It's green for go as Rashid ups the ante

Got him! Adil Rashid clean bowls Kevin O’Brien to the delight of wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow

- Peter Hayter

THE distance in miles between Hampshire’s Ageas Bowl and Brisbane’s ‘Gabbatoir is a mere 10,000 plus.

The distance in cricketing terms between Ireland’s white-ball players and Australia’s Test XI can be measured in lightyears.

With all due respect, for Harry Tector, Kevin O’Brien and Lorcan Tucker, read David Warner, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.

As for how far removed a three-hit One-Day International series against the men in green is from a full-on five-match Test rubber against the men in baggy-greens, forget it.

But Kevin Pietersen yesterday urged that when England restart in earnest their search for a spinner to help them regain the Ashes down under next year, they should have another think about Adil Rashid. Pietersen watched England’s World Cup-winning leggie take 3 for 34 as Eoin Morgan’s men bowled out Ireland for 212 then wobbled past their target with less comfort than seemed likely.

In the end, an unbeaten stand of 79 between the mature Sam Billings and the aggressive David Willey saw them through a middle-order collapse after Jonny Bairstow had appeared to put the match at their mercy with a record-equalling half-century.

But while England’s batsmen contrived to turn a cakewalk into new calamity, England’s bowlers had already done what was required and Pietersen had seen enough to press Rashid’s claims for a Test recalls.