Ben Duckett works Curtis Campher away for three. Campher then pins Pope to the crease and strikes him on the thigh pad.

There’s a quick debate about whether to send the appeal upstairs after the umpire says not out but it’s quickly shut down with everyone agreeing that the ball struck Pope too high.

Pope collects a couple to keep the runs ticking over.

England have been batting for 22 overs now and are rapidly closing in on Ireland’s first innings total. It’s been an almost perfect day for Ben Stokes’ team who won the toss, skittled Ireland for less than 200 and are now racking up the runs.

Test cricket is often criticised as boring, but it is not the word that comes to mind when England have been batting over the last 12 months.

They have truly torn into this inexperienced Ireland bowling attack with complete dominance and fluidity.

While Crawley escaped some scares before he departed tamely, Ollie Pope and Duckett have offered Ireland nothing, but seem to have found every gap in the field.

The notion that England could finish this day level looked improbable given that they only started batting at 4.40pm, but with 10 overs left to get 33 runs it looks like they will finish the day far ahead of Ireland’s 172.

Curtis Campher is introduced by Andy Balbirnie. He bowls gentle outswingers in the low 80mph.

Ben Duckett tucks him into the legside for one before Ollie Pope spanks a full delivery over to the cover boundary.

Campher grimaces as his final delivery is a full toss out wide. Pope says thank you and whacks this one to the ropes too. The hosts are flying and trail by just 33.

Ben Duckett’s early onslaught seems like a thing of the past as he decides to tick over the strike. Ollie Pope takes Mark Adair for four runs with a guided shot down to third man.

Pope ends the over with a controlled pull to square for four more. England’s No. 3 looks in good touch.

Ireland’s lead is under 50 now with England having nine wickets in hand.

Ollie Pope shuffles across to the offside before flicking Fionn Hand into midwicket for two. It’s good running from the English batters as Pope turns the ball squarer to pick up another couple.

Ireland just can’t get a lid on the scoring. That’s not just their issue, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan have all struggled to reign England in when they’ve got going.

Pope’s first boundary comes with a drive through cover. He leans into the shot and picks out the gap.

Mark Adair responds to that wicket with his best over yet. He’s been expensive this evening but sends a maiden down to Ben Duckett as Ireland look to bring the run rate down.

England’s newly minted test match vice-captain comes in at No. 3 as Ollie Pope strides to the crease.

There’s an opportunity for Ireland to sneak in a couple more wickets and if they can get Ben Duckett out now it’ll increase the pressure on England.

Zak Crawley has to go! Fionn Hand gets his first wicket in test match cricket by juggling and clinging on to Crawley’s aerial drive.

It’s a brilliant catch and Crawley will feel gutted to let slip a chance of scoring big runs.

Another fine drive from Crawley fizzes wide of mid-off this time and earns him four more runs, he ends the over with a single to keep the strike.