England were embarrassingly bowled out for 85 by a brilliant Ireland on their return to Test cricket 10 days after winning the World Cup.
Just over a week before the Ashes begin, the fragility of England’s batting was once again exposed at Lord’s by an Ireland side playing only their third Test.
Middlesex seamer Tim Murtagh, playing on his home ground, expertly exploited the hint of movement on offer to claim 5-13.
Only Joe Denly, Sam Curran and debutant Olly Stone reached double figures for England, who at one stage lost six wickets for seven runs and were bowled out before lunch to lose all 10 wickets in a single session for the fourth time in three years.
Whereas their one-day side proved they as the world’s best in that raucous final on this ground, England’s Test batting has been in a state of flux for seven years.
Here, with World Cup winner Jason Roy the latest to be given a chance at the top of the order, they were bowled out for their lowest total in a home Test for 22 years.
Now they face the prospect of having to match the relentlessness of the Ireland bowling if they are to avoid the prospect of going down to perhaps their most shocking Test defeat of all-time.
Ireland, whose long journey to Test status has included picking up famous scalps in the one-day game, have a golden opportunity for a victory that would top them all.
The suspicion that the unreliability of England’s batting would be their biggest obstacle when it comes to regaining the Ashes was confirmed on a baking morning at the home of cricket.
Captain Joe Root won the toss and chose to bat, only to see his team crumble in the face of Ireland bowling that was nagging and accurate but far from devastating.
Yes, there was a hint of movement, but nothing exaggerated. Still, England were tentative, hard-handed, without patience and too often deceived.
Roy pushed at Murtagh to be caught at first slip and opening partner Rory Burns closed the face on a drive off the same bowler to be caught behind.
In between, debutant Mark Adair nipped one back to trap Denly lbw and, after Root played all round one from the same bowler to also be leg before, Murtagh ripped through the middle order.
An agitated Jonny Bairstow played an inexplicably expansive drive to be bowled through the gate, Chris Woakes was lbw to one shaving the bails and Moeen Ali feathered a timid prod behind.
At one stage Murtagh, rarely topping 75mph, sent down 11 deliveries that yielded four wickets for only one run. England had capitulated from 36-1 to 43-7 and if it had not been for the shots of Curran and Stone, the scorecard would have been even more shambolic.
