Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett carried England’s domination against Ireland in the Lord’s Test into the second day before declaring at 524 for four after tea on Friday. Ireland were bundled out for 172 in their first innings.
While Pope made 205, Duckett was dismissed for 182. Joe Root contributed 56.
At stumps, Ireland were 97 for three in their second innings, still needing another 255 runs to avoid an innings defeat. Debutant pacer Josh Tongue took all the three wickets to fall.
England stretched their first innings score to 503 for 2 at tea, leading Ireland by 331 runs, courtesy an undefeated 142-run stand for the third wicket. The hosts lost only the wicket of Duckett in the post lunch session, adding 178 runs in the process.
Pope, resuming on 97, brought up his century in the second over of the session with a flick through mid on off Andy McBrine for a single — his fourth in Test cricket.
However, his innings came to an end on 182 when he tried to drive Graham Hume’s full delivery only to drag it back on to his stumps. Ireland could have had another wicketsoon enough when Root shuffled across to Mark Adair in the next over and was rapped on his pads, but managed to get a slight inside edge. Three overs later, Ireland wasted another review on the former England captain.
But a little later, both Root and Pope went on the offensive. The former captain stepped out and smoked McBrine for two sixes in three ballswhile Pope took the attack to Curtis Campher.
Brief scores: Ireland 172 & 97/3 (Josh Tongue 3/27). England 524/4 decl. (Ollie Pope 205, Ben Duckett 182). Stumps, Day II
Written with inputs from Reuters
