A heroic combined batting effort from Ireland, headlined by half-centuries from Andy Balbirnie and Kevin O’Brien, ensured they set Afghanistan a tricky target of 147 to chase for victory at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in India.
Ireland began the day 22-1, which soon unluckily became 33-2 as Paul Stirling was given out LBW despite inside-edging onto his pad, before a century stand for the third wicket brought them back into contention.
A post-lunch slide of 4-20 seemed to have put paid to their victory hopes, only for O’Brien and George Dockrell to combine for a half-century seventh-wicket stand.
Another half-century stand for the final wicket pushed the lead past three figures and towards 150 before excellent new-ball spells from Dockrell and Andy McBrine helped Ireland draw first blood in the chase.
"It was nice to get my first fifty in Test cricket" - @balbo90 on his 82.#BackingGreen☘️ #AFGvIRE🏏 pic.twitter.com/38Tq0Eft2U
— Cricket Ireland (@Irelandcricket) March 17, 2019
Ireland resumed at the start of play still 120 runs behind, and the fourth ball of the day, which Balbirnie drove beautifully straight back past the bowler for four, demonstrated two things – that Ireland weren’t going to go into their shells, and that he was in some of the best form of his life.
Most of it was made in the company of James McCollum.
The pair battled through to lunch in the face of some threatening bowling on a helpful wicket, putting the plays and misses and loud appeals to one side and taking full toll of the bad balls when they came.
A three-ball stretch in the 30th over was a microcosm of their approach, Balbirnie surviving two LBW appeals before driving confidently for four when Rashid Khan overpitched.
The game turned in the third over after lunch with the dismissal of Balbirnie, who edged Waqar Salamkheil behind.
McCollum was pinned in front by Rashid in the next over, and Stuart Poynter and Thompson each fell for one – Ihsanullah catching both at first slip, the first an extraordinary reflex catch to leave Ireland five down and leading by just 15.
O’Brien and Dockrell dug in to ensure Ireland batted out the session and remained in the contest.
Dockrell was especially dogged, scoring just five off his first 34 balls, demonstrating fully the defensive technique which has earned him a growing reputation as an all-rounder, while O’Brien scored briskly without risking too much.
