Bowlers put Afghanistan in control despite a defiant half-century from Ireland number 11 Tim Murtagh on the opening day of the one-off Test between the long format's two new entrants on Friday. Murtagh made an unbeaten 54 to lift Ireland to 172 after they were left tottering at 69 for eight following their decision to bat first in the north Indian city of Dehradun.
In reply, Afghanistan were 90 for two at stumps, still trailing Ireland by 82 runs in their first innings. Rahmat Shah, on 22, and Hashmatullah Shahidi, on 13, were batting at close of play. Left-arm spinner James Cameron-Dow struck twice to get openers Ihsanullah, for seven, and Mohammad Shahzad, for 40.
Earlier Afghanistan bowlers led their team's charge with paceman Yamin Ahmadzai and off-spinner Mohammad Nabi taking three wickets each to rattle the opposition batting. Ireland were in deep trouble at 85 for nine when Murtagh walked into bat and put on 87 runs with George Dockrell, who made 39, for the 10th wicket to frustrate the Afghanistan attack.
He hit four fours and two sixes during his 75-ball stay to register his 11th first-class 50 and get a standing ovation from the Ireland dressing room. Opener Paul Stirling gave Ireland a brisk start with his 26 but their batting collapsed to 62-7 before lunch. They were all out at tea with Dockrell the last man out.
SCOREBOARD
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Ireland 1st innings
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W. Porterfield lbw b Nabi 9
P. Stirling c Khil b Ahmadzai 26
A. Balbirnie b Ahmadzai 4
J. McCollum b Khan 4
K. O'Brien lbw b Nabi 12
S. Poynter lbw b Khan 0
S. Thompson c Shahidi b Nabi 3
G. Dockrell c Khil b Ahmadzai 39
A. McBrine b Salamkheil 3
J Cameron-Dow lbw b Salamkheil 9
T. Murtagh not out 54
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Extras: 4 (b4, lb 5) 9
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Total: (all out, 60 overs) 172
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Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Stirling), 2-41 (Porterfield), 3-41 (Balbirnie), 4-55 (McCollum), 5-55 (Poynter), 6-59 (O'Brien), 7-62 (Thompson), 8-69 (McBrine), 9-85 (Cameron-Dow), 10-172 (Dockrell)
Bowling: Ahmadzai 12-2-41-3, Momand 8-3-31-0, Nabi 14-5-36-3, Khan 12-5-20-2, Salamkheil 14-4-35-2
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Afghanistan 1st innings
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M. Shahzad c and b Cameron-Dow 40
Ihsanullah lbw b Cameron-Dow 7
R. Shah not out 22
H. Shahidi not out 13
Extras: (b4, lb1, nb3) 8
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Total: (2 wkts, 31 overs) 90
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Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Ihsanullah), 2-68 (Shahzad)
To bat: A. Afghan, M. Nabi, R. Khan, Y. Ahmadzai, W. Momand, I.A. Khil, W. Salamkheil
Bowling: Murtagh 6-3-6-0, McBrine 13-2-38-0, Cameron-Dow 6-0-35-2 (nb1), Thompson 5-3-3-0 (nb2), Dockrell 1-0-3-0
Toss: Ireland
Umpires: Richard Illingworth (ENG), Sundaram Ravi (IND)
TV Umpire: Ahmed Shah Pakteen (AFG)
Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND).
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