Having played a total of 16 matches against each other across formats thus far, England and Ireland will be locking horns in Test cricket only for the second time tomorrow onward. Much like their first Test as oppositions, this match will also be played at the Lord’s. Another major similarity between the two matches is both of them being curtain-raiser to an Ashes series in England.
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That being said, unlike their imminent contest in this format, the first one hadn’t kick-started the English summer. In fact, that match was played after a white-ball series against Pakistan and ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
England, who’ve lost thrice (including twice in their last two limited-overs matches) to Ireland in all these years, had managed to secure a 143-run victory in their inaugural Test against them. One of their best-ever comebacks in Test cricket had been possible only because of Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad picking 10 wickets within 16 overs which were bereft of a bowling change.
However, a stupendous bowling effort whilst defending a 182-run target had followed a disastrous batting effort which had witnessed the hosts bundling out for 85 before Lunch on Day 1.
Speaking of the squads, only five English players who had played that much are part of the current squad for this one-off Test. Similarly, the visiting team also has five common players between that Playing XI and their current squad.
ENG vs IRE Head to Head Record in Test Cricket
Total Number of Matches Played: 1
Matches Won by ENG: 1
Matches Won by IRE: 0
Matches Played at Lord’s: 1 (ENG 1, IRE 0)
Matches Played in England: 1 (ENG 1, IRE 0)
ENG Average Run Rate Against IRE: 3.82
IRE Average Run Rate Against ENG: 3.31
Most Runs for ENG: 93 (Jack Leach)
Most Runs for IRE: 60 (Andy Balbirnie)
Most Wickets for ENG: 7 (Stuart Broad)
Most Wickets for IRE: 6 (Mark Adair)
Most Catches for ENG: 5 (Joe Root)
Most Catches for IRE: 2 (James McCollum)
NOTE: Only players part of current squads have been considered above (most runs, wickets and catches).
