England v Ireland at Lord's, 24/7.

[Arthur Crabtree]

This is it then Root and JB1.

Maybe a good toss to lose.

I cant really understand why Root didnt bowl. The grass wont stay live in this heat for long, and when it dies it can have a habit of numbing a pitch down, but Root seemed to think that the pitch is dry and will break up.

If Ireland review this Root is dead

Incredible! 42-4. Two for Adair on debut. The long time out of form Moeen to bat.

Ed Smith shifts anxiously on his seat.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Yep...Root fails, and England are looking hopeless again.

England have been starting like this for years. Just not against Ireland.

[sussexpob]

Bairstow GONE.... CHRIST

[Arthur Crabtree]

Bairstow's out! A bad shot according to cricinfo.

Could be all out by lunch.

[sussexpob]

At this rate we can burn the England batters trainers, and write an obituary for England's batting footwork, last seen alive sometime in the distant past.....

Call the series Ashes II

[bigfluffylemon]

This is it then Root and JB1.

Maybe a good toss to lose.

I cant really understand why Root didnt bowl. The grass wont stay live in this heat for long, and when it dies it can have a habit of numbing a pitch down, but Root seemed to think that the pitch is dry and will break up.

If Ireland review this Root is dead

Lord's often does a bit early, the flattens out, then becomes hard to bat on in the 4th innings. The risk of a few early first innings wickets has over the last 10 years or so usually been worth the price of not batting last. So I can understand the decision.

The key word here is usually. It does require your batsmen to see out the first couple of hours not batting like cr@p.

Aussies will be pissing themselves laughing here.

[Arthur Crabtree]

A wicket in each of the last four overs I think.

[sussexpob]

Counting in the opposition and the dismissals, I can say with no hyperbole this is the worst hour of test cricket I have ever seen from an England side in my life.

[captaincolly]

Carnage now. Woakes out first ball. 42/6.

[sussexpob]

This is unbelievable......

[Arthur Crabtree]

Woakes is batting... barely into the second hour of the game. It feels like something out of a nineties Ashes series.

[bigfluffylemon]

Bairstow's out! A bad shot according to cricinfo.

Could be all out by lunch.

No footwork, daylight between bat and pad, bowled through the gate. The ball moved, but should have been defended.

6 down. This is beyond embarrassing.

Lowest test totals?

Ireland will be batting by lunch, and no doubt make England's batsmen look even more pathetic by cruising to 50-0, and racking up 250 by the end of the day.

[captaincolly]

Counting in the opposition and the dismissals, I can say with no hyperbole this is the worst hour of test cricket I have ever seen from an England side in my life.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Six down. England have a bit of a tail too.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Four for Murtagh on his home ground. In the city of his birth actually. What a day.