England’s attempt to win over Ireland with an ODI record was delayed by rain, as the third and final match of the series at Bristol was abandoned on September 26, 2023.
England were looking to set a new record for the highest team total in ODI history, but they were only able to bat for 31 overs before the rain arrived. By that point, they had reached 280/4, with Ben Duckett scoring a maiden ODI century.
The rain continued to fall for the rest of the day, and the match was eventually abandoned without a result. This meant that England won the series 1-0, but they were unable to achieve their goal of setting a new ODI record.
Rain delays England’s record-breaking attempt:
Phil Salt and Will Jacks’ 87-run partnership for the first wicket gave England a strong start in the third ODI. After Salt was eventually dismissed for 61 runs, Jacks put on another 58 runs with Dawid Malan while scoring freely.
Malan was dismissed for 35, but England continued to score at a rapid pace. Duckett was particularly aggressive, and he reached his century in just 65 balls. He was eventually dismissed for 107, but England were still in a good position at 280/4.
However, the rain arrived just before the drinks break, and the match was never able to resume. This was a disappointing end to the series for England, as they were well on course to set a new ODI record.
Impact of the rain delay on England’s ODI record:
England’s ODI record is an impressive one. They have won the most ODI matches of any team (525), and they have also scored the most ODI runs (48,000). However, they have never set the record for the highest team total in an ODI match.
The current record is held by Sri Lanka, who scored 443/9 against the Netherlands in 2006. England were on course to beat this record in the third ODI against Ireland, but the rain delay prevented them from doing so.
Will England ever set a new ODI record?
England are certainly capable of setting a new ODI record. They have a number of world-class batsmen in their team, including Duckett, Salt, Jacks, and Malan. Additionally, they have a favorable batting schedule in the coming months, with matches against Australia, South Africa, and India.
However, England will need to be consistent if they want to set a new ODI record. They have a tendency to collapse in the middle order, and they have also been inconsistent with their bowling.
Conclusion:
England’s attempt to win over Ireland with an ODI record was delayed by rain, but they will still have plenty of opportunities to set a new record in the coming months. They have a number of world-class batsmen in their team, and they have a favorable batting schedule. However, they will need to be more consistent if they want to achieve their goal.