The Albany Gazette - Pope and Duckett run riot against Ireland

England were 503-2 at tea on the second day of four, a lead of 331 runs.

Pope was 197 not out, with opener Duckett having made 182 in his first Test in England as both batsmen surpassed Ireland's first-innings 172.

The pair shared a second-wicket stand of 252 after coming together at 109-1 following Zak Crawley's exit for 56.

Both Duckett and Pope scored a hundred runs in a session on Friday, left-hander Duckett achieving the feat in the morning's play and Pope matching him between lunch and tea.

And Duckett, in making a run-a ball 150, surpassed Australia great Don Bradman's record of 166 balls for the fastest Test 150 at Lord's.

At tea, Joe Root was 52 not out, having become just the 11th batsman in all, and second Englishman after Alastair Cook, to score 11,000 Test runs.

But an Ireland side in just their seventh Test and still searching for a first win at this level, lacked the pace and guile to trouble well-set batsmen on a good pitch, with seamers Mark Adair and debutant Fionn each conceding over 100 runs.

England resumed just 20 runs behind, after veteran seamer Stuart Broad had taken 5-51 on Thursday.

Duckett was then 60 not out, with England vice-captain Pope unbeaten on 29.

It wasn't long before England overhauled Ireland's total, with Duckett's straight-driven four off Hume taking the hosts into the lead.

Duckett upped his already quick tempo to complete a run-a-ball 150 and at lunch he was 161 not out, after scoring over 100 runs alone in the morning session, with England 325-1.

Pope was then 97 not out and, after a couple of nervy moments on 99, he completed his fourth hundred in 36 Tests with a single off Andy McBrine.

Duckett then slog-swept off-spinner McBrine for the first six of the match to go to 176 as he surpassed Ireland's total by himself.

The 28-year-old was approaching what would have been one of Test cricket's quickest double-centuries when a replacement ball did the trick for Ireland, with Duckett playing onto medium-pacer Graham Hume.

His runs had come off just 178-balls, including 24 fours and a six, with Duckett walking off to a standing ovation from a sun-drenched crowd at the 'Home of Cricket'.

There was no respite for Ireland, with star batsman Root unfurling a wide array of strokes in what, at times, looked more like a net session than a Test match.

Both Pope and Root lofted McBrine for sixes in the same over.

And the 25-year-old Pope went to 150 in style with an off-driven boundary off Curtis Campher -- his 16th four in 166 balls faced.

The first Ashes Test at Edgbaston starts on June 16 but before then Australia face India in next week's World Test Championship final at the Oval.

(G.Gruner--BBZ)