Medium-pacer Tim Murtagh took five wickets as England suffered a dramatic collapse to be blown away for 85 all out on the first morning of their one-off Test against Ireland at Lord’s on Wednesday.
Murtagh, who plays county cricket at the ground for Middlesex, took five wickets for 13 runs in nine overs as Ireland made a sensational start to their first Test match at the ‘home of cricket’.
In the process, the 37-year-old veteran became the first Ireland bowler to take five wickets in a Test innings in what is just his side’s third match at this level.
England, on a ground, where they won the 50-over World Cup just 10 days ago, were bowled out in a mere 23.4 overs – and that after captain Joe Root won the toss.
Here are some statistical highlights (or lowlights, if you will) from England’s batting effort at Lord’s:
- It was the latest worrying batting collapse suffered by England ahead of the Ashes that start next week – the third time in three years they had lost all 10 wickets in a session in the past three years, 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.
- This was the shortest an England Test innings has ever lasted on home soil.
England's shortest innings in home Tests
| Score | Overs | Innings | Result | Opposition | Ground | Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 23.4 | 1 | TBD | v Ireland | Lord's | 24 Jul 2019 |
| 89 | 30.0 | 3 | lost | v West Indies | Birmingham | 6 Jul 1995 |
| 62 | 47.0* | 4 | lost | v Australia | Lord's | 16 Jul 1888 |
| 71 | 32.5 | 2 | lost | v West Indies | Manchester | 8 Jul 1976 |
| 53 | 50.0* | 2 | lost | v Australia | Lord's | 16 Jul 1888 |
| 102 | 33.5 | 1 | lost | v Australia | Leeds | 7 Aug 2009 |
| 76 | 36.3 | 1 | won | v South Africa | Leeds | 29 Jul 1907 |
| 77 | 55.0* | 4 | lost | v Australia | The Oval | 28 Aug 1882 |
| 112 | 37.0 | 1 | lost | v Australia | Nottingham | 28 May 1921 |
| 103 | 37.0 | 4 | lost | v Australia | Lord's | 16 Jul 2015 |
| 87 | 37.5 | 4 | lost | v Australia | Leeds | 1 Jul 1909 |
| 161 | 38.2 | 2 | lost | v India | Nottingham | 18 Aug 2018 |
| 125 | 38.4 | 3 | lost | v Australia | Nottingham | 18 Jun 1981 |
England's 85 v Ireland is their 4th lowest completed total in Test history at @HomeOfCricket:
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) July 24, 2019
53 & 62 v Australia - 1888
77 v Australia - 1997
It's also their 7th total under 100 since 2000, and 4th time in 34 Tests where they have lost 10 wickets in a session. #ENGvIRE
3rd time since start of 2018 that a team batting 1st has been bowled out in under 25 overs in a Test. 6th time since 2008. Had only happened 3 times before then. This was England's 2nd shortest opening innings (23.4 overs), behind their 124gball capitulation in Auckland last year
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) July 24, 2019
England's bottom four scored more (41) than the top seven (36). #ENGvIRE
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) July 24, 2019
Olly Stone has got more runs than all England's World Cup winners combined today
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) July 24, 2019
85 - England's 85 all out is their lowest Test innings score at home since 1997 (77 v Australia). Green. #ENGvIRE pic.twitter.com/hhFsNPyYAp
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) July 24, 2019
England's lowest scores at the fall of the 7th wicket in a home Test:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) July 24, 2019
26 runs vs AUS, Lord's, 1888
43 runs vs IRE, Lord's, Today#ENGvIRE
- Tim Murtagh broke many a record with his five-for.
Tim Murtagh has taken 383 wickets at Lord's. Since 2000, no bowler has more wickets at a single venue. #ENGvIRE
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) July 24, 2019
The only active Test bowler with more first-class wickets than Tim Murtagh's 805 is James Anderson (950). Experience. #EngvIre
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) July 24, 2019
Murtagh's 5-13 is the second-cheapest five-fer against England in any Test, after Jerome Taylor's 5-11 in 2009. #EngvIre
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) July 24, 2019
TMurtagh's five-fer at 37 years 356 days the oldest by a Test quick since CWalsh 6-61 v RSA at Port-of-Spain aged 38 years 141 days on 20 March 2001. #ENGvIRE
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) July 24, 2019
