LONDON, (Reuters) – England were given a fright by  Ireland in their first match since regaining the Ashes, winning  by two runs in a rain-affected one-day international match in  Belfast yesterday.

Only four players that played in the victorious fifth test  against Australia at the Oval on Sunday made the England line-up  which struggled to 203 for nine off 50 overs in cool conditions.

Ireland were then set a revised total of 116 from 20 overs  because of bad weather but fell agonisingly short of a major  upset, ending on 113 for nine.
Opener Ravi Bopara, who was dropped for the Oval test, went  for a duck, as did Jonathan Trott who made a big impact on his  test match debut, as England struggled.

Only a 67 from debutant Joe Denly enabled England to set a  competitive target as Ireland bowler Trent Johnston finished  with figures of four for 26, including the wickets of Bopara and  Trott.

Johnston then chipped in an unbeaten 21 with the bat as  Ireland chased victory. They needed 17 from the final over  bowled by Owais Shah but despite two Johnston boundaries England  held on for victory.