Ireland’s bowlers, led by a performance for the ages from Tim Murtagh, ripped through England’s batting order in their historic first Test against Ireland at Lord’s as the hosts were bowled out for just 85 on a famous morning for Irish cricket.
Ireland, captained by William Porterfield, were playing only their third test match, but made themselves right at home at the St John’s Wood venue and put the home side under pressure from the off.
Jason Roy, one of England’s World Cup heroes but making his debut at Test level, found himself under pressure from the off, with two scares in as many balls as Irish newcomer Mark Adair made a fine start to life on the big stage.
Roy shaped to leave the seventh ball of his innings but saw it clip the toe end of his bat and zip past leg stump for two runs. Danger averted he was then pinned dead in front of the stumps, an lbw that would surely have been given had the seamer not been called for a no-ball.
His brief and troubled stay ended in the next over, Tim Murtagh flicking the edge and Paul Stirling hanging on to a low catch at first slip. Roy’s first knock at this level had lasted 11 deliveries, yielded five runs and plenty of questions.
Adair’s opening spell was richly deserving of a wicket – testing inside and outside edges with a brave, full length and a hint of swing – and it came in the 10th over of the day. Joe Denly made 23, including two sweet cover driven fours but plenty of tentative pokes and uncertain moments, before he became Adair’s first scalp. Once again the 23-year-old attacked the stumps, moved the ball fractionally into the pads and won the lbw decision.
The Irish charge continued as Middlesex seamer Murtagh doubled his tally on the ground he has called home for a dozen years. He slanted one across Burns, who had eked out six in almost an hour at the crease, and found the outside edge with a ball that clocked in at just under 74mph. Gary Wilson stooped for the catch and England were 36 for three, with their World Cup winning Yorkshiremen Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow at the crease.
But their stays were short-lived, as England failed to get to grips with the Irish openers, with the gentle pace and skilful use of conditions drawing them into indecision. Much of the burden lay with Root but he lasted just seven deliveries, making two, before Adair seamed one in off the surface and rapped his back pad. The on-field decision was not out but visiting skipper Will Porterfield decided to refer after deliberating, a call that paid rich dividends when replays showed the ball crashing into the stumps.
The buzz around Lord’s was growing, with belief that something remarkable might be afoot. The atmosphere spiked when Murtagh landed the sweetest moment yet, nipping one back in between bat and pad as Bairstow looked to shift the momentum with a mow over the infield. The application was poor and Murtagh wrecked his stumps for a duck, leaping in joy having created such a perfect picture. Two balls later Murtagh won another lbw against Chris Woakes, the all-rounder contesting via DRS only for ball-tracking to seal his fate by a narrow margin. At 42 for six, things were lurching towards embarrassment.
Murtagh completed a sensational five-wicket haul by drawing Moeen Ali to edge behind to Wilson and depart without score. That left England 43 for seven and in ever-increasing distress. Rankin got in on the act with just his fourth ball, dismissing Stuart Broad, who edged behind for a paltry three runs from 16 deliveries.
England limped to 58 for eight, with Sam Curran unbeaten on 12 and joined at the crease by Stone. Curran fell next, Rankin striking again as England’s number eight was caught by James McCollum for 18. Curran was only England’s second man to reach double figures.
