DUBLIN: Ireland were 64 without loss in their second innings, a deficit of 116 runs, at stumps on the third day of their inaugural Test after being made to follow-on by Pakistan at Malahide on Sunday.

Ed Joyce was 39 not out and Ireland captain William Porterfield unbeaten on 23, with both openers dropped off Mohammad Amir.

Take a look: Comment: Pakistan’s top order needs to shrug off shorter-format mindset

Ireland were batting again after being dismissed for just 130 in reply to Pakistan’s first innings 310 for nine declared.

It was the first time Pakistan had enforced the follow-on in a Test in 16 years — they made New Zealand bat twice in a row on the way to an innings and 324-run win at Lahore in 2002.

Mohammad Abbas did the initial damage as Ireland collapsed to five for three before lunch, the paceman finishing with figures of four wickets for 44 in 11 overs, while leg-spinner Shadab Khan took three for 31 in 13.2 overs.

At seven for four just after lunch, Ireland were in danger of marking their debut with the lowest completed innings total by any side in the 141-year history of men’s Test cricket — New Zealand’s 26 against England at Auckland in 1955.

But Kevin O’Brien’s belligerent 40 at least spared them that embarrassment.

Meanwhile Gary Wilson, who injured his arm batting in the nets and so came in down the order, ensured South Africa’s 84 against England at Port Elizabeth in 1889 remained the lowest total by a side in their maiden Test innings when he edged Shadab through the slips for four.

At tea, paceman Abbas had taken three wickets for 25 runs in six overs, with left-arm quick Mohammad Amir weighing in with two for nine in 10 and Shadab striking twice in three balls to continue his fine all-round display after an innings of 55 in just his second Test.

The batting of Ireland, the 11th nation to play men’s Test cricket, was always likely to prove decisive in the outcome of this one-off match.

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed’s well-timed declaration left Ireland with a tricky 30 minutes to bat before lunch and that was long enough to leave the hosts five for three come the interval.

Veteran opener Ed Joyce was first to go, lbw to Abbas for four.

Former England ODI opener Joyce, arguably Ireland’s greatest batsman and at 39 the oldest debutant at this level since Australia’s Bryce McGain made his Test bow aged 36 in 2009, appeared to be a victim of the fact the Decision Review System was not being used because Cricket Ireland had decided they could not afford the $50,000 cost.

But while replays suggested the ball that did for left-hander Joyce may have pitched outside the line, there was little doubt about the Abbas delivery that had fellow opener Andrew Balbirnie lbw for a duck.

It was a miserable end to an eight-ball innings where Balbirnie was almost run out by Asad Shafiq’s direct hit from hort leg.

Ireland captain William Porterfield then fell for one when Amir uprooted his off-stump with what became the last ball before lunch.

Soon afterwards wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien was lbw to Abbas for nought.

Paul Stirling (17) offered some resistance before he carelessly holed out off Faheem Ashraf to give the debutant a maiden Test wicket after the all-rounder had top-scored for Pakistan with 83.

Shadab then clean bowled Stuart Thompson and two balls later he had Tyrone Kane caught in the slips for the third duck of the innings.

Kevin O’Brien, Niall’s brother, struck five fours before driving Amir to cover.

Pakistan resumed on their overnight 268 for six, with Shadab and Faheem extending their seventh-wicket century stand to 117 before Shadab was lbw to Tim Murtagh, striking with the new ball on his way to four for 55.

Faheem, dropped on 36 on Saturday, was missed in the slips on 62 and 72.

But in sight of a hundred on Test debut, a notable achievement, Faheem was caught behind off medium-pacer Thompson.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN (1st Innings, overnight 268-6):

Azhar Ali c Porterfield b Rankin 4
Imam-ul-Haq lbw b Murtagh 7
Haris Sohail c Porterfield b Thompson 31
Asad Shafiq c Balbirnie b Rankin 62
Babar Azam c Stirling b Murtagh 14
Sarfraz Ahmed c Stirling b Thompson 20
Shadab Khan lbw b Murtagh 55
Faheem Ashraf c N. O’Brien b Thompson 83
Mohammad Amir c N. O’Brien b Murtagh 13
Mohammad Abbas not out 4
Rahat Ali not out 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-10, W-2, NB-4) 17

TOTAL (for nine wkts decl, 96 overs) 310

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-13, 3-71, 4-104, 5-153, 6-159, 7-276, 8-304, 9-306.

BOWLING: Murtagh 25-5-45-4; Rankin 21-3-75-2 (1nb); Kane 20-2-86-0 (1nb); Thompson 22-4-62-3 (2nb, 1w); K O’Brien 6-1-20-0 (1w); Stirling 2-0-11-0.

IRELAND (1st Innings):

E.C. Joyce lbw b Abbas 4
W.T.S. Porterfield b Amir 1
A. Balbirnie lbw b Abbas 0
N.J. O’Brien lbw b Abbas 0
P.R. Stirling c Babar b Faheem 17
K.J. O’Brien c Imam b Amir 40
S.R. Thompson b Shadab 3
T.E. Kane c Babar b Shadab 0
G.C. Wilson not out 33
W.B. Rankin c Sarfraz b Abbas 17
T.J. Murtagh c Imam b Shadab 5

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-1, W-1) 10

TOTAL (all out, 47.2 overs) 130

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-5, 3-5, 4-7, 5-36, 6-61, 7-61, 8-73, 9-107.

BOWLING: Mohammad Amir 10-5-9-2 (1w); Mohammad Abbas 11-4-44-4; Rahat Ali 7-0-18-0; Faheem Ashraf 5-2-18-1; Shadab Khan 13.2-3-31-3; Haris Sohail 1-0-1-0.

IRELAND (2nd Innings, following-on):

E.C. Joyce not out 39
W.T.S. Porterfield not out 23

EXTRAS (B-2, NB-1) 2

TOTAL (for no wkt, 26 overs) 64

BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Amir 3.2-2-2-0; Mohammad Abbas 6-2-13-0; Rahat Ali 6-2-18-0; Faheem Ashraf 6-2-15-0 (1nb); Shadab Khan 4.4-1-15-0.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2018