England started this eagerly-anticipated Ashes summer with a 10-wicket victory over Ireland in three days at Lord’s.
Ollie Pope’s 205 and a second Test century for Ben Duckett saw England declare on 524 for four and despite a spirited third-day display with the bat by Ireland, they were all out for 362 to set an easy target of 11 following their below-par 172 on day one.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how much we learned from this one-off Test.
Josh gets Tongues wagging
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Josh Tongue passed his Ashes audition with five for 66 in Ireland’s second innings to put his name on the honours board and leave an impression on his captain. Ben Stokes revealed ahead of the four-day fixture that Tongue was selected due to his extra pace and he hit 91mph during an impressive first spell. Tongue, who came close to retiring from cricket during a 15-month absence from the game due to a nerve problem in his shoulder, eased between an enforcer role and pitching it up as England’s third seamer. With 11 County Championship wickets to his name, including a certain Steve Smith, he is now a genuine option for the Ashes after being included in the squad for the first two Tests.
Duckett set for a bucket full?
An England bucket hat featured regularly throughout this Test but fittingly it was Duckett who plugged the new must-buy item of the summer on England’s official Twitter account. Duckett wore the hat after his masterful 182 that saw him set a new record for the quickest Test 150 at Lord’s, beating Don Bradman’s effort in the 1930 Ashes series. Since his December recall, Duckett has scored 50 or more six times in six Tests. He cut, drove and flicked off his pads for boundaries all around the wicket to back up the 177 he hit for Nottinghamshire at Lord’s in April. After finally being given the chance to play his natural red-ball game in international cricket, the 28-year-old looks set for a key Ashes role.
Has Bazball peaked?
England rattled along at six runs an over on their way to 524 before they declared after tea on day two. Duckett and Pope scored 174 in the morning, but that was bettered in the afternoon with 178 runs plundered before captain Stokes ended the run-fest after 82.4 overs. If Harry Brook, Jonny Bairstow and the England skipper himself had batted for a significant amount of time, who knows what records could have fallen? While it was another excellent batting display for England, the asterisk on it will be Ireland’s one-paced attack. There is no doubt England’s achievement of scoring 500 on day one in Rawalpindi was a better feat and Pat Cummins and co will not provide so many freebies come June 16 at Edgbaston.
Under-cooked? That’s old skool!
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Stokes acknowledged after England’s 10-wicket victory that he knew when he declared after tea on day two that he would face questions over failing to let Brook, Bairstow and himself get time in the middle before the Ashes opener. It felt justified, especially for someone like Yorkshire batter Brook who enjoyed a phenomenal winter and even hit a maiden century in the Indian Premier League in April, only to be dropped after a string of ducks. But Stokes does not prescribe to that opinion and laughed off the “old skool” view his players need “game practice” given the volume of cricket they play. Maybe a fair point!
Prestige a Little lost
Josh Little’s name dominated the build-up from an Ireland perspective after the seamer was “rested” ahead of his nation’s 50-over World Cup qualification tournament later this month following his IPL exploits. Among a catalogue of reasons behind the decision, Cricket Ireland’s Richard Holdsworth worryingly admitted the Lord’s Test was a “special occasion but not a pinnacle event.” The rewards for Ireland qualifying for the World Cup are great but Little’s absence hurt a bowling attack lacking variation. With his stock high in franchise circles, Little may never play Test cricket.
England complete World Cup preparations with rain-affected win over Bangladesh
England completed their World Cup preparation with a rain-affected victory against Bangladesh at Guwahati.
Joe Root and Mooen Ali guided England to a four-wicket win under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method with a bludgeoning partnership of 79 in 10 overs.
After Saturday’s clash with India was washed out, England suffered further weather frustration as they geared up to get their World Cup defence under way against New Zealand on Thursday.
England were set a revised target of 197 in 37 overs after Bangladesh’s innings had been disrupted by a three-hour rain delay.
Dawid Malan nicked to slip with just four to his name, but England raced to 50 inside five overs as Jonny Bairstow struck 34 from 21 balls.
