Ireland have gotten off to an incredible start in their historic first Test against England as the hosts' World Cup honeymoon was gatecrashed in sensational fashion at Lord’s.
Just 10 days after lifting the trophy in a sensational final, Joe Root’s side were blown away by 37-year-old seamer Tim Murtagh and his rookie partner Mark Adair. Murtagh struck for five wickets, and debutant Adair took two more as England collapsed to 58-8 within 19 overs.
In what was widely expected to be a gentle buffer between the dizzying highs of the tournament triumph and the forthcoming Ashes series, England were instead pitched into a battle to avoid what would arguably be their most surprising Test defeat against a side who have played just twice at this level.
England's World Cup hero Jason Roy was given an early chance to prove his red ball credentials, with England opting to bat first on his Test debut.
Not only was the game the first Test match between the neighbouring nations, and Ireland's third in total, it was also England's maiden four-day Test.
The home XI had already been announced, with fast bowler Olly Stone joining Roy in winning his first cap, and contained five changes from the team that beat the West Indies in St Lucia last time out.
The Irish side contained a debutant in Adair, who also made his ODI bow against England in May, as well as Boyd Rankin.
The veteran seamer played one Test in the 2013-14 Ashes and becomes the first player to line up for and against England since the Nawab of Pataudi in 1946.
It did not take long before Roy found himself under pressure, with two scares in as many balls as Adair made a fine start to life on the big stage.
Roy shaped to leave the seventh ball of his innings but saw it clip the toe end of his bat and zip past leg stump for two runs.
Danger averted he was then pinned dead in front of the stumps, an lbw that would surely have been given had the seamer not been called for a no-ball.
His brief and troubled stay ended in the next over, Tim Murtagh flicking the edge and Paul Stirling hanging on to a low catch at first slip. Roy's first knock at this level had lasted 11 deliveries, yielded five runs and plenty of questions.
Adair's opening spell was richly deserving of a wicket - testing inside and outside edges with a brave, full length and a hint of swing - and it came in the 10th over of the day.
Joe Denly made 23, including two sweet cover driven fours but plenty of tentative pokes and uncertain moments, before he became Adair's first scalp.
Once again the 23-year-old attacked the stumps, moved the ball fractionally into the pads and won the lbw decision. Denly departed without using a review to leave England 36 for two.
The Irish charge continued as Middlesex seamer Murtagh doubled his tally on the ground he has called home for a dozen years.
He slanted one across Burns, who had eked out six in almost an hour at the crease, and found the outside edge with a ball that clocked in at just under 74mph.
Gary Wilson stooped for the catch and England were 36 for three, with their World Cup winning Yorkshiremen Root and Jonny Bairstow at the crease.
England were not getting to grips with the Irish openers at all, with the gentle pace and skilful use of conditions drawing them into indecision.
Much of the burden lay with Root but he lasted just seven deliveries, making two, before Adair seamed one in off the surface and rapped his back pad.
The on-field decision was not out but visiting skipper Will Porterfield decided to refer after deliberating, a call that paid rich dividends when replays showed the ball crashing into the stumps.
At 42 for four, the top order had been scattered to the wind.
The buzz around Lord's was growing, with belief that something remarkable might be afoot.
The atmosphere spiked when Murtagh landed the sweetest moment yet, nipping one back in between bat and pad as Bairstow looked to shift the momentum with a mow over the infield.
The application was poor and Murtagh wrecked his stumps for a duck, leaping in joy having created such a perfect picture.
Two balls later Murtagh won another lbw against Chris Woakes, the all-rounder contesting via DRS only for ball-tracking to seal his fate by a narrow margin.
At 42 for six, things were lurching towards embarrassment. Murtagh, with four for 10, was turning in a performance for the ages.
Murtagh completed a sensational five-wicket haul by drawing Moeen Ali to edge behind to Wilson and depart without score.
That left England 43 for seven and in ever-increasing distress.
Rankin got in on the act with just his fourth ball, dismissing Stuart Broad, who edged behind for a paltry three runs from 16 deliveries.
England limped to 58 for eight, with Sam Curran unbeaten on 12 and joined at the crease by Stone.
PA
