LONDON - Ireland were bowled out for 172 on Day One at Lord’s as Stuart Broad took a five-wicket haul before brisk fifties from both openers put England on top.
Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bowl first, putting Ireland into bat in overcast conditions. It was a momentous day for Fionn Hand, who was given a Test debut for Ireland, receiving his cap from PJ Moor before the start of play.
An initial four-over period of calm for Ireland’s openers was broken by Broad, who thumped the new Duke’s ball into Moor’s pad plumb in front to break into the batting line-up.
Two more wickets fell in the first half-hour of play, with Andrew Balbirnie lasting five balls before he became Broad’s second victim, hanging his bat outside off stump and nicking to Zak Crawley at second slip. Two balls later and Harry Tector was also heading back to the pavilion. A man had been placed at leg slip all morning and Tector rewarded the plan, flicking the ball straight to Matthew Potts.
In trouble at 19-3, it could have been even worse for Ireland as Paul Stirling almost became Broad’s third wicket in the over. He was given out off the first delivery he faced after the ball struck his pad in front of middle and leg but opted for the review. DRS showed the ball sliding down the leg side and missing the stumps to give Ireland an important reprieve.
A 45-run partnership between James McCollum and Stirling steadied the ship over the next hour of play. Stirling, as ever, took the aggressive approach, whacking boundaries off both Josh Tongue and Jack Leach and scoring at near a run a ball.
With 20 minutes to go before lunch, Stirling looked to unfurl an almighty sweep off Leach but clipped the ball with his glove. It popped gently up into the air for Bairstow to take a simple catch, Ireland losing their fourth wicket in the morning session with Stirling out for 30.
After some chin music before the break from Tongue, McCollum resumed his stoical presence at the crease on 29 from 93 balls after Lunch. However, his vigil was brought to an end by a length delivery from Broad, which was nicked through to Joe Root at first slip. Lorcan Tucker followed him back shortly after, falling to Leach.
Curtis Campher looked in imperious form as the afternoon wore on. He drilled a cover drive to the boundary off Broad before timing a pull shot off Tongue for another four. Andy McBrine joined in on advancing the partnership, pulling Potts behind square with authority. However, he became Ireland’s seventh wicket to fall when he was dismissed by Potts, nicking behind to Bairstow for 19.
After Ireland made it through to the Tea break without further loss, Broad finally completed his five-for in his second over after the break, clipping Adair’s off-stump with an inswinger. It was his third five-wicket-haul at Lord’s and his first at the ground since 2013.
Ireland’s innings tailed off quickly after that. Campher’s stumps were broken when he danced down the wicket to Jack Leach and Hand nicked behind five balls later to bring the innings to a close on 172.
England’s openers then made great in-roads into Ireland’s lead in the evening sun. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett raced to a fifty stand in just 7.2 overs, before passing 100 in quick time.
Crawley rode his luck at times as he reached his half-century off 39 balls, inside edging down to the boundary on several occasions. He was out to a ball he struck firmly, as Hand just clung on to a brilliant caught and bowled to take his first Test wicket.
Duckett and Ollie Pope saw England through to the close with Ireland’s first innings lead just 20. England will resume on 152-1.
MATCH SUMMARY
England v Ireland, Only Test match, Day One, Lord’s, 1st June 2023
Ireland 172 (56.2 overs; James McCollum 36, Curtis Campher 33; Stuart Broad 5-51)
England 152-1 (25 overs; Ben Duckett 60*, Zak Crawley 56; Fionn Hand 1-42)
Ireland lead by 20 runs.
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