Key occasions
nineteenth over: Ireland 73-3 (Tector 26, Tucker 5) Nasser Hussain notices that Tongue is doing one thing he did within the first innings: beginning by bowling full, then going quick. This, his seventh over on the trot, goes for simply a single.
“Will Zak Crawley have to go,” asks Rick Kirstie, “if any of the Irish batters better his score?” That appears truthful so long as Joe Root, who additionally made 56, goes too.
18th over: Ireland 72-3 (Tector 26, Tucker 5) That forthcoming onslaught on Jack Leach appears to be beginning proper now. Tucker tucks in with a look for 4 and Tector takes the trace with a trendy on-drive.
“Can I just remind everyone,” says Kim Thonger, “that at close of play with two days to go at Headingley in 1981, England’s position was almost as bad as Ireland’s now? 6 for 1, following on, well over 200 runs behind. Worth a fiver* on an Irish victory? You’d get good odds.
* The usual get-out clauses regarding financial advice apply.”
seventeenth over: Ireland 64-3 (Tector 23, Tucker 1) In comes Lorcan Tucker, and Tongue greets him with a nasty piece of chin music. He geese into it, taking it on the helmet, and there’s a delay whereas he’s requested who the prime minister is. Not a simple query to reply, in both of these nations, within the 2020s. Tucker is ready to proceed and is clearly undaunted, as he hooks the subsequent ball for a single. Meanwhile there’s been an replace on James McCollum, who has a badly twisted ankle.
WICKET! Stirling c Bairstow b Tongue 15 (Ireland 63-3)
Another one! It’s a strangle down the leg aspect, not given on the sector, however Tongue is satisfied and the evaluate proves him proper. Stirling has to go, which is a blow for the gang, and Tongue has three for 23.
sixteenth over: Ireland 58-2 (Tector 19, Stirling 14) Leach to Stirling, who acquired out to him within the first innings. Leach thinks he’s acquired an LBW, and Bairstow agrees, however the ump is unmoved and Stokes doesn’t evaluate. Stirling takes a single. Tector goes for a large hit, England-style, and doesn’t center it however nonetheless will get 4.
fifteenth over: Ireland 58-2 (Tector 19, Stirling 14) It’s Tector v Tongue, and that is a good contest. Tector, standing on off stump, flicks for 4 off his hip. Tongue strikes again with a good yorker, now a uncommon sight in Tests, and Tector digs it out on off stump. Tongue bowls a bouncer, which Tector helps on its means for six. Stokes reacts immediately, eradicating the one slip (Crawley) and laying a entice for the hook. Anticipating the quick ball, Tector decides that discretion is the higher half of valour.
Say what you want about a mismatch, that over was correct Test cricket: a duel between two gifted younger gamers with 4 Test caps between them.
14th over: Ireland 48-2 (Tector 9, Stirling 14) Potts takes his sweater, which can please Tector, and Stokes turns to spin. On comes Jack Leach, who begins with a good tight over, a lot of form, simply a single from it. As Mark Butcher notes, Leach is oozing confidence in the mean time. Whether that survives the onslaught that the Aussies might take note of for him, we will see.
Drinks! Ireland hanging in there
thirteenth over: Ireland 47-2 (Tector 8, Stirling 14) Stirling, dealing with Tongue for the primary time right this moment, hits one other stylish 4, stroked previous level on the up.
Tom Callaghan has a query. “Is Tongue in the groove?” He is. And as Tongue puns go, that’s higher than most.
twelfth over: Ireland 40-2 (Tector 6, Stirling 9) Stirling isn’t going to die questioning. Facing Potts, he clumps a drive by means of the covers, then does it once more. Of the 40 runs within the innings, 28 have come off Potts, and he hasn’t bowled in any respect badly.