There was concern for England as Bairstow needed medical attention on his back while out in the middle, and the batter suffered more discomfort as Mustafizur Rahman soon dislodged his leg-stump bail.
Harry Brook was also castled for 17 but Jos Buttler maintained England’s impetus, smashing five fours and a six in a 15-ball 30.
Buttler’s blitzkrieg ended when he pulled Shoriful Islam to offer Towhid Hridoy a simple catch on the deep square boundary.
England were 114 for five after Liam Livingstone drove Taskin Ahmed to mid-off and Najmul Hossain Shanto managed to wrap his fingers under the ball diving forward.
At that point Bangladesh were sensing a surprise victory but Root, with precious runs following a recent run of sticky form, and Moeen were commanding.
Moeen hammered 56 from 39 balls before falling four runs short of victory, England eventually easing home in 24.1 overs and with 77 deliveries to spare.
Bangladesh made 188 for nine after rain reduced their innings to 37 overs.
Only Mehidy Hasan Miraz (74) and Tanzid Hasan (45) went past 20 as Buttler used nine bowlers and rotated his attack in hot and humid conditions.
Bangladesh won the toss but Buttler indicated he was content to field and give his bowlers a workout amid the prospect of rain.
Mark Wood was back in action for the first time since the Ashes and bowled with plenty of pace and accuracy.
Wood knocked out Tanzid’s middle stump, while Reece Topley took three for 23 from five and Adil Rashid and David Willey picked up two wickets apiece.
Matthews masterclass 132 powers Windies Women to record-setting seven-wicket victory over Australia at Sydney
A magnificent record-breaking century from Hayley Matthews powered West Indies Women to a historic seven-wicket victory over Australia at Sydney on Monday.
The West Indies Women’s captain smashed 132 from just 64 balls as the West Indies Women, needing 213 for victory, scored 213-3 from 19.5 overs to level the series at a game apiece. Matthews got help from former captain Stafanie Taylor, whose half-century proved crucial in a 174-run second-wicket partnership that put the Caribbean women on course to what seemed an unlikely victory.
No team had ever successfully chased a score over 200 runs against Australia at home.
The 425 runs scored in the match was a world-record for a women’s T20 international.
Coming off an emphatic eight-wicket victory over the West Indies on Sunday, Australia seemed on course for another victory after Ellyse Perry scored 70 from 46 balls and Phoebe Litchfield plundered an unbeaten 52 from just 19, the joint fastest 50 in a T20 international, as the hosts piled up 212-6 from their 20 overs. Georgia Wareham was not out on 32 from 13 as she and Litchfield shared in an Australia T20 record seventh-wicket stand of 66 that propelled the hosts to their challenging total.
Matthews was the best of the West Indies bowlers taking 3-36 from her four overs. She took the wickets of Beth Mooney for 29, the dangerous Tahlia McGrath for four and Annabell Sutherland for 13. Shamilia Connell took 2-35 to support her captain, whose best was yet to come.
West Indies Women lost Shabikia Gajnabi for just one in the third over, paving the way for Stafanie Taylor and Matthews to mount the a stand of 174, the highest partnership for any wicket for the West Indies Women, breaking the previous record of 162 between Matthews and Chadean Nation.
Taylor’s contribution of 59 included 11 fours as she recovered from a slow start to blossom as the partnership grew. When Taylor was bowled by Megan Schutt in the 17th over, Matthews was on 114 and the West Indies needed 28 from the last 18 balls to secure victory.
With the match balanced on a knife’s edge after Annabel Sutherland only conceded three runs from in the 18th over, Matthews swung the match heavily towards in the West Indies’ favour when she struck four consecutive boundaries off the first four balls of the 19th bowled by Jess Jonassen.
The spinner got a measure of revenge when she bowled the West Indies captain, going for a sweep, behind her legs with the West Indies still needing nine to win from seven balls. Matthews’ masterclass that included 20 fours and five sixes, is the highest score ever by a West Indian woman surpassing the 112 made by compatriot Deandra Dottin. Her 100 came off just 53 balls.
