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Mushfiqur Rahim scored his tenth Test century as Ireland’s bowlers toiled on Day Two in Mirpur. Andy McBrine took his maiden Test five-for before a late evening collapse from Ireland saw them finish the day on 27-4, trailing Bangladesh by 128 runs.

While hopes were high at the beginning of the day that quick wickets could give Ireland the advantage to chase a first Test victory, the placid surface and aggressive batting from the Bangladesh middle order soon ground those down. Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur put on a 159-run partnership in the morning and early afternoon sessions, scoring at over five runs an over to take the game away from the tourists.

It took an historic six-wicket haul from McBrine to bowl Bangladesh out before the end of play. He took four wickets after tea to finish the innings with figures of 6-118, the best-ever for an Ireland player in men’s Test matches, and the first Test five-for by an Ireland spinner.

However, a late-evening collapse in the fading Mirpur light saw Ireland lose four wickets in the first seven overs of their innings. James McCollum fell for a golden duck as Shakib took two wickets before the close.

At the beginning of the day, Mark Adair started as he had ended the evening before with the ball in hand, bowling Mominul Haque in his second over of the morning. It was a full delivery which Mominul misjudged, walking across his wicket looking to play into the on side, but leaving the path clear for the ball to flatten leg-stump.

The fast bowlers kept the pressure up early in the day, but Shakib soon cut loose. Along with Mushfiqur, the pair plundered 37 runs from four overs off Curtis Campher and McBrine before lunch – McBrine conceding six fours from his first four overs of the day.

Shakib brought up his 31st Test fifty off 45 balls, crashing consecutive boundaries off Ben White to reach the landmark before lunch. By the end of the first session, Bangladesh were 170-3 having added 136 runs to their overnight score.

Bangladesh continued to make hay in the afternoon session, with the wicket of Shakib, edging McBrine to the keeper, bringing only temporary respite. Mushfiqur completed a masterful century with a boundary off Adair, edging the ball between Lorcan Tucker behind the stumps and a wide slip for four.

Das, who had taken over from Shakib as the main aggressor, raced towards a half-century in double-quick time – scoring eight boundaries in his 41-ball innings. But, he failed to capitalise on a reprieve he was given by Tucker, who missed a run-out chance with Das on 43. White dismissed Das two balls later, notching his first Test wicket – also his first first-class wicket – as the Bangladesh keeper hit him to Harry Tector at mid-off.

From there on, McBrine took centre stage. His first wicket after tea was Mushfiqur, courtesy of an outstanding diving catch in the deep from Murray Commins. A plumb lbw shout against Shoriful Islam gave him his maiden Test five-for before he finished up by nicking off Edabot Hossain to claim his sixth. That wicket took him past Tim Murtagh’s best-ever figures for an Ireland men’s bowler, eclipsing his 5-13 at Lord’s against England in 2019.

Bangladesh were finally bowled out for 369 with a lead of 155, White taking the final wicket with Tucker completing a sharp stumping. Ireland had managed to peg back what had looked to be a bruising day in the field significantly in the final session.

Left a maximum of 17 overs to bat before the end of play, Ireland lost McCollum in the first over – lbw after review to Shakib. Three more wickets fell in the space of the next six overs, Ireland slipping to 10-4 after Curtis Campher was given out caught behind for Shakib’s second.

A stoic partnership worth 14 off 63 balls between Tector and PJ Moor brought Ireland to the close with six wickets still in hand, trailing Bangladesh by 128. Tector will resume on eight tomorrow morning, with Moor on 10.

MATCH SUMMARY

Bangladesh v Ireland, Only Test match, Day Two, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, 5th April 2023

Ireland 214 (77.2 overs; Harry Tector 50, Lorcan Tucker 37, Taijul Islam 5-58)
Bangladesh 369 (80.3 overs; Mushfiqur Rahim 126, Shakib Al Hasan 87, Andy McBrine 6-118)
Ireland 27-4 (17 overs; PJ Moor 10*, Harry Tector 8*, Taijul Islam 2-7)

Bangladesh lead by 128 runs

See full scorecard


Wisden
Andy McBrine celebrates his fifth wicket
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