Lunch Ireland 172 (Broad 5-51, Leach 3-35) and 216 for 6 (Tector 51, Tongue 4-56) trail England 524 for 4 declared (Pope 205, Duckett 182, Crawley 56, Root 56) by 137 runs
Ireland made England wait on the third morning of this Test but, despite some dogged batting, the visitors couldn’t lift the air of fait accompli over Lord’s.
With Ireland opener James McCollum playing no further part in the match after retiring hurt with a badly twisted ankle he sustained while batting on Friday evening, they were effectively seven wickets down. Scans showed no fracture, but McCollum suffered suspected ligament damage and was resigned to watching from the sidelines in a moon boot.
Tector and Tucker had batted well the previous evening and comfortably navigated the first half hour on Saturday, adding 29 runs to Ireland’s overnight 97 for 3. But then Jack Leach entered the attack and struck second ball as Tucker attempted to sweep and succeeded only dragging the ball back onto the stumps with his glove to end an assured innings on 44 and a fifth-wicket stand worth 63.
Joe Root came on and saw his fifth delivery muscled for six by Curtis Campher. Then Tongue, who had taken all three of Ireland’s second-innings wickets the previous day, returned to action and went for back-to-back fours by Campher, the first a well-drilled cover drive and the second a complete miscue through mid-on.
Tector brought up a deserved half-century driving through mid-off and running two but Tongue had him out with his next ball, a short, wide delivery which Tector sent straight to Harry Brook at backward point, who juggled momentarily but held on.
In the next over, Root invited Campher to sweep and the ball sailed through to Ben Stokes at short fine leg, a dismissal notable for Stokes’ wince, as he clutched his troublesome left knee and hobbled after completing the catch.
Adair took 15 off one Root over as the interval approached, including a hefty six over deep midwicket to take Ireland past the 200-mark and an authoritative sweep through backward square leg for four. At lunch, he was unbeaten on 32 with McBrine on not out 19.
Valkerie Baynes is a general editor, women’s cricket, at ESPNcricinfo