Tour of Afghanistan in India 2019

KevIRL

KOB out now too. 59/6

Thompson on 0 from 24 balls

KevIRL

64/7 Thompson out. We won't be making 100 in this innings

KevIRL

Made it to lunch anyway. 69/7

CiarraiAbu2

Mcbrine out straight after lunch.

Mysterypunter

86-9 off 40

KevIRL

Got the hundred at least

Mysterypunter

106-9

dulpit

So the test is going well...

gavinoontheweb

On the up side the tail is wagging and Tim Murtagh is our top scorer 29*

Mysterypunter

History is made, Ireland's highest first innings test score

KevIRL

Murtagh and dockrell our top scorers

BarryD2

Going along fairly predicted lines. That our tailend are top scorers is just mad. Figured we'd struggle but having won the toss, might it not have made a bit more sense for Porterfield to stick them in and try and put some pressure on? Maybe he judged it a good batting strip?

gavinoontheweb

If the tail was not wagging like this perhaps but things could get interesting if they have to chase any sort of target in the 4th innings

KevIRL

Murtagh 50

KevIRL

172 all out

BarryD2

Good effort for the last wicket. Hopefully saved us from an innings defeat

HonalD

BarryD2 wrote:

Going along fairly predicted lines. That our tailend are top scorers is just mad. Figured we'd struggle but having won the toss, might it not have made a bit more sense for Porterfield to stick them in and try and put some pressure on? Maybe he judged it a good batting strip?

I'd guess he'd prefer not to be batting in 4th innings.

HonalD

KevIRL wrote:

Made it to lunch anyway. 69/7

KevIRL wrote:

Got the hundred at least

You built the innings well. 😉

BarryD2

HonalD wrote: »

I'd guess he'd prefer not to be batting in 4th innings.

True, but that also kinda implies that you've got to put up a few runs in the 1st!

Their openers seem to be playing sensible stuff. Presume their tactic is to stick around, build a score slowly, tire our lads out and then push on to a decent score. Do we have the bowlers to winkle their top order out? What sort of fields will Porters set when the runs start building up?

KevIRL

Wicket

KevIRL

Shazad out 68/2

Conchir

Great catch by Cameron-Dow off his own bowling, that came at him fast and low. Afghanistan 68-2 off 21 overs. Shahzad was an important wicket.

Rikand

Thats the second time I have seen Dow c&b. Obviously has a skill for it

Good thing he was played on the team after all

KevIRL

90/2 at stumps

BarryD2

Advantage Afg after Day1. If they apply themselves in the same manner tomorrow, then can easily put up 300+

At which point we're really going to be under pressure. We really needed to occupy that crease a lot longer. Ah well, we live in hope

HonalD

We’re still in the hunt. Our bowling was very disciplined, without looking threatening. Our Plan A of a high first innings total was quickly extinguished by some classy spin bowling.

We need to continue our discipline, build pressure and capitalize on errors. It’s a tough place to play in, that’s for sure.

First session on Day 2 always is a key one!

BarryD2

HonalD wrote: »

Our Plan A of a high first innings total was quickly extinguished by some classy spin bowling.

Plan A was a bit hopeful so! In the ODIs, there were plenty of catches going a begging off the Afghan spinners. They just had more defensive fields set and no one to take them.

If they get a steady start tomorrow, it's bye bye!

KevIRL

No early breakthrough for Ireland

KevIRL

These two well set. 156/2

HonalD

Afghanistan maturing into a disciplined batting side.

Can’t fault the effort of the bowlers but without getting wickets, Afghanistan are getting into a commanding position.

KevIRL

Afg gone past the Irish first innings total

KevIRL

Wicket at last

BarryD2

See we have one back now. Getting a good schooling in test cricket off the Afghans. Patience & application in batting. Our lack of cutting edge in bowling, disguised to some extent in short formats, is now more exposed.

BarryD2

Long hop followed by hatrick of wides! Must feel like ages out there, long day in the field.

KevIRL

Shah out 98

KevIRL

Nabi out. On a bit of a roll here

BarryD2

KevIRL wrote: »

Shah out 98

Tough on him, you’d like to have seen him get the century.

Still, no room for sentiment in international sport.

KevIRL

Lead gone past 100 but two more wickets. Asghar afgan still in there

BarryD2

Afghans getting a bit cocky now? Lead of 100 is good but not compelling.

HonalD

Can see Afghanistan trying to hit out rest of the innings unless Asghar rotates the strike in his favor. They’ve a nice cushion to work with.

KevIRL

8 down

BarryD2

HonalD wrote: »

Can see Afghanistan trying to hit out rest of the innings unless Asghar rotates the strike in his favor. They’ve a nice cushion to work with.

They sure do and to be fair, deserve it. Mind you, wasn’t impressed with attitude of some dude there when yer man got out in the nervous nineties. He’d done a good job on us.

Be interesting to see attitude of our batsmen when we get back in. Going to facing a decent deficit. Have seen our lads just kinda give up before and hit out in face of tough situations. But who knows?

HonalD

We need to follow their approach.Block the ball and capitalize on the bad ones. Get yourself in and stay in. Plenty of time to grind down the deficit.

But that’s very easy for me to say.

Mysterypunter

142 behind on first innings, and Porterfield gone for a duck in the second.

KevIRL

Mysterypunter wrote: »

142 behind on first innings, and Porterfield gone for a duck in the second.

Out second ball ffs

BarryD2

Mysterypunter wrote: »

142 behind on first innings, and Porterfield gone for a duck in the second.

Good recovery towards the end considering where we were at lunch.

Don’t like to be always bringing up Porters but he’s contributed little this series. I think 6 innings for about 50 runs and abt 20 of those in one match. For an opening bat, that’s just woeful. Time to move on and promote others up the order. Captaincy to Dockrell?

KevIRL

22/1 at stumps. Such a pity to lose that wicket

Rikand

Porterfield has got to go. Offering little in captaincy and even less with the bat.

KevIRL

Stirling didn't last long. But balbirnie and McCollum have gotten Ireland to 101/2.

Need to bat out the day you feel

KevIRL

124/2 at lunch. Partnership at 91, balbirnie 73 McCollum 35