Debutants Ireland show mettle, rattle Pakistan
DUBLIN : Ireland put in a credible performance in their inaugural Test as their bowlers rattled Pakistan batting with sharp and incisive spells.
Pakistan at one point were struggling at 159 for six before captain Sarfraz Ahmed and Shadab Khan saved them the blushes.
The two put on an unbeaten 109 runs for the seventh wicket as Pakistan reached 268 for six at stumps on the second day. Pakistan were 193 for six at tea and took control of the situation in the third session.
Earlier, Ireland captain William Porterfield won the toss and elected to field, giving first strike to his bowlers on a moist pitch. The entire first day was washed out due to rain.
Seamers Boyd Rankin, Tim Murtagh and Stuart Thompson all claimed two wickets apiece in the one-off Test.
Former England i nternational Rankin had the honour of taking Ireland’s first-ever Test wicket when Azhar Ali (4) edged him to second slip in the grounds of Malahide Castle, just north of Dublin.
Imam ul-haq (7) went the very next ball, to Murtagh, struck on the knee roll and given out leg before wicket, leaving Pakistan at 13-2.
With Haris Sohail (31) and Shafiq at the crease, Pakistan rebuilt after being put into bat and did not lose another wicket before lunch.
Shafiq moved to a 107-ball 50 in the afternoon session as his side reached 135-4. Rankin eventually tempted Shafiq to pull to square leg on 62.
While Rankin took Ireland’s first Test wicket, it was not his first in Test cricket. He dismissed Australia tailender Peter Siddle in the final match of England’s woeful Ashes tour in 2013-14, in what had been his only previous test.
Earlier, Ireland had a first ball in Test cricket to remember when Azhar took a single off Australia England South Africa West Indies New Zealand India Pakistan Sri Lanka Zimbabwe Bangladesh World XI England Australia England England England England India England India India Australia bowler Murtagh. But in the process of doing so, opening partner Iman was injured. Diving to make his crease as Tyrone Kane tried to throw down the stumps, Imam - nephew of Pakistan great Inzamam - collided with the onrushing Niall O’brien.
After a brief delay, Imam was able to carry on, with no wicket Melbourne, 15-03-1877 Melbourne, 15-03-1877 Port Elizabeth, 12-03-1889 Lord’s, 23-06-1928 Christchurch, 10-01-1930 Lord’s, 25-06-1932 Delhi, 16-10-1952 Colombo, 17-02-1982 Harare, 18 -10-1992 Dhaka, 10-11-2000 Sydney, 14-10-2005 lost. Ireland is the 11th nation to play the longest format of the game after the International Cricket Council awarded test status last June.
Brief score: Pakistan 268 for six in 76 overs (Asad Shafiq 62, Shadab Khan batting 52, Faheem Ashraf batting 61; Boyd Rankin 2-58, Tim Murtagh 2-33, Stuart Thompson 2-51).