Miraz, Taijul bowl in tandem to leave Ireland reeling

Bangladesh spinners Taijul Islam and Mehedi Hasan Miraz combined to scalp three wickets in quick succession to leave Ireland struggling in the second session on the opening day of their one-off Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today. 

Ireland went from 122 for three to 124 for six in span of just 18 deliveries. At Tea, the visitors reached 145 for six after 55 overs. Lorcan Tucker and Andy McBrine remain unbeaten on 11 and 10, respectively. 

Things seemed to be under control for the visitors, especially with debutants Harry Tector and Curtis Campher going strong after resumption following the lunch break. At the initial phase of the second session, Tector and Campher played with ease, rotating the strike without getting into any sort of trouble. 

However, things changed in the 42nd over when Tector, after becoming Ireland's first-ever player to hit a fifty on debut in the format, tried to manufacture a shot off a Miraz delivery and saw his stumps disturbed. That wicket ended a 74-run stand between Tector and Campher and also began the Irish batting collapse. 

Just seven balls later, Taijul got into action. Peter Moor tried to lift a Taijul delivery and ended up getting a thick edge. He was caught at mid-off by Tamim Iqbal and had to walk after scoring just a solitary run. 

Then an over later, Taijul returned to trap in front Campher with an arm delivery that held its line to go in towards the right-handed batter and hit him on the pads. Ireland reviewed it but the ball tracker showed that the ball was on its way to hitting the stumps. 

While Taijul and Miraz bowled in tandem to stage an Irish middle-order meltdown, skipper Shakib opted to stay in the periphery. Shakib, even after two completed sessions, is yet to bowl a single delivery in the game. 

At one stage, Shakib was also seen taking a backseat with seniors like Tamim, and Mominul Haque engaging with the bowlers. Shakib, however, returned to talk to his bowlers at the latter stage of the second session. He was also seen warming up out in the middle, but never come into the attack.