England v Ireland T20 World Cup Tips: Irish could suffer G force

• MCG pitch looks pacey which suits England
• Wood and Woakes Ed's MotM fancies
• Buttler boosted to 12/5 and that is worth a bet

Ireland v England
Wednesday 26 October, 05.00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Team news

England are up and running thanks to a win over Afghanistan in Perth. Despite that success they might look to change their XI.

Harry Brook is suddenly looking vulnerable and the option is there to add death bowling expertise in the form of Chris Jordan. Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone and Ben Stokes are all offering overs.

Possible XI: Buttler, Hales, Malan, Stokes, Livingstone, Moeen, Curran, Woakes, Jordan, Rashid, Wood

Ireland will be bitterly disappointed they put up such a poor show on what has been a good batting surface at Hobart against a vulnerable Sri Lanka.

They will need massive performances from their gun players like Paul Stirling, Harry Tector and Josh Little if they are to bridge the gap here.

Probable XI: Stirling, Balbirnie, Tucker, Tector, Campher, Dockrell, Adair, Singh, McCarthy, Little

Pitch report

There is just shy of a 30% chance of rain for toss time but it might not be enough to lose overs. The MCG pitch looked rapid for India-Pakistan and that is unlikely to help Ireland. Going short on their runs if they were to bat first could pay again after they could manage only 128 against Sri Lanka.

How to play

The Irish need something to help them out here, whether that be heavy rain to reduce the overs to a slug fest or something low and tacky under foot which helps spin. We're unlikely to get the latter.

England, as you would expect, are 1.091/11 with Ireland 11.0010/1. For a trade, we suspect Ireland would have to bowl first and nip a couple out. But whatever happens at the toss it is possible they may never get a foothold in the game.

Tops value

Jos Buttler has been boosted to 12/5 by Sportsbook and it's hard not to get involved with that tempter given his form in the country in the warm-ups. We also like Dawid Malan at 4s and there will be a time when we go heavy on him. For Ireland with the bat Mark Adair might be worth a follow at 30s. A 20 or 30 could win it.

If there is zip off the pitch again, man of the match prices for Mark Wood at 11 and Chros Woakes at 12 have interest. Sam Curran won the gong against the Afghans. He is 14s.