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Another tour de force from the destructive Phil Salt ensured Jacob Bethell began life as England's youngest captain with a four-wicket win over Ireland in the first of three T20 internationals in Dublin.
Salt thrashed 89 off 46 balls as England knocked off a target of 197 with 14 deliveries to spare. And while three late wickets made the margin of victory look closer than it was, the result was never in doubt after Salt and Buttler – five days after destroying South Africa at Old Trafford – kickstarted the chase with a punishing stand of 74 in 4.4 overs.
Buttler fell for 28 off 10, but Salt – caught off a Harry Tector no-ball on 51 – ploughed on at Malahide's picturesque but petite club ground, eventually flaying a wide delivery from Graham Hume to deep backward point and swishing his bat his anger.
Throw in his unbeaten 141 off 60 balls against the South Africans, and he now has 230 off 106 from his last two T20 international innings, including 25 fours and 12 sixes.
Another 11 here, and he would have joined India's Rohit Sharma and Australia's Glenn Maxwell as the only players with five hundreds in T20 internationals. 'I don't want to start thinking like that,' he said. 'I enjoyed that.'
Even so, he has become one of the most frightening prospects in the white-ball game. Sharma scored those five hundreds from 151 innings, and Maxwell from 114. This was Salt's 44th knock at this level, and his strike-rate of 170 dwarfs both.
In-form Phil Salt hit 89 from 46 balls as he anchor England to another win, this time over Ireland
The team were led by Jacob Betherll (right), who became England's youngest-ever captain in the process
The 21-year-old Bethell contributed 24 off 16 balls on the day he replaced Monty Bowden as England's youngest captain – a mark that had stood since 1889. Rehan Ahmed's promotion to No 4 yielded only eight off nine balls, but Sam Curran hastened the conclusion with 27 off 15.
'It feels pretty special,' said Bethell. 'To win the first one is always good. Batting after that opening partnership is pretty nice, and we have some depth.'
That was just as well after an indifferent English performance in the field. All six bowlers went for at least eight an over, and Ireland plundered 12 sixes, with powerful half-centuries for Tector and wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker lifting them to 196 for three.
The last two games of the series take place in Malahide on Friday and Sunday.
