Harry Tector went from hero to villain at Malahide yesterday as England charged to a four-wicket victory over Ireland in the first of a three-match T20 international series.

After top scoring with a classy 61 not out in a useful total of 196-3, Tector thought he had removed England dangerman Phil Salt, caught at deep mid-wicket for 51, only to discover he had over-stepped and been called for a no-ball.

Man-of-the-match Salt, who struck 10 fours and four sixes, finally fell for 89 from 46 balls, with the visitors only 16 short of victory and the finish line firmly in sight.

If Tector’s front foot had stayed behind the line would the Boys in Green have won? Probably not, but it’s equally unlikely England would have recorded their first T20 victory over Ireland in three attempts as comfortably, with 14 balls to spare.

“We couldn’t have asked for much more with the bat,” skipper Paul Stirling said. “It was a bit tricky at the top of the innings, and to come out and score 196, we were pretty happy with that.

“But you know you've got to do everything right when they bat — and have a bit of luck — and we didn't get that.

"We kept trying to take wickets, there's no point going ultra defensive and losing with less balls to spare. We took six wickets, and we'll review what happened and see if we can improve on it in the next two games.”

After being put into bat following the overnight rain, Stirling and fellow opener Ross Adair found it hard to time the ball in the early overs but did well to find 49 runs from the powerplay, and had added 57 before falling in successive overs.

Lorcan Tucker joined Tector and the Pembroke team-mates compiled an Ireland record partnership of 123 for the third-wicket with the former going to his half-century in the final over, with his fourth maximum, before gloving the penultimate ball to the keeper.

Tector’s 61 came from 36 balls, including six fours and two sixes, and he has joined Stirling, Andy Balbirnie and Kevin O’Brien in an elite club of Ireland batters who have scored more that 1,500 runs in T20 internationals.

George Dockrell could do no more than lift his only delivery for six — Ireland cleared the ropes 12 times, to England’s 10 — but Salt and Jos Buttler’s opening blast of 74 from 28 balls in reply put the visitors in cruise control.