Ten days after being crowned One-Day International World Champions at Lord’s, England returned to the Home of Cricket to be blown away by Ireland for 85 in under one session on the opening day of the one-off Test that began on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old Tim Murtagh, who plays at the ground for Middlesex, finished with five wickets for 13 runs in nine overs after England captain Joe Root had won the toss.
Only three England batsmen made it into double figures – Joe Denly (23), Olly Stone (19) and Sam Curran (18) – in an innings that was finished inside 24 overs.
But of those only Denly is a top-order batsman, with fast bowler Stone making his Test debut.
This was the third time in three years that England, who have long struggled with their top-order batting, had lost all 10 wickets in a session having not done so previously since 1938.
It was also their lowest score in a home Test innings since they were dismissed for 77 by Australia at Lord’s in 1997 and came hot on the heels of their 77 all out away to the West Indies in Barbados in January.
England captain Joe Root had won the toss and decided to bat and saw his team dismissed for 85 in just 23.4 overs with Tim Murtagh taking five wickets.
On a green pitch, the Irish medium pacers produced brilliant lines and lengths to never let England get away.
The match takes place just a week before the start of a five-Test Ashes series.
World Cup-winning opening batsman Jason Roy made his Test debut at the top of the order and fast bowler Olly Stone, in for the injured James Anderson, was also playing his first Test. And incredibly, it was the latter who had a better day with the bat than the World Cup winning opener, who was out for 5.
Rory Burns, Joe Denly and Jack Leach – one of two spinners selected by England along with Moeen Ali – were making their home debuts and none of them made any significant contributions. World Cuppers Root, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, and Chris Woakes combined for 2 runs in the middle order (with only Root getting off the mark).
It is just Ireland’s third Test following a loss at home to Pakistan in 2018 and a defeat by Afghanistan in India earlier this year.
The match is being played over four days rather than the standard five for a Test match. It is the first time England have been involved in a scheduled four-day Test since a 1971 tour of New Zealand and the first such match in England since 1947.
Here are some stats from the England collapse:
#ENGvIRE
— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) July 24, 2019
If I got 1 Rupee for every run England scored, I'd still be short of 1 GBP.
England in 2 successive games at Lord’s in a matter of 10 days..
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) July 24, 2019
Won the World Cup on 14 July
All our for 85 against Ireland on 24 July#ENGvIRE
England's score of 85 all out is their 22nd lowest score in Test history, their ninth lowest in England and their fourth lowest at Lord’s. Historic morning at Lord’s. #ENGvIRE
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) July 24, 2019
Lowest score at the fall of 6th wkt on 1st day morning at Lord's
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) July 24, 2019
31 Aus vs Eng 22 Jun 1896
42 SA vs Eng 10 Jun 1912
42 Eng vs Ire 24 Jul 2019 *#ENGvIRE
42/6 - The last time England had scored fewer runs for 6 wickets in a home Test match was in July 1999 (40-6 v New Zealand). Hangover. #ENGvIRE pic.twitter.com/jY67jOFFJw
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) July 24, 2019
Cricket community was left stunned by the developments at Lord’s as you’d expect:
Where were you when Ireland bowled England out before lunch for 85 at Lord's? #ENGvIRE
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) July 24, 2019
What a comedown for England. 10 days ago at Lord's they were lifting the World Cup, today they have been bowled out for 85 at the same ground by Ireland#Cricket #ENGvIRE
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) July 24, 2019
Pity Tim Murtagh is 37 years of age. England would have devised ways to draft him into the England side before the Ashes otherwise.
— cricBC (@cricBC) July 24, 2019
Tim Murtagh pic.twitter.com/UTBPk5sim3
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) July 24, 2019
I know the format is different, but the newly minted World Champions, at home and at the site of the final win, 69/9 against the newest members of the test club, and a team who neither got entry into the world cup nor into the test championship!!
— Kapil Choudhary (@kapil857) July 24, 2019
No one can write such scripts!! pic.twitter.com/d9rPC9KsMC
1. England after winning WC
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) July 24, 2019
2. England against Ireland#EngvIre pic.twitter.com/MnLylm4FJA
Well that is just lovely for Tim Murtagh. After having played so much of his FC career for Middlesex he will now see his name on the honours board. #ENGvIRE
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) July 24, 2019
Irish lads who don't understand cricket but see we're beating the English pic.twitter.com/wCTzlTl0UO
— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) July 24, 2019
Ireland have created havoc at Lord’s!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) July 24, 2019
One Irish man led them to World Cup win, imagine what eleven Irish men can do!!
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) July 24, 2019
England 67/9
England 7-43 against Ireland.
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) July 24, 2019
Australia a combined 20-225 in their all-Aussie trial match in Southampton.
Hope no-one has bought tickets to day three of an Ashes Test. #Ashes #ENGvIRL
england and australia both getting good collapsing practice before the #Ashes begin
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) July 24, 2019
The medium pace swing bowling always difficult to play if its bowled with atmost accuracy especially when conditions suit them and that's what exactly Ireland doing... 🔥
— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) July 24, 2019
England's bottom four scored more (41) than the top seven (36). #ENGvIRE
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) July 24, 2019
Of course there’s a Jofra Archer tweet for everything:
— Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) July 24, 2019
There was one positive for England though...
England's highest ever Test total against Ireland
— Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) July 24, 2019
#ENGvIRE
— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) July 24, 2019
If I got 1 Rupee for every run England scored, I'd still be short of 1 GBP.