ENG vs IRE, Only Test, Day 3 Review: Josh Tongue's fifer headlines England's Lord's triumph over Ireland

LONDON - Ireland displayed plenty of grit and determination on the third day at Lord’s, with a record-breaking stand between Mark Adair and Andy McBrine averting an innings defeat by England. England eventually triumphed by 10 wickets, but only after Ireland had given their fans something to cheer after a tough first two days of the one-off Test.

Ireland ended the second day on 97-3, trailing by 255, after being bundled out for 172 in their first innings and conceding 524-4. An ankle injury to James McCollum meant they effectively had six wickets in hand, rather than seven. Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector had stitched together a promising stand the previous evening and extended their association to 63 before Tucker was dismissed, bowled by Jack Leach off an under-edged sweep.

Tector brushed off the setback to move to his fourth Test half-century in as many games, but when he fell one ball after his milestone, cutting England debutant Josh Tongue to point, and Curtis Campher followed soon after, sweeping Joe Root to Ben Stokes at short fine leg, a quick finish looked a certainty.

Instead, McBrine and Adair put on a rousing partnership - Ireland’s highest in Test cricket - breaking the record of 115 runs set by Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling against Sri Lanka in their previous Test. Adair was the aggressor, taking the attack to the spinners with some brutal leg-side strokeplay before moving to his maiden Test half-century off just 47 balls with a wonderful piece of invention, ramping Stuart Broad over the keeper for four.

He continued to attack, making it three boundaries in three Broad balls and motored towards three figures. However, the stroke which brought up fifty also brought about his downfall, a ramped edge feathered through to Jonny Bairstow ending the stand on 163.

McBrine was content to play the supporting hand, but he unfurled some attacking shots of his own. Like Adair, he was severe on England’s slow bowlers, at one point blasting the ball through Leach’s hands as a return chance went for four, while he showed good use of the pace, guiding the ball past the slips cleverly and moving to a career-best score.

He slowed after Adair’s exit, with Fionn Hand departing for seven to give Tongue a five-for on debut but Graham Hume, at No.11, ensured England would bat again with consecutive boundaries off Root, a feat which elicited the loudest cheer of the day. Hume and McBrine negotiated an extended middle session to take the game past Tea and give McBrine a shot at a maiden Test century, but it wasn’t to be. Broad pegged back Hume’s off-stump, and Zak Crawley finished the 11-run chase with three boundaries in four balls.

MATCH SUMMARY

England v Ireland, Only Test match, Day Three, Lord’s, 3rd June 2023

Ireland 172 (56.2 overs; James McCollum 36, Curtis Campher 33, Stuart Broad 5-51)

England 524-4 dec (82.4 overs; Ollie Pope 205, Ben Duckett 182, Andy McBrine 2-99)

Ireland 362 (86.2 overs; Mark Adair 88, Andy McBrine 86*, Josh Tongue 5-66)

England 12-0 (0.4 overs; Zak Crawley 12*, Ben Duckett 0*, Mark Adair 0-12)

England won by 10 wickets