leg-bye.
Niall O’Brien was then caught by James Vince at first slip off Tim Bresnan and the ball after driving crisply down the ground, Andrew Balbirnie fell to a sharp catch at gully by Jason Roy off David Willey.
Ed Joyce and Gary Wilson went about rebuilding as play continued through a light drizzle but the clouds began to converge over Malahide and the game headed towards an inevitable fate.
Ireland are next in action in early June when they begin their Intercontinental Cup campaign against United Arab Emirates at this ground. The winner of that tournament will go into a play-off for the right to play Test cricket.
RIP Eddie thanks for giving us those years in the benson and hedges coloured F1 cars and that win in Belgium, great memories
@Roy Butler: bitten and hisses … Loved that.
What a charismatic person. All the top people in F1 in the 90′s and 00′s worked for him either on the way up or at their peak. He had a marvellous eye for talent. And not to forget. He gave a certain Ayrton Senna his first drive in an F3 in 1982.
RIP to a great Irish man. May he rest in peace.
Heartbroken to hear this, spent many Sundays in front of the tv cheering on the buzzin hornets, Belgium 98 will always be special, he always came across as a great character, rest in peace.
Ah no. RIP Eddie Jordan
Really sad news. May he RIP.
Spent my childhood wearing yellow and black Jordan merchandise
Can always remember Belgium 98
RIP to a true Irish legend
Formula 1 97, PlayStation 1.
“Im picking that that sexy yellow benson and hedges car!!”
“Why not the red fer…”
“I said give me the yellow one!”
RIP Eddie great memories!
I know nothing about that sport but was always excited by the bright yellow cars who you could pick out so easily and always watched and shouted them on because they were Irish, always craving to support something Irish on the world stage and he gave us that, RIP Eddie.
RIP Eddie, responsible for producing the wonderful 7up Jordan in that first year the discover Ireland sponsorship it was stunning,
Then getting up in the middle of the night to see Eddie Irvine unlaping himself in Japan to the bright yellow cars great times to be watching F1.
Always a pleasure to hear his commentary with genuine forthright views, I doubt we’ll see many like him again in F1
@Phill Brown: the Sasol sponsored Jordan 194. That was the start of the upward climb in the Constructors Championship with Rubens and Eddie Irvine
This one really hurt’s gave us great memoryies in the 90′s a legend in formula one lost a great irishman today rip
Rip. An Irish legend for sure
A great character Formula 1 desperately needed at the time, to inspire belief that the little guy could compete.
Spare a thought for those that love London Irish Rugby, who will be devastated that they guy driving the re-creation of the professional entity has passed…
RIP to a genuine legend