England vs Ireland: England collapse for 85 to put visitors in control at Lord's
The two meet for the first time in a Test at Lord's
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Your support makes all the difference.England's World Cup honeymoon was gatecrashed in sensational fashion as Ireland skittled their hosts for a calamitous 85 before taking an 122-run first innings' lead at Lord's.
Just 10 days after their greatest achievement in one-day cricket, England were back at the scene of the triumph to face their neighbours for the first time in the Test arena, an occasion that immediately brought them crashing down to earth. Tim Murtagh, the 37-year-old Middlesex seamer who has spent a dozen years honing his craft at the home of cricket, led the Irish charge with a stunning return of five for 13 while Mark Adair and one-time England bowler Boyd Rankin shared the remaining scalps.
Andrew Balbirnie then passed 50 in response before debutant Olly Stone and Sam Curran took three wickets apiece to eventually dismiss the visitors for 207 on a day where 20 wickets fell.
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28 Ireland 105/2 Andrew Balbirnie 35 Paul Stirling 31
Here's Moeen Ali to see what he can get. Stirling starts by mis-timing a sweep, Moeen getting a decent level of turn.
Balbirnie then pops one through cover, down the hill and they come back for three. They're timing the ball beautifully out there.
28 Ireland 107/2 Andrew Balbirnie 35 Paul Stirling 31
Chris Woakes comes back into the attack after the spinners go for 31 runs in four overs.
28 Ireland 111/2 Andrew Balbirnie 38 Paul Stirling 32
Ireland continue to play every single ball on its merit and continue to continue their steady progress.
30 Ireland 118/2 Andrew Balbirnie 45 Paul Stirling 32
Moeen Ali comes back in and almost gets a breakthrough as Balbirnie touches on just past first slip and away for four. With less than 10 minutes until tea that would have been the perfect time to get a wicket, on Nelson (111) too!
Balbirnie adds a boundary to end the over with a very neat shot. Moeen looks to the sky.
30.4 Ireland 122/2 Andrew Balbirnie 49 Paul Stirling 32
Balbirnie is playing really well off the back foot and edges close to a half-century with a clever shot through mid-on.
He's done it!
Lord's rises to applaud Andrew Balbirnie for a superb knock. He's shown real skill and a fantastic selection of shots in the 56 balls it has taken for him to get here, which included nine fours.
...and that takes us to tea.
Ireland 127/2 and going very well. England by huge contrast, have a lot of work to do.
What is England's shortest Test innings?
61 all out v Australia, 1902 - 94 balls
Only South Africa, against England in 1924, have been bowled out quicker in a Test match. Monty Noble took seven for 17 and Hugh Trumble three for 38 as England failed to surpass their hosts' 112, Gilbert Jessop top-scoring with 27. Australia won by 229 runs after making 353 in their second innings.
46 all out v West Indies, 1994 - 115 balls
Pace duo Curtly Ambrose (six for 24) and Courtney Walsh (three for 16) did the damage in Port of Spain as England collapsed in pursuit of a seemingly manageable target of 194. Michael Atherton, England's captain who was dismissed by Ambrose from the first ball of the innings, was on commentary duty for the latest calamity against Ireland.
58 all out v New Zealand, 2018 - 124 balls
You do not have to look back too far for the last example of England being bowled out in the first session of a match. Number nine Craig Overton, in his third and so far last Test, scored more than half of England's runs with an unbeaten 33 as Trent Boult took six for 32 and Tim Southee four for 25.
101 all out v Australia, 1904 - 137 balls
Another fourth-innings collapse as England came up well short of a target of 320, Trumble this time taking the central role in the destruction with seven for 28. Tip Foster top-scored with 30 as England only lost nine wickets on this occasion, with opener Tom Hayward absent hurt.
85 all out v Ireland, 2019 - 142 balls
"I didn't think I'd be on the away honours board," quipped Ireland's London-born Middlesex stalwart Tim Murtagh after exploiting his knowledge of Lord's to pick up five for 13. Debutant Mark Adair and former England import Boyd Rankin took the other wickets as only Joe Denly, Sam Curran and England debutant Olly Stone reached double figures.
45 all out v Australia, 1887 - 143 balls
Adair's final wicket got Ireland into the top five, one ball ahead of a loss to Australia 132 years previously which saw England bowled out in 35.3 four-ball overs. Charlie Turner took six for 15 and JJ Ferris four for 27 as George Lohman, with 17 from number nine, posted England's only double-figure score.
32 Ireland 127/2 Andrew Balbirnie 51 Paul Stirling 35
There's still 42 overs to go in two-and-a-half hours because this is a four-day game, although you feel that will be cut short.
Anyway, here comes Olly Stone to get things going after tea.
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