LONDON: England captain Joe Root won the toss and decided to bat against Ireland in a one-off Test at Lord's on Wednesday.
With high temperatures forecast, Root's decision to bat under sunny blue skies in Ireland's first Test against England was understandable.
World Cup-winning opening batsman Jason Roy is making his Test debut at the top of the order and fast bowler Olly Stone, in for the injured James Anderson, is also playing his first Test.
Rory Burns, Joe Denly and Jack Leach -- one of two spinners selected by England along with Moeen Ali -- are making their home debuts.
It is just Ireland's third Test following a loss at home to Pakistan in 2018 and a defeat by Afghanistan in India earlier this year.
Their side included batsman Paul Stirling and seamer Tim Murtagh, who both play for Lord's based-Middlesex, as well as former England fast bowler Boyd Rankin.
The match is being played over four days rather than the standard five for a Test match.
It is the first time England have been involved in a scheduled four-day Test since a 1971 tour of New Zealand and the first such match in England since 1947.
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