England bowled out for 85 as Tim Murtagh claims five-wicket haul in historic Lord's Test

Dial M for Murtagh: the Ireland seamer celebrates bowling Jonny Bairstow to leave England 42 for 5
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Will Macpherson24 July 2019

England were skittled for 85 before lunch by Ireland on an extraordinary morning at Lord’s as Tim Murtagh claimed a five-wicket haul in only his country’s third Test match.

Just eight days away from the Ashes, and 10 since the 50-over side won the World Cup, England produced one of the most embarrassing batting performances in their Test history.

At one stage, England lost six wickets for seven runs in 21 balls, including three with the score stuck on 42, and they batted for just 23.4 overs.

Ireland’s bowlers Murtagh, the Lord’s specialist, and Mark Adair, on debut, bowled beautifully after England opted to bat first.

To add insult to injury, Boyd Rankin, who played a Test for England in Sydney in 2014, removed Stuart Broad to leave England 58 for eight.

Middlesex legend Murtagh, who is 38 next month, came into the match with 291 of his 800 first-class wickets coming at Lord’s. He had soon added five more within his first eight overs.

Murtagh’s gentle pace — the ball that dismissed Rory Burns was under 74mph — but extreme skill provides a very different proposition to the one England will face in the Ashes at Edgbaston from next Thursday. Australia are currently playing an intra-squad match between 24 players at the Ageas Bowl, where 20 wickets fell for 225 runs. It looks like it will be a bowler’s Ashes.

Murtagh found an immaculate line and length from the Nursery End, and just enough nibble off the pitch and in the air.

The trouble started when he had debutant Jason Roy, who had been presented with his cap by Sir Alastair Cook, caught at first slip. By then, Roy had already been lucky not to be dismissed lbw when Adair overstepped.

Joe Denly played some nice drives but was soon Adair’s first Test scalp, plumb lbw. After Burns edged Murtagh behind, Adair removed captain Joe Root. That came from a terrific Ireland review: Root appeared to have hit the ball, but it flicked both pads.

Murtagh then added Jonny Bairstow bowled, Chris Woakes lbw and Moeen Ali caught behind — all for ducks — to have five wickets in his first eight overs. Bairstow’s had been a particularly skittish innings, as he stood a long way out of his ground to counter the swing, only to be bowled having a huge drive.

England have a habit of being bowled out cheaply. They were dismissed for 51 in Jamaica in 2009, and more recently for 58 in Auckland last year and 77 in Barbados this January. Some nice strokes from Sam Curran took them past their lowest ever score, 45 in Sydney in 1887.

But then Rankin removed Stuart Broad and Curran and Adair got the last wicket of Olly Stone.

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