Andy McBrine recorded the best bowling figures in Ireland’s brief Test match history in Dhaka yesterday but his hard work was undone in a disastrous last session on the second day which left Bangladesh scenting victory.
McBrine toiled through 28 overs in the steamy heat to take 6-118 and was given fine support by big-hearted seamer Mark Adair, who claimed 2-64, as the home side were dismissed for 369 - a first innings lead of 155.
Ireland were left with 17 overs to face before stumps and quickly lost both openers, skipper Andy Balbirnie and Curtis Campher before Harry Tector and Peter ‘PJ’ Moor battled through to the close on 27-4.
If the Boys in Green are to have any chance of making Bangladesh bat again, never mind setting them a challenging target, Tector and Moor will have to apply themselves as well as Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan did in a partnership of 159, either side of lunch.
Not only were the fourth-wicket pair prolific, they scored their runs at a lively five-an-over pace that Ireland could not stem, and while Shakib was caught behind off McBrine for 87, Mushfiqur went through to a top quality century untroubled.
Litton Das joined in the fun with 43 from 41 balls before he became Ben White’s maiden first-class wicket, and McBrine finally got the centurion for 126 shortly after tea, superbly caught by Murray Commins running in and diving from long on.
The off-spinner from Donemana in Co Tyrone followed up with three tailend wickets while leg-spinner White doubled his tally in wrapping up the innings, thanks to a regulation stumping by Lorcan Tucker.
Of the many things Ireland have to learn about the challenges of Test cricket, one is how to survive a tricky mini-session after chasing leather for five hours in 35 degrees of heat, and an understandable lack of foot movement and focus was responsible for the late dismissals.
A refreshed Tector and Moor will need to bat long and deep today but the objective of avoiding an innings defeat is a more realistic one than dragging the game into a fourth day.