London: England bowled Ireland out for just 38 to win their one-off Test at Lord’s by 143 runs on Friday, emphatically crushing the visitors’ hopes of a stunning upset.
Ireland, playing only their third Test, were chasing just 182 runs to complete what would have been one of the biggest upsets in cricket history. But they did not get close, lasting just 94 balls as Chris Woakes took a career-best six wickets for 17 runs and Stuart Broad returned figures of 4-19 . Their second innings score was the seventh-lowest total of all time.
“I knew that was a lot of runs (to make) on that surface,” said Root, whose side mustered just 85 runs themselves in their first innings. “It’s very pleasing, the way we managed certain pressure situations,” he added. “It wasn’t by any stretch the perfect game for us but sometimes that can be a really important part of your learning. We’ll take a lot from this game.”
Ireland, playing England for the first time in a Test, have now lost all three of their Tests following losses to Pakistan and Afghanistan, but their day started brilliantly.
The home side resuming on their overnight 303 for nine, saw their second innings end with the first ball of the third day’s play when debutant Olly Stone was bowled for a duck by Stuart Thompson.
Rain delayed the scheduled 1000 GMT start by a few minutes but any hopes England had of adding to their overnight total evaporated when Thompson’s inswinger knocked over Stone’s leg stump. Ireland had yet to give off the mark in their second innings when rain stopped play just seven balls into their chase and kept the players off the field for more than an hour. But when the match resumed the overcast conditions — the floodlights were switched on — made conditions ideal for seamers Woakes and Broad. (AFP)
