England vs Ireland LIVE: Test cricket score and updates as England trail by 20 runs at stumps
England are 152-1 in response to Ireland’s 172 all out
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Your support makes all the difference.England kicked off the summer a superb performance on the opening day of their four-day test match against Ireland. With the clouds hanging overhead in this morning Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl.
In the absence of James Anderson, Stuart Broad led the attack and gave England the early initiative reducing the visitors to 19-3. James McCollum (36) dug in but couldn’t stop the host from running rampant. Jack Leach was backed once again by his captain and was rewarded with three wickets while Matt Potts chipped in with a couple but it was Broad’s day. He took 5-51 to get on the Lord’s honours board as Ireland were dismissed for just 172.
In response England’s opening pair made hay in the early evening sunshine. Zak Crawley rode his luck on his way to 56 before chipping a drive back to Fionn Hand who claimed his maiden test wicket for Ireland. Ben Duckett (60*) and Ollie Pope (29*) saw England safely through to the end of the day with the deficit just 20 runs.
Relive the action from Day One at Lord’s as England take on Ireland:
England 117-1, Pope 8, Duckett 51, Hand 1-42 (7) trail by 55
Ollie Pope shuffles across to the offside before flicking Fionn Hand into midwicket for two. It’s good running from the English batters as Pope turns the ball squarer to pick up another couple.
Ireland just can’t get a lid on the scoring. That’s not just their issue, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan have all struggled to reign England in when they’ve got going.
Pope’s first boundary comes with a drive through cover. He leans into the shot and picks out the gap.
England 109-1, Pope 0, Duckett 51, Adair 0-50 (6), trail by 63
Mark Adair responds to that wicket with his best over yet. He’s been expensive this evening but sends a maiden down to Ben Duckett as Ireland look to bring the run rate down.
England 109-1, Pope 0, Duckett 51, Hand 1-34 (6), trail by 63
England’s newly minted test match vice-captain comes in at No. 3 as Ollie Pope strides to the crease.
There’s an opportunity for Ireland to sneak in a couple more wickets and if they can get Ben Duckett out now it’ll increase the pressure on England.
Wicket! Crawley c & b Hand 56 (45), England 109-1 (16.3)
Zak Crawley has to go! Fionn Hand gets his first wicket in test match cricket by juggling and clinging on to Crawley’s aerial drive.
It’s a brilliant catch and Crawley will feel gutted to let slip a chance of scoring big runs.
England 109-0, Crawley 56, Duckett 51, Adair 0-50 (5), trail by 63
Another fine drive from Crawley fizzes wide of mid-off this time and earns him four more runs, he ends the over with a single to keep the strike.
England 104-0, Crawley 51, Duckett 51, Adair 0-45 (4.3), trail by 68
50 for Zak Crawley! Three landmarks in three balls and this is the best of the lot. Mark Adair hangs the ball out wide and Crawley smokes it through the gap at cover for a glorious boundary.
England 100-0, Crawley 47, Duckett 51, Adair 0-41 (4.2), trail by 72
100 partnership for England! The two openers have attacked without being too aggressive. Ben Duckett calls Zak Crawley through for one and the three figures are reached in 15.2 overs.
England 99-0, Crawley 47, Duckett 50, Adair 0-40 (4.1), trail by 73
50 for Ben Duckett! He cuts Mark Adair away to the point boundary are scrambles back for the second to reach a well worked half-century.
Sonia Twigg from Lord's
England have come out firing, which was what everyone expected but that doesn’t make it any less exciting to watch.
With all the eyes on him, Zak Crawley hit his second ball for four, but it was as he edged towards a half century, that he really was living on the edge.
Three times in two overs, the tall Kent opener was handed a stroke of luck when his inside edged streaked away for a boundary rather than crashing into the stumps.
While Ben Duckett at the other end played a well-measured and rapid innings, to bring up his half century off just 53 deliveries.
England 97-0, Crawley 47, Duckett 48, Hand 0-34 (5), trail by 75
Duckett drives wonderfully down the ground as Hand overpitches. The shot is slightly aerial but there’s no fielders back past the bowler and Duckett notches up four more.
Oh my. Zak Crawley is really riding his luck. Duckett gets off strike with a quick single before Crawley tries to lift the ball over midwicket.
Another inside edge flies past his stumps and brings him a boundary.
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