In front of some Tory grandees now with time on their hands, Somerset’s Leach applied all his skill to record his highest scoreThere was a bevy of merry ex-ministers at Lord’s, demob-happy evictees from the Tory cabinet – Greg Clark, David Gauke, Gavin Barwell, and Theresa May, sipping on something long, cold and fizzy. It seems it has become something of a Tory tradition, after John Major spent the very first day after he lost the prime ministership watching Surrey thrash the British Universities at the Oval.The day’s play May watched was a little more entertaining than the one Major got and she even seemed to enjoy the long stretches of it she spent listening to Colin Graves, chairman of...
England’s collapse at Lord’s was orchestrated by Murtagh’s consistent deliveries at the Ireland bowler’s home from homeFeverishly hot as it was at Lord’s, it was a surprise to find all those melting clocks draped over the Mound Stand, the liquescent pocket watches hanging off the Tavern, that lobster telephone ringing in the pavilion. Even Tim Murtagh couldn’t really seem to make sense of what went on this dreamily, surreal morning. Related: Tim Murtagh stuns England as Ireland lead Test after day of 20 wickets Related: Ireland should bask in Open-driven time in the sun, not English shade at Lord’s | Andy Bull Continue reading...
Portrush has finally hosted the Open but, as Ireland make their Test bow at Lord’s, they must do so as guinea pigs – is it a snub?It’s a wonder the Irish are so well known for their hospitality when you consider the state of some of the people they have to welcome. The very same day play got under way in the 148th Open the papers here led with the Boris Johnson line, first reported in the Financial Times, about Leo Varadkar, “why isn’t he called Murphy like all the rest of them?” Add it to the list, along with Iain Duncan Smith’s blithe dismissal of “this Irish stuff”, Karen Bradley’s blunt admission of her own ignorance of the difference...
Malahide on Saturday saw the first Irish Test XI take to the field, against Pakistan, but the game was far from a sellout and they have only 16 more Tests planned for the next five yearsNorth Richmond Street, being blind, is a quiet street. There is nothing there to tell you what went on at No 17, the red-brick terrace house where James Joyce lived as a kid. Round the back there is a courtyard garden, where Joyce spent happy hours batting against his brother John. “I remember having to bowl for him for perhaps an hour at a time,” John wrote. “I did so out of pure goodness of heart since, for my part, I loathed the silly, tedious,...
In March 10 sides will fight for two remaining places at the 2019 tournament and in-form Ireland face a tough battle to qualifyOn Thursday, Ireland play a Northerns/Easterns XI in Pretoria. This is the opening skirmish in a battle of the utmost importance, with qualification for next year’s World Cup at stake, the decision to shrink the tournament to just 10 participants about to yield its first significant victims.There were 12 teams in 1996 and 1999, 14 in 2003, 16 in 2007 and 14 again in 2011. Before that event the decision was made to reduce the 2015 field to 10, a move derided by the then Ireland captain William Porterfield as “an absolute joke” and “an absolute disgrace”. The...