(Cricket News) After enduring a challenging first two days of the one-off Test, Ireland provided their fans with a reason to cheer, although England ultimately secured a resounding victory by 10 wickets.

At the end of the second day, Ireland found themselves at 97-3, still trailing by 255 runs. Their first innings total of 172 had been overshadowed by England’s commanding 524-4. A setback occurred when James McCollum suffered an ankle injury, reducing Ireland’s effective wickets in hand to six.

Despite the circumstances, Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector had built a promising partnership the previous evening, extending it to 63 runs. However, Tucker’s dismissal, bowled by Jack Leach off an under-edged sweep, interrupted their progress.

Tector, undeterred by the setback, reached his fourth Test half-century in as many games. But after reaching this milestone, he was dismissed cutting a delivery from England debutant Josh Tongue to point. Soon after, Curtis Campher fell, sweeping Joe Root straight to Ben Stokes at short fine leg, signaling a potential quick conclusion to the match.

Yet, McBrine and Adair defied expectations by producing a stirring partnership, establishing Ireland’s highest partnership in Test cricket. They surpassed the previous record of 115 runs set by Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling against Sri Lanka in their previous Test. Adair took charge, launching an aggressive assault on the spinners with powerful leg-side strokes. In a display of inventive shot-making, he reached his maiden Test half-century off just 47 balls by ramping Stuart Broad over the keeper for a boundary.

Adair maintained his attacking approach, hitting three boundaries off three consecutive deliveries from Broad as he approached the century mark. However, the shot that brought up his fifty also led to his dismissal, as he feathered an edge to Jonny Bairstow. Their partnership concluded at 163 runs.

McBrine played a supportive role while also unleashing some attacking shots of his own. Like Adair, he took advantage of England’s slow bowlers, once even hitting the ball past Leach’s hands for four. Additionally, he demonstrated skillful placement by guiding the ball beyond the slips. He achieved a career-best score along the way.

McBrine’s pace slowed after Adair’s departure, and Fionn Hand departed for seven, granting Tongue a debut five-wicket haul. However, Graham Hume, batting at No.11, ensured that England would have to bat again with consecutive boundaries off Root, eliciting the loudest cheer of the day. Hume and McBrine negotiated an extended middle session, taking the game past Tea and giving McBrine a chance at a maiden Test century. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be, as Broad disturbed Hume’s off-stump. Zak Crawley then swiftly 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

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