“Just an idea,” says Richard Chorley, “but how about England v. a combined Counties team as a warm-up next time? Unless Andorra are already booked.” Ouch. Ireland want assist! They’ve overwhelmed England a few instances enjoying with the white ball. They simply want extra funding, which can require the ICC to desert its coverage of bending over backwards to make the wealthy richer.
eleventh over: Ireland 32-2 (Tector 6, Stirling 1) Tector comes with a repute for being gifted and now he exhibits why, easing Tongue away for 4 with a chic leg look.
tenth over: Ireland 28-2 (Tector 2, Stirling 1) We want James McCollum all the perfect and sit up for him coming in once more, like Colin Cowdrey, to seal the draw. For a couple of minutes Ireland have two batters on nought, not that that may trouble the seasoned Paul Stirling. Then Potts, who has two leg slips, goes a bit too straight and fingers out three singles on the pads. Harry Tector has a phrase with Matt Potts, apparently complaining concerning the glare from one thing, possibly a bracelet. As Ian Ward virtually remarks, it’s near being a case of Jewellery stopped play.
“Lovely day for it!” says Theo Boardman-Pretty. “For all the talk of the Stokes & McCullum era being about entertaining the crowds, I wonder if they’ve forgotten about those coming on days 3, 4 & 5? Maybe they just want the weekenders reimbursed for this year’s criminally expensive Test match tickets.”
Retired damage! McCollum 12 (Ireland 25-2)
ninth over: Ireland 25-2 (Tector 0, Stirling 0) There’s a delay as McCollum instantly goes down after deciding to not play a shot at a quick ball from Tongue. It didn’t hit him, however his proper knee appeared to break down underneath him and he was in apparent misery. After a couple of minutes, he’s effectively sufficient to face up however to not proceed. He leaves the sector, to sympathetic applause, with his arms around the shoulders of two physios.
“Going to put it out there,” says Dominic Papineau, “that Stokes is slipping with his maverick captaincy genius. At tea he could have said to the team ‘we’ve got until this time tomorrow to break the innings record’. Means everyone more likely to have a bat still playing at the pace they were going. Ireland a better chance to take 10 wickets, and give them an outside chance of batting out for the draw, which then puts a little pressure on the England bowlers to winkle out the 10 wickets.”
eighth over: Ireland 25-2 (McCollum 12, Tector 0) There’s almost a third wicket in succession, as there was within the first innings – Potts lures McCollum into a flirtation exterior off which might finish in a catch to gully, had Stokes posted one. Instead the ball flies away for 4. Steve Waugh would have at the least two gullies right here, plus seven slips, however possibly Stokes needs the bowlers to rehearse with the type of area he has in thoughts for the Ashes.
seventh over: Ireland 18-2 (McCollum 5, Tector 0) When the finger went up for the primary wicket, Josh Tongue reacted by leaping for pleasure, actually. After the second he has to take his place on the boundary, the place he will get a large ovation, doesn’t fairly know what to do, and finally ends up doing a tiny wave, like a very shy new member of the royal household. I hope he glances up on the scoreboard, which will likely be saying: Tongue 1-0-2-2.
WICKET!! Balbirnie c Bairstow b Tongue 2 (Ireland 18-2)
One brings two! Poor previous Andy Balbirnie has spent most of the day attempting to restrict the carnage and now he is available in on a pair, performs one good shot, after which will get a nick on a ball that stored low.
WICKET! Moor LBW b Tongue 11 (Ireland 16-1)
Josh Tongue bowled effectively yesterday with no reward. Today he comes on and will get some pleasure first ball! Angled down the slope, thudding into the pad. Moor opinions however there are 4 reds. The first of fairly a few Test wickets for Tongue, I think.
sixth over: Ireland 16-0 (Moor 11, McCollum 5) McCollum follows go well with, stroking a size ball from Potts to the quilt fence.
“I wonder,” says Niall Mullen, “where playing a new Test nation comes on the list of things that might damage Test cricket? Somewhere between the IPL hegemony and the climate crisis maybe. As for the honours board, I imagine they’ll be chopping it up for firewood this very evening.” Ha.
fifth over: Ireland 12-0 (Moor 11, McCollum 1) No wickets but, however Ireland might do with a boundary. Moor provides it with a stylish drive off Broad, taken on the up.
4th over: Ireland 8-0 (Moor 7, McCollum 1) Potts, warming to the duty, bowls the perfect over of the day thus far. First he delivers one thing that’s six inches away from perfection, someway beating each the sting of McCollum’s bat and the surface of the off stump. Then he brings the ball again in and has one other first rate LBW shout. This England seam assault is the B staff, understudying Anderson, Robinson, Wood and probably Woakes, however they’re doing very effectively thus far.
