Bangladesh v Ireland, Only Test, Mirpur, 4-8 April, 2023

Ireland playing their first test since 2019.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/ireland-in-bangladesh-2022-23-1355710/bangladesh-vs-ireland-only-test-1355723/match-preview

I don’t hold out much hope for them, though were they playing at home it might be a different matter.

Lunch break

Ireland, who won the toss, are 3/65

Tea Break

Ireland 6/145
Harry Tector 50 (on debut)
Taijul Islam 3/35

Stumps

Ireland 214
Harry Tector 50
Lorcan Tucker 37
Curtis Campher 34
Mark Adair 32
Taijul Islam 5/58
Ebadot Hossain 2/54
Mehidy Hasan 2/43

Bangladesh 2/34

IS that Mehidy heedy heedy? Heidi heidi heidi ho?

At the drinks break in the 1st session on Day 2

Bangladesh 3/107
Mushfiqur Rahim 23*
Shakib Al Hasan 41*
Mark Adair 2/18

Bangladesh are scoring quite quickly but they shouldn't expect too many runs out of their 8,9,10 & 11 so if Ireland can get another 3 wickets, the innings could fold in a hurry. Bangladesh need some good partnerships in the middle order.

Unless Ebadot has now reached allrounder status!

Lunch Break

Bangladesh 3/170
Mushfiqur Rahim 53*
Shakib Al Hasan 74* (off 74 balls)
Mark Adair 2/18

4th wicket partnership up to 130.

Century to Mushfiqur!

Earlier, Shakib dismissed for 87.

Bangladesh 4/262

Tea Break

Bangladesh 5/316
Mushfiqur Rahim 124*
Shakib Al Hasan 87
Litton Das 43
Mark Adair 2/50
Andy McBrine 2/99

Bangladesh all out for 369, a lead of 155.

Mushfiqur finished with 126 & Mehidy Hasan made 55. However, the highlight of the innings was Khaled Ahmed smashing 4 not out which equalled his highest test score. His average is now 1.00 (13 runs & dismissed 13 times).

For Ireland, off-spinner Andy McBrine took 6/118, the best bowling figures in Ireland's 4 test history. Previously, Tim Murtagh held that record with 5/13 against England.

Mark Adair 2/64 & Ben White 2/71 were the other wicket-takers.

WideWally wrote:
Bangladesh are scoring quite quickly but they shouldn't expect too many runs out of their 8,9,10 & 11

They scored 4,4,0 & 4*

Stumps

Ireland have collapsed in their 2nd innings losing 4/27 with Shakib & Taijul each taking 2 wickets.

The not out batsmen are the promising Harry Tector & Peter Moor who previously played 8 tests for Zimbabwe scoring 533 runs @ 35.53.

Tea Break Day 3

Ireland 6/199
Lorcan Tucker 89*
Andy McBrine 27*
Harry Tector 56
Taijul Islam 3/57
Shakib Al Hasan 2/16

Good recovery effort to make the Manics bat again… can they set them an awkward little three-figure target?

Century on debut to Lorcan Tucker. He is the second player to achieve this for Ireland. Kevin O'Brien made a ton in Ireland's first ever test, against Pakistan in 2018.

Stumps Day 3

Ireland 8/286
Lorcan Tucker 108
Andy McBrine 71*
Harry Tector 56
Taijul Islam 4/86
Shakib Al Hasan 2/26

Ireland lead by 131 runs

Could be a nervous finish for the hosts.

Ireland all out for 292 so Bangladesh need 138 to win.

Andy McBrine 72
Taijul Islam 4/90
Shakib Al Hasan 2/26
Ebadot Hossain 3/37

Ebadot has now taken 37 test wickets. That is the third most by a Bangladesh pace bowler. Only Mashrafe Mortaza (78) & Shahadat Hossain (72) are above him. Rubel Hossain & Tapash Baisya both took 36.

Bangladesh win by 7 wickets.

Mushfiqur Rahim 51*

Mushy sees the Bangles home quite comfortably.

Chris Martin Cup update from the first innings: Ebadot 0, Khaled 4*. Averages 3.12 and 1.00 respectively.

In fact, their number 8, Taijul averages 8.95 from 41 Tests (the man in between is Shoriful @ 6.00). Talk about Easter bunnies, this lot puts Caddick-Mullally-Giddins-Tufnell to shame!

The sum total of their last four’s averages is 19.07. So the four of them combined would be expected to get as many runs as, say, Stuart Broad in a given innings (they underachieved with 12 combined in the first dig here). Luckily they weren’t required in the run chase!

They're apres-ferrets.