Ireland v England: Ben Foakes rescues Eoin Morgan’s men but knows heroics unlikely to have long-term effect

Archer was easily the most hyped of the six first-timers on show, three in each side, but while he opened his international account with a stump-toppling yorker and regularly reached 90mph, England would have been heading home defeated were it not for Foakes’s cool-headed 61 not out.

Chasing 199 the visitors were reduced to 66-5 when the Surrey wicketkeeper calmed things down and began the painstaking process of reeling in the target and delivering a four-wicket win with three overs to spare.

Unlike Archer, Foakes’s chances of making the World Cup are slim with the rested duo Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow untouchable among wicketkeeper-batsmen, but his contribution was easily the definitive one.

Foakes had already made a big intervention with a contentious stumping of Andrew Balbirnie that straddled a line between inspired, opportunistic and unchivalrous.

Nothing in the rules spoke against his belated flick of the bails as Balbirnie’s foot lifted and if anything it offered evidence of the Surrey gloveman’s razor-sharp instincts.

Play began two hours late due to a sodden outfield, with the contest reduced to 45 overs a side.

Ireland were still dismissed 11 balls ahead of time as Liam Plunkett and Tom Curran responded to Archer’s arrival by sharing seven wickets.

Archer was selected for new-ball duty, but failed to land a killer blow in an initial four-over burst. Paul Stirling proved a thorn in his side, taking the Sussex man for four boundaries, including a punch through point from Archer’s first delivery.

He did not have long to wait to be involved in his first dismissal, though, stooping to catch Stirling as Curran made the breakthrough. Ireland were about to stumble from 55-0 to 77-4.

Plunkett prised out William Porterfield and Lorcan Tucker, and Curran needed a superb take from Joe Denly to see off Kevin O’Brien.

The duo would be back later to wrap the innings up, but it was Archer’s return that captured the imagination. A rapid spell, littered with zippy bouncers, a clever slower ball and, crucially, a memorable wicket.

The target would not have shaken the away dressing room, but without the chutzpah of rested openers Jason Roy and Bairstow they started sedately.

England should have been able to absorb the loss of James Vince, but relied on one of their two most established hands, Joe Root and Eoin Morgan, to do the job. Instead the pair lasted just nine balls between them.

Dawid Malan and Denly fell too, but Foakes was at the crease by now and would ultimately ride the tension to see England home despite the subsequent loss of David Willey.