Paul Stirling Leads Ireland’s Strong Start Against Bangladesh in Opening Test
Ireland, who lost their captain early, recover in confident fashion as Stirling's fluent half-century guides them to 94/1 at lunch on Day 1 in Sylhet.
Stirling anchors Ireland after early setback
Ireland began their first Test of the Bangladesh tour with composure despite an early setback at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Captain Andrew Balbirnie fell for a duck, trapped leg-before by Hasan Mahmud in just the second over of the morning. But then, Paul Stirling’s aggressive yet controlled batting changed the tone of the innings. The experienced right-hander reached his fifty in quick time, playing confidently through the covers and pulling with authority.
He found able support in debutant Cade Carmichael, who looked solid during his 30-run knock. Together, the pair stitched an unbroken 94-run stand that steadied the visitors after the initial jolt. Bangladesh had their chances early on, missing a couple of chances in the slips, which eventually proved costly as Ireland’s batsmen made full use of the lifelines.
Come lunch, Ireland were in a promising position at 94/1, setting up a strong platform for the rest of the day. The hosts, meanwhile, will hope to regroup and make early inroads in the next session.
