'Beyond woeful': England humiliated in embarrassing 135-year Test first

Ireland have enjoyed a fairytale opening day in their first ever Test against England as they bowled out the hosts for 85 before building a healthy lead at sweltering Lord's.

England's euphoria of 10 days ago after their nerve-jangling World Cup final win over New Zealand turned to stunned disbelief on Wednesday as Ireland bowler Tim Murtagh caused mayhem.

He took 5-13 from nine overs as England capitulated in 127 manic minutes, surviving only 23.4 overs - their shortest completed innings ever in terms of balls faced.

It was England’s lowest total in a home Test match since 1997 and the first time in 135 of Test cricket at Lord’s that the home side has been bowled out before lunch at the iconic venue.

Ireland, playing only their third Test, passed England's total before tea thanks to a free-flowing partnership between Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie.

A flurry of wickets threatened to undo their good work as Ireland slumped from 2-132 to 7-149.

Yet Kevin O'Brien hung around for 28 not out and Murtagh (16) clobbered some useful late runs as Ireland were all out for 207, a 122-run innings lead.

England skipper Joe Root won the toss and elected to bat, handing test debutant Jason Roy and Rory Burns the chance to lay down a marker for the looming Ashes series.

Instead, a spot-on Ireland attack ruthlessly exposed the cracks in England's batting as the hosts posted their lowest home total since scoring 77 against Australia in 1997.

Murtagh, the London-born 37-year-old Middlesex stalwart, took lethal advantage of his local knowledge on a green-tinged Lord's wicket and some bog-standard England batting.

When Stuart Broad walked out to bat with the hosts on 7-43, England had lost six wickets for just seven runs.

White-ball specialist Roy (5) edged to Stirling off Murtagh while Joe Denly, who had looked assured for 23, was out lbw in the 10th over.

Cue an astonishing collapse.

Burns edged behind to Gary Wilson while Root (2) was squared up by Adair and struck on both pads for lbw.

Murtagh then bowled a wafting Bairstow through the gate for a duck.

Two balls later Chris Woakes (0) was lbw and Moeen Ali then edged Murtagh through to Wilson as the 37-year-old sealed his five-wicket haul.

Curran attempted a counter-attack but the carnage continued as Broad (3) edged Boyd Rankin behind and Sam Curran was snaffled for 18 at short leg to leave England on 9-67.

Olly Stone was bowled for 19 as Adair wrapped things up.

It was the fourth time in 34 Tests that England had lost all 10 wickets in a session -- a worrying sign ahead of the five-Test series against Australia.

Cricket world in shock over ‘embarrassment’

Former captain Michael Vaughan savaged England’s display.

Vaughan told the BBC: "There were some good balls but there was also some timid play and poor strokes.

“Let's be honest, it's an embarrassment - you're at the home of cricket, in a Test against Ireland and you're all out for 85, there is no other word to describe it."

And he wasn’t alone, with former England bowler Derek Pringle labelling the failure “beyond woeful”.

with agencies