A career best List A innings by Craig Young was in vain as Ireland fell to a 48 runs defeat by England in Saturday’s one-day international at Trent Bridge.

Young had also made the initial double breakthrough after a nightmare start saw Mark Adair and Josh Little concede 44 runs in the first four overs but although they restricted the world champions to 334 for eight, it left Ireland needing their highest ever run chase to claim a third successive victory over their neighbours,

Their victory target was just six runs more than they had scored to win at Southampton three years ago but that day both Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie scored centuries. This time no-one made 50.

Thanks to nervous debutant George Scrimshaw bowling six no-balls in his first two overs, the experienced openers actually hit 46 off 3.5 overs but two balls later both were back in the pavilion and by halfway, Ireland had slumped to 150 for six.

Not for the first time the recovery was led by George Dockrell who finished top scorer with 43 but when he holed out to long-on, Ireland needed 147 from 18 overs with just two wickets left. Barry McCarthy, Young, who finished 40 not out, and Josh Little all enjoyed themselves – with the latter two adding a record 55 for the 10th wicket - against increasingly errant English bowling but victory was always out of reach.

Stirling admitted those early overs ultimately cost them and the final scoreline flattered them.

“We are glad to have those moments when we are on top rather than not but we didn’t rock up for the first 40 minutes and we can’t afford to do that,” said the interim captain. “We were happy to win the toss and bowl first and there was enough in the pitch if we put it in the right area but we didn’t manage to do that.

“The wicket got tougher to score on in the second innings so we knew 330 was above par but I was proud of how the lads came back – it was looking like 400 at one stage - and they showed character but we were not good enough for long periods of time.”

The biggest disappointment on the day was that Ireland were so much more experienced than than their hosts who had four players making their ODI debuts and the other seven had a total of 37 caps. Only Curtis Campher and Josh Little of the Ireland XI had played fewer.

Little may be an in-demand bowler for T20 franchise sides around the world, culminating in a call-up for the prestigious Indian Premier League, but he is still struggling to get it right for his country. Here he took one wicket for 82, his second most expensive analysis, and his last 36 overs against Full Members have gone for 288 runs – eight an over.

Adair came back well after conceding six boundaries in his first four overs and it was left to Young ‘Mr Dependable’ to continue his wicket-taking streak and get Ireland back into the game.

Dockrell outbowled first choice spinner Andy McBrine to take his first three-for since 2019 and it promises to be an interesting selection decision for the final match of the season, at Bristol on Tuesday,