Ireland on brink of defeat in first Test vs Bangladesh

IRELAND TRAIL BY 215 runs and are on the verge of being defeated by Bangladesh after day three of the first Test in Sylhet.

The home side started the day on a seemingly impregnable 338-1, a lead of 52 on the first innings. But Irish tails were soon up when Barry McCarthy struck twice – in the second and fourth overs of the day – removing both of the overnight batters with an inspired spell of seam bowling with the new ball. After his first ball veered down leg side, McCarthy hit his length from then on and was rewarded with the bat edges of Mahmudul (171) and Mominul (82) that flew to wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker and second slip Andrew Balbirnie respectively.

Bangladesh steadied and made it to lunch with only one further wicket lost, with 447 runs on the board.

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After lunch, and into the final session of the day, Ireland took four more wickets – most eye-catching with the ball was Matthew Humphreys. 

However, the initial hero with the ball at the start of the day was Barry McCarthy who ended with figures of 2-72, but the figures belied his bowling impact in the first phase of the day. 

After the Tea break, and with the first innings lead passing 300 runs, the Bangladesh captain signalled the declaration and Ireland’s top-order was left with a tricky 23-over period of play in fading light, an increasingly turning pitch and a 301-run deficit to overhaul.

Paul Stirling was, in this innings, not accompanied out by Balbirnie (who had sprained a finger in the field), but by Cade Carmichael. Unfortunately, Carmichael couldn’t repeat his heroics of the first innings and fell for 5, bowled by Nahid Rana. Stirling (43) and Harry Tector (18) then settled in for a 57-run stand over the next 14 overs, but Stirling – looking to remain positive during his innings – skipped down the wicket, missed a turning ball, and was caught short of his ground after Najmul Shanto at first slip grabbed the ball and hit the stumps with a quick throw.

To say it was close is almost an understatement. The run out was sent to the third umpire who adjudicated the play, finding Stirling’s bat was on the line, but not over it, when the bails were dislodged.

Ireland then suffered a mini-collapse, falling from 61-1 to 86-5 by the close of play, with Humphreys and Andy McBrine left to negotiate the last two overs of the day.