Lorcan Tucker hit a flawless century on debut as Ireland fought back against Bangladesh to inject life into their one-off Test on Thursday.
After falling to 51-5 on the third morning and facing an innings defeat against the much-vaunted spin attack of Bangladesh, the Irish dug in and grittily batted out the day to give themselves faint hope.
Tucker’s ton, complemented by career-best half-centuries from Harry Tector and Andy McBrine, helped Ireland survive day three and reach stumps on 286-8, leading Bangladesh by 131 runs.
Tucker, who made 108 off 162 balls with 14 fours and one six, became the second Irishman to hit a century on debut after Kevin O’Brien in 2018.
“We will be pretty happy with anything up near 170-180,” Tucker said.
“The wicket is playing well and it will break up a little bit more. We know we can take wickets to win the game tomorrow. We hope to give Bangladesh a real target to chase. We think all the pressure is on them.”
Tucker formed two significant partnerships of 72 with Tector for the sixth wicket and 111 with McBrine for the seventh wicket that put Ireland in front.
Bangladesh was bowled out for 369 in its first innings, taking a 155-run lead.
Tector, one of the six Irish debutants, followed his 50 in the first innings with 56.
McBrine, who registered the best Test bowling figures by an Irish bowler in the first innings with 6-118, was 71 not out.
Tector and Peter Moor were at the crease at the start of the day, at 27-4. Bangladesh could have got Tector early on 9 when he edged a slower delivery by left-arm spinner Taijul Islam but wicketkeeper Liton Das put it down.
Tector made Bangladesh pay for it heavily.
Moor was dismissed midway through the first session when he edged behind pacer Shoriful Islam on 16. But Tucker’s arrival led to an uptick on the scoreboard from his bold approach to attack the spinners, especially Taijul.
Tector raised his second fifty in the Test off 145 balls, with an outside edge of Khaled Ahmed that flew into the gap between the slips and gully.
Taijul trapped Tector when he tried to paddle sweep a delivery that didn’t turn much, but Tector had 56 and lasted 159 balls and more than three hours.
Bangladesh’s line and lengths were off, and Tucker and McBrine added to the home side’s frustration to further dent its hopes of wrapping up the visitors’ innings quickly.
The batters went after the spinners fearlessly. Tucker drove Taijul to midwicket for a single to raise his fifty off 94 balls, assured by McBrine’s surprising comfort at the other end for a tailender.
Tucker hit Taijul for a boundary through midoff to raise his maiden hundred off just 149 balls.
“It is pretty special,” Tucker said. “It wasn’t something that I thought would happen today. We were under a lot of pressure. We tried to take it ball by ball and bat for as long as we could. It was very special to get a personal reward. The team is also in a great position. We are looking forward to tomorrow.”
“We have two wickets left but Andy is batting beautifully. We think we can extend our lead and give a good go at Bangladesh tomorrow.”
Tucker was undone by the second new ball when Ebadot Hossain had him caught by Shoriful.
Taijul removed Mark Adair for 13 to end the day as the best Bangladesh bowler with 4-86.
Skipper Shakib Al Hasan, a left-arm spinner who bagged two wickets on day two, bowled only six overs on day three.
“I really don’t know why he hasn’t bowled enough today,” bowling coach Allan Donald said of Shakib. Donald added Shakib’s bowling could make a difference.
“What Shakib