The China Mail - Broad strikes before Ireland fight back at Lord's

Ireland were in dire straits at 19-3 after losing the loss, with Broad's early treble strike including ducks for both Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie and Harry Tector

But at tea they had recovered to 162-7, with James McCollum (36), Curtis Campher (32 not out) and Paul Stirling (30) having bolstered the Test novices' total.

Broad, leading a three-man pace attack without rested fellow England great James Anderson, had tea figures of 4-45 in 15 overs.

The seamer was backed up by left-arm spinner Jack Leach's economical return of 2-34 in 12.

England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bowl in overcast conditions that promised to aid his quicks.

Ireland had few alarms in reaching 15-0 before Broad had Peter Moor plumb lbw for 10 as he aimed legside, the batsman not bothering with a review.

Number three Balbirnie, the only Irishman to appear in all seven of his country's Tests, then fell for a five-ball duck when he edged Broad low to Zak Crawley at second slip.

Two balls later Ireland's 19-2 became 19-3 when Tector clipped Broad off his pads straight to Matthew Potts at leg slip.

The next delivery saw Stirling given out lbw.

But the Ireland veteran successfully reviewed Australian umpire Paul Wilson's decision, avoiding a duck.

A Test scheduled for four days rather than the standard five was threatening to go the way of the corresponding Lord's clash four years ago.

Back then, England slumped to 85 all out only to win by the huge margin of 143 runs after they skittled out Ireland for just 38.

But Stirling counter-attacked after England debutant fast bowler Josh Tongue launched his Test career with two maidens.

An innings featuring 20 runs in boundaries ended when Stirling top-edged a sweep off Leach to give a simple catch to wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, playing his first Test since August last year after a freak leg injury on a golf course.

In increasingly sunny conditions, opener McCollum's determined innings of 36 off 108 balls ended after lunch when he edged Broad to Joe Root at first slip.

Ireland, still searching for their first Test win, slid to 104-6 when Lorcan Tucker (18) was lbw sweeping at Leach.

Campher, hit on the helmet by Tongue, could only watch as Andy McBrine became Potts's first wicket of the day when caught behind after the paceman went around the wicket.

England had rested both Anderson and fellow quick Ollie Robinson to ensure the pair were fully fit for the start of the Ashes series against Australia later this month.

This match also came just weeks before Ireland travel to Zimbabwe for a 50-over World Cup qualifying tournament, with Balbirnie saying in the build-up: "If we get bowled out for 30 in both innings against England but qualify for both (50 and T20) World Cups, that's a win; that's our most successful summer ever."

D.Peng--ThChM