Thursday 25 July 2019 10:49, UK
Ireland take a 122-run lead into day two of their four-day Test against England after bowling out their hosts for just 85 on the opening morning at Lord's.
A mere 10 days on from winning the World Cup in spectacular fashion at the home of cricket, England's top-order Test woes were once again exposed on an admittedly helpful green-tinged pitch - Tim Murtagh taking 5-13 to get onto the Lord's honours board.
Jason Roy scored five on Test debut, one of four World Cup final heroes selected who accounted for all of seven runs - Joe Root scoring two, with Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes - as well as Moeen Ali, from the World Cup squad - dismissed for ducks.
Joe Denly top-scored with 23, his wicket - England's second to fall - triggering a collapse of six for seven runs, inside five overs, as the hosts were ultimately bundled out before lunch.
Ireland were already ahead by tea, for the loss of only two batsmen, thanks to an increasingly ragged effort from England in the field - Andy Balbirnie (55) edged Stuart Broad between wicketkeeper and first slip when on 10, a catch Bairstow should have claimed, while Root put down Paul Stirling (36) on 17, with Broad again the unlucky bowler.
But a rejuvenated Broad (3-60) struck in the second over of the evening session - Stirling out lbw - and an impressive Olly Stone (3-29), on debut, removed Balbirnie and Gary Wilson in the same over soon after as England fought back. Sam Curran (3-28) too claimed three-for as Ireland were bowled out for 207.
Faced with a solitary over from Murtagh to survive before stumps, nightwatchman Jack Leach - sent in ahead of Roy - did just that, without adding to the score.
Earlier, after England won the toss and chose to bat first, Murtagh - who calls Lord's his home in county cricket for Middlesex - exploited a helpful surface superbly in a nine-over opening spell. What the 37-year-old veteran seamer lacks in pace, he more than made up for in accuracy and movement off a length.
Ireland could have removed Roy earlier than Murtagh's third-over breakthrough, with Mark Adair sure to have picked him up lbw in the second but for bowling a no-ball.
After Roy nicked Murtagh to slip without adding to his score, Adair (3-32) made amends by removing Denly and Root, both lbw, either side of Burns (6) becoming Murtagh's second victim.
Murtagh then bowled Bairstow and trapped Woakes in front in the same over, before getting Moeen edging behind in the next to complete his five-for with only 78 minutes of cricket played.
Boyd Rankin (2-5), against the team he made his Test debut for, added the scalps of Broad (3), to a thin edge behind - a second wisely-used review by Ireland after Root's earlier lbw wasn't initially given - and Curran (18), before Stone blasted 19 runs at the back end.
After lunch, Curran threatened to get England back into the contest as he dismissed Ireland openers Will Porterfield (14) - with his first ball, albeit a long-hop loosener plinked to midwicket - and James McCollum (19).
Balbirnie and Stirling countered well, capitalising on England's errors in the field to put on 87 for the third wicket and move Ireland into the lead, the former reaching a half-century in the penultimate over of the afternoon session.
Superb spells from Broad and Stone saw England back into the contest, Stone's maiden Test wicket to see off Balbirnie a highlight, an absolute peach that swung late to beat the outside edge and knock out middle stump.
Five wickets fell for 17 runs before a handy 28 not out from Kevin O'Brien and useful cameos from Andy McBrine (11) and Murtagh (16 off 10 balls) - adding to his dream day - saw Ireland into a lead of over 100.
Moeen (1-14) took the final wicket of Rankin with time left yet in the day for England to face one over, but there was to be no more first-day magic forthcoming from Murtagh.
Watch live overage of day two of the Test match between England and Ireland, on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.30am on Thursday.