“Tim,” says Kim Thonger, “may I submit a reverse jinx? England do not have enough runs on the board, Ireland will knock the 350 deficit off in no time and this will surely end in tears.” Ha.
third over: Ireland 8-0 (Moor 7, McCollum 1) Moor, dealing with Broad, calms down once more and pushes into the covers for two.
2nd over: Ireland 6-0 (Moor 5, McCollum 1) Matthew Potts takes the brand new ball and instantly it’s all taking place. A single by James McCollum to get Ireland off the mark. An LBW shout towards Peter Moor, maybe taking place. A kamikaze run from Moor that ought to convey a run-out, however Stokes shies on the incorrect finish and concedes 4 overthrows in addition, so Moor will get 5 for the worth of none.
“Hate to be that guy…,” says Matt Winter. “Have stopped watching. This is hugely damaging for Test cricket and the honours board rendered a bit worthless. The only team genuinely enjoying this is Australia. Ho hum.” I’d say mildly damaging at most, as a result of of all the opposite nations which have gone by means of this stage. The solely fear with Ireland is that it’s going to take them longer to get out of it as a result of they so seldom play with a pink ball.
1st over: Ireland 0-0 (Moor 0, McCollum 0) Broad, once more selecting the Pavilion finish as Anderson isn’t right here to bag it, begins with a maiden.
England rattled alongside at greater than a run a ball. Their 524 got here off 82.4 overs, which, if my arithmetic provides up, is 496 balls, plus one no-ball and three wides.
“The more England score,” says Pete Salmon, “the worse Crawley’s 56 looks, am I right? (I don’t like Crawley.)” Oof. Two factors to make there. First, Root acquired 56 too, and he wasn’t dealing with the brand new ball. Secondly, I interviewed Crawley for Wisden when he was one of their Five Cricketers of the Year, and a nicer man you can not want to quiz. He was well mannered, modest and fascinated about different folks. Any of us can argue with the coverage of choosing him, however let’s not take it out on him personally.
England declare! On 524-4
The man within the bucket hat waves his arms, and England’s innings involves an finish. He might have been ready for the lead to achieve 350 in addition to for Pope’s double hundred: it stands at 352, which must be sufficient. And the Ireland bowlers’ labours come to an finish too, simply as they have been getting on prime.
Wicket! Pope st Tucker b McBrine 205 (England 524-4)
Gone subsequent ball! Dancing down once more, however McBrine noticed him coming and speared the ball huge of off.
200 to Pope! With a six
In model! Pope dances down the wicket to McBrine and hits a six to achieve the quickest Test double hundred in England, by anybody. It’s taken him 207 balls. Some England No.3s would take that lengthy to achieve 42 not out.
82nd over: England 517-3 (Pope 199, Brook 8) Pope, who may fairly like a two, can solely get one as he runs the primary ball of Adair’s over down to 3rd man. Brook, who may need to play himself in, doesn’t trouble. He inside-edges an tried slog, then nails a pull for 4 off a not-very-short ball, and goes inside-out to chip over cowl for 3. “And the real dashers,” says Mark Butcher, “haven’t got in yet.”
81st over: England 509-3 (Pope 198, Brook 1) Brook, who collects a few geese, has no bother getting off the mark right here, as he clips to leg and the person at midwicket misfields. Come on Ireland! This is your large probability.
WICKET! Root b McBrine 56 (England 507-3)
The breakthrough! Root goes down the monitor to McBrine, misses and hears a clink of timber. That’s good for the sport, good for Ireland, and good for England, who can convey on Brook or Bairstow.
Tea! England nearly on prime
Time for tea, with England 331 forward, with eight wickets in hand. As mismatches go, it’s a large one.
“If we’re counting,” says John Starbuck, “England’s score might have to have an asterisk appended, given that in the records the Ireland Test hardly counts. Unfair, but there you go.” I bow to John’s data however I’m unsure I agree. Haven’t there been fairly a few Test nations down the a long time that went by means of this stage. We’ve seen mismatches involving Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, even India and New Zealand. We’ve even seen England being totally hopeless. They all rely, don’t they?
