Ben Duckett’s dashing unbeaten fifty put England within sight of a first innings lead over Ireland on the opening day of their Ashes warm-up Test at Lord’s on Thursday. England were 152-1 in reply to Ireland’s 172 all-out, a deficit of 30 runs, at stumps in a Test played over four days instead of the standard five. Duckett, a southpaw in his first Test innings in England, was 60 not out after a sunny afternoon at the ‘Home of Cricket’.
He shared an opening score of 109 with Zak Crawley (56). Crawley’s fifty came from just 39 balls and included 10 fours. At the end, Ollie Pope 29 was not out. Earlier, England veteran Stuart Broad took his first five-wicket haul in a Test at Lord’s for 10 years.
Broad’s early treble attack reduced Ireland to 19-3 and included ducks for both Irish captain Andy Balbirnie and Harry Tector. Ireland, in just their seventh Test and still looking for a maiden win at this level, owed Paul Stirling for launching a recovery with a quickfire 30. Stubborn opener James McCollum top-scored with 36.
Broad finished 5-51 from 17 overs and left arm spinner Jack Leach took 3-35 from 14, though debutant fast bowler Josh Tongue went wicketless. Ireland struggled to contain England, with T20 Indian Premier League star fast bowler Josh Little rested ahead of their upcoming 50-over World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe
The visitors almost missed the only chance England gave them on Thursday, with debutant paceman Fionn Hand clinging on the second try to grab a caught and bowled chance from Crawley’s controlled drive. After several inside edges narrowly missed the stumps, Crawley could have few complaints.
England captain Ben Stokes opted to bowl in overcast conditions that promised to help a three-man pace attack, missing England great James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, both rested ahead of this month’s first Test against Australia in Edgbaston.
Test newbies Ireland were 15-0 when Broad Peter Moor, fresh from a hundred in a warm-up match against Essex, had a straight lbw for 10. Balbirnie, the only man to appear in all seven Irish Tests, then fell for a five-ball duck when he slid Broad low to Crawley at second slip.
Two balls later, Ireland were 19-3 up as Tector Broad snapped off his pads straight to Matthew Potts on leg slip. On the next delivery, Stirling got lbw.
But the Irish veteran successfully judged Australian referee Paul Wilson’s decision and avoided a duck. Stirling counter-attacked before a 20-run innings ended in the bounds when he swept Leach and wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow, who was playing his first Test since last August after a freak leg injury on a golf course, with a simple catch over the edge .
McCollum’s contrasting 108 ball-knock ended after lunch when he shoved Broad to Joe Root at first slip. Broad had his 20th five-wicket haul in 162 Tests when he bowled Mark Adair with an inswinger. It was also the first time he achieved this at Lord’s since his 7-44 against New Zealand in 2013.
Campher’s 79-ball stay ended when he attacked Leach and Potts ended the innings when he trailed Hand.
Topics mentioned in this article