Mirpur: Centuries by seasoned batters Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das propelled Bangladesh to a strong position on the second day of the second Test, before the hosts’ spinners reduced Ireland to 98 for 5 in reply to the home side’s 476 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur on Thursday.
Mushfiqur, unbeaten on 99 overnight, became only the eleventh batter to score a hundred in his 100th Test, bringing up his 13th century with a single off the ninth ball of the day. He added only a few more before falling for 106, caught at second slip off debutant Matthew Humphreys.
Litton later reached his own century in the first session, taking a bold route with a six and a four through the nineties. His partnership with Mushfiqur, worth 123 runs for the sixth wicket, completed Bangladesh’s third century stand in a row.
Ireland’s bowlers had started the day brightly as Andy McBrine completed his second six-wicket haul in Tests, both achieved at the Shere Bangla Stadium. Humphreys and Gavin Hoey picked up two wickets each, marking the first time Ireland’s spinners claimed all ten wickets in a Test innings. McBrine eventually ended the innings by trapping Khaled Ahmed lbw with 30 minutes left in the second session.
But Ireland’s batting effort faltered almost immediately.
Paul Stirling gave the visitors early momentum with a burst of boundaries, including a slog-swept six off Taijul Islam, but he departed lbw to Khaled for 27. Captain Andy Balbirnie followed for 21, edging Hasan Murad to slip. Cade Carmichael became Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s first victim, lbw after staying deep in the crease.
Murad then delivered the ball of the day — an arm-ball that slid past Curtis Campher’s defence — before Taijul trapped Harry Tector lbw for 14, leaving Ireland in deep trouble.
By stumps, debutant Stephen Doheny (2*) and Lorcan Tucker (11*) were holding on, but Bangladesh’s spinners — Murad with two, Miraz and Taijul with one each — had already placed the hosts firmly on top.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh 476 all out in 141/1 overs (Litton Das 128, Mushfiqur Rahim 106; Andy McBrine 6-109, Gavin Hoey 2-115, Matthew Humphreys 2-151) lead Ireland 98/5 in 38 overs (Paul Stirling 27, Andrew Balbirnie 21; Hasan Murad 2-10) by 378 runs
(IANS)
