Ireland show fight after first-innings surrender vs Pak

DUBLIN: Ireland put up a strong fight in the second innings, ending Day 3 at 64 without loss after being made to follow on in their maiden Test, in Malahide near here.

The Irish batting floundered against Pakistan in the first innings and was dismissed for just 130 in reply to the visitors’ 310/9 declared. The hosts, however, showed resilience in the second essay thanks to openers Ed Joyce (batting 39) and William Porterfield (batting 23).

Pakistan bowlers struggled to make a breakthrough after both the openers got a life each off Mohammed Amir’s bowling. While Joyce survived in the very first over due to wicketkeeper and captain Sarfraz Ahmed’s lack of judgement, Porterfield was dropped by Azhar Ali in the third slip in the fifth over.

Earlier, Ireland finished 31 runs short of the follow-on mark of 161. It was the first time Pakistan had enforced follow-on in a Test in 16 years -- they made New Zealand bat twice in a row on way to an innings and 324-run win at Lahore back in 2002.

Mohammad Abbas did the initial damage with the ball as Ireland collapsed to five for three before lunch, with the paceman finishing with figures of four wickets for 44 in 11 overs, while leg-spinner Shadab Khan took three for 31 in 13.2 overs.

Kevin O’brien top scored for Ireland with 40 and Gary Wilson, batting with an injured arm, made a gutsy 33 not out.abbas struck either side of lunch picking two before it and one immediately after it to leave the debutants in tatters. Amir had picked the other wicket before lunch.

As Ireland limped past fifty, leg-spinner Shadab Khan got into the act, picking two wickets in one over.

BRIEF SCORES: Pakistan 310/9 dec (F Ashraf 83, A Shafiq 62, T Murtagh

4/45) vs Ireland 130 (K O’brien 40, M Abbas 4/44, Shadab 3/31) & 64/0 (E Joyce 39*, W Porterfield 23*)