It was left to Chinelle Henry and Shemaine Campbell who each scored four to take the West Indies Women to a memorable victory.
Matthews, who was winning her seventh consecutive T20I Player of the Match award, credited learning more about her game for her incredible consistency. In those seven matches she scored 452 runs including three 50s and a century at an average of 90.40 and a strike rate of 138.22.
"I think I've learned more about myself and my batting. The areas I want to access. It's been working really well for me. The leadership of the team has made me take a lot more responsibility,” said Matthews who was unbeaten on 99 during the first T20I.
She revealed that the team took the lessons learned from the last game that the West Indies lost by eight wickets to their opponents, stating, “Last game we spoke about learning. We came in with the exact same team for that exact reason. Obviously the last game was a bit tough for us with the ball but we backed the bowlers to come back today and we saw from the start they were right on the mark.”
Matthews also welcomed Taylor’s return to form which helped set up the record chase.
“Batting with Stafanie helps a lot and I think she really got into her groove today. To chase down over 200 is something we've never been able to do let alone against the best team in the world. I'm incredibly proud of this squad and hopefully we can keep moving forward."
The teams meet again in the third T20I on Thursday.
Conor Murray lauds Ireland ability to switch focus ahead of Scotland showdown
Conor Murray believes Ireland are now far better at “flipping the page” following a big win as they bid to back up beating South Africa by securing a quarter-final spot when they face Scotland.
Experienced scrum-half Murray is playing at the fourth Rugby World Cup of his career and has been involved in some major Test victories across 110 caps.
Ireland’s displays have often dipped in the aftermath of previous momentous results but the 34-year-old Munster man does not expect that to be an issue moving towards Saturday’s crunch Paris clash with the Scots.
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“A good few years ago we’d get a good one-off win and then the next week we’d drop off performance-wise,” said Murray.
“I think we’ve started properly addressing it about being consistent and nowadays this team is really good at flipping the page and focusing on what’s next.
“People are talking about what’s down the line and knockout rugby and all that but genuinely within our four walls we’re talking about Scotland and that’s the next biggest challenge for us.
“We have a plan of where we want to go but it’s about doing the right thing now.
“That’s been one of our strengths over the last few seasons. It used to be an issue but we’re a better side nowadays on top of that and mentally we’re better equipped to go back to back in games.”
Andy Farrell’s men have won 16 matches in a row stretching back to defeat in the first Test of last summer’s series success in New Zealand.
Ireland have also dominated fixtures against Scotland across the past decade, winning 12 of 13 meetings.
Murray, who worked with Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend on the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour, insists his side will be not be underestimating their weekend opponents as they seek to avoid an early tournament exit.
“That record, I don’t think it counts for much, the same with our record, having been on a good run of form coming into the World Cup,” he said.
“All those games, especially in the last few years, they’ve been very tight fixtures.
“Some of the scoreboards might read a little bit differently but genuinely Scotland are a top side and pose a lot of threats across the board.
“Having worked with Gregor a couple of years ago, their attacking game will cause a lot of stress and it’ll make sure we prepare really well, as good if not better as we did for South Africa.
“It’s about turning the page now and realising we’re up against a top international side that have an awful lot to play for.”
Ireland will progress to the last eight with a win or draw, while a defeat could still be sufficient depending on bonus points gained and/or overall points difference.
“I expect them to really test us in every department,” continued Murray.
“That’s not just something we’re saying in the media. We’ve had huge battles with Scotland over the years, especially recently.
“We’re certainly not overlooking them. That might be the story outside but I can assure you it’s completely different here.”
Murray became a Test centurion against South Africa last November.
His Munster team-mate Peter O’Mahony is on course to become the 10th Irishman to join that club this weekend.
“We’ve shared the club journey and the international journey pretty much side by side,” said Murray.
“It’ll be great to get to that milestone and it’s a huge day for himself and his family. Hopefully it all goes to plan, because it’s a very special club.”
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