England embarrassed by Ireland as world champions flop 85 ALL OUT in Lord’s Test just ten days after final glory
ENGLAND suffered a massive World Cup hangover after being embarrassed by Ireland at Lord's.
Joe Root’s men were routed for 85 all out before lunch on day one at Lord’s — just ten days after global glory against New Zealand and with The Ashes just a week away.
England were demolished by veteran Middlesex bowler Tim Murtagh who took 5-13 on his home ground.
Last week's heroes Jason Roy, Root, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes had no answer for the 37 year-old's canny swing and seam as they managed only SEVEN runs between them.
Roy, fresh from his heroics in the white-ball game, was parachuted in for his Test debut but scored only five before he became Murtagh's first victim.
His opening partner Rory Burns managed just one run more before being sent packing - and captain Root added just two to the total.
With Root unwilling to bat at three, Joe Denley is seen as England's best hope in the key position in the batting order but he was dismissed for 23.
That said, he was still the highest scorer in a dismal period for the world champions as the next three players were sent packing for ducks.
Bairstow was bowled, then Woakes was trapped lbw before Ali edged behind as his bad form from the World Cup continued in the red ball game.
Stuart Broad then edged behind for three, leaving England 58-8, before Sam Curran and Olly Stone came out swinging to add some much-needed late runs.
Batting coach Graham Thorpe said: “It’s been a bad day. We weren’t good enough.
“It’s a challenging mental examination coming off the World Cup.
“Some are in a different head space to others.
“That’s natural, totally understandable. We would have hoped it would go swimmingly well but it hasn’t
“Some of the lads would have liked to have stayed on cloud nine a little longer, so I’d say they have to show an enormous amount of character and mental strength to come back down from last weekend.
It’s been a bad day. We weren’t good enough.
Graham Thorpe
“The World Cup was a tough tournament and there’s no harm admitting where some of our players are.
“But they were asked if they wanted to play so they must take responsibility. We can’t run away from the performance, can’t make excuses.”
The collapse was the last thing England needed a week before facing the likes of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins at Edgbaston.
But Thorpe reckons it could be a wake-up call before playing Australia, adding: “I’m going to be optimistic. We have to keep the environment calm and focused, not go into panic mode. Sometimes, this type of thing can be a jolt. It will refocus the minds.
“This is a bump in the road and we must respond over the next few days and put a score on the board that challenges Ireland in their second innings.”
Irish batsmen then showed their more illustrious counterparts as they put on 207 all out in reply - a lead of 122.
London-born Murtagh, 37, said: “That’s as special as it gets for a cricketer.
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“Growing up, I dreamed of being on the honours board at Lord’s, although probably not in the away dressing room!
“Walking off at lunch, holding up the ball, was as good a feeling as I’ve had in my career.
“We possibly caught England napping. This might have been a good time to play them.”