500 up! And a milestone for Root
eightieth over: England 503-2 (Pope 197, Root 52) Root, dealing with the persevering Campher, instantly performs a false shot – a reverse poke that flies off the sting, and possibly the arm, for 4. Then he makes up for it with a well-hit pull, for 4 extra, which takes him to one more Test fifty. The crowd are nonetheless going “Rooooot!” when he provides a single that takes him to 11,000 Test runs, the second Englishman to handle that after Alastair Cook. So, the second and essentially the most watchable.
100 in a session for Pope
79th over: England 494-2 (Pope 197, Root 43) This morning Ben Duckett turned the primary man because the Nineteen Twenties to get a hundred earlier than lunch in a Lord’s Test. Now Ollie Pope has made a hundred between lunch and tea. He will get there with one of his least memorable pictures, a nudge off the pads for a single.
Seemingly not a lot to play for, till you consider remaining overs. With the session yesterday, and three full days, that is 300 overs at 6.5 an over… closing in on 2,000 runs! Could put the innings whole report to mattress forever. Bat on, bat lengthy, I say… @TimdeLisle (*352*)
— Ed Kay (@billypudcock) June 2, 2023
78th over: England 489-2 (Pope 195, Root 40) A flurry of singles off Campher.
I’m not completely sure that Mike Atherton is studying this whereas he commentates on Sky and begins to put in writing his match report for The Times, but when he’s, now we have a message for him. “Sorry Mike,” says Jan Colley, “but your touching faith that ‘presumably’ everybody here at Lord’s will get a match programme as part of their entrance ticket is misplaced. Nope. Another £6 I believe on top of the (relatively) bargain £70 for my seat. It’s obviously been a while.”
77th over: England 485-2 (Pope 193, Root 38) Something will need to have occurred on this over from Fionn Hand, however I can’t for the life of me bear in mind what.
More apparently, right here’s Pete Salmon. “Given the number 9 batsman scored 92 last time these teams played, is it time to start talking about the highest innings in Tests?” he wonders. “As everyone knows it is currently 952-6 by Sri Lanka in 1997, but might this be the thirrd time in all first-class cricket that 1000 gets breached? And the first time without Bill Ponsford scoring at least 350 of them?” Nice punchline!
76th over: England 480-2 (Pope 190, Root 36) Just a few extra for Pope, who spots a slower ball from Campher and off-drives it for 4, then will get away with a miscued pull.
seventy fifth over: England 472-2 (Pope 184, Root 34) Just a few extra singles and a two off the over from Hand. The landmarks are coming thick and quick: the lead is now 300, and a couple of minutes in the past we had the hundred partnership. It’s the third in a row on the prime of the order, one thing (Cricinfo tells me) England haven’t finished since Chennai in 1984-85. That was Foxy Fowler’s best hour, not that it did him a lot good when his place was handed to Graham Gooch, recent from a three-year ban for occurring a insurgent tour to South Africa.
74th over: England 466-2 (Pope 180, Root 32) Curtis Campher manages to get the plug in, conceding simply two singles.
“In all the batting mayhem so far,” says Brian Withington, “I’ve yet to see any of the English team playing as well against Ireland as Robin Das did last week for Essex, with a superb maiden century on his first-class debut. He’s made a decent start to his T20 career this week, too. Remember the name.”
73rd over: England 464-2 (Pope 179, Root 31) McBrine will get a breather. I simply hope he doesn’t take a look at the scoreboard, which reveals that he has none for 86 from 12 overs. On comes Hand, and Pope hooks him for six. England are proper to be nonetheless batting, because the batters want a while within the center, however incorrect to be letting Pope go on and on.
His 150, by the best way, is the joint second quickest in a Lord’s Test, degree with somebody known as Bradman, behind somebody known as Duckett.
72nd over: England 455-2 (Pope 172, Root 29) Another over, one other pull for 4 from Pope. Ben Stokes is watching from the balcony in England’s new bucket hat, which makes him look as if he’s simply popped in on his solution to hear the Lightning Seeds on the Other Stage.
71st over: England 448-2 (Pope 166, Root 28) A greater over from McBrine: it solely goes for ten. Pope picks up two from a reverse-lap and 4 from a hard-hit pull. Time to retire, absolutely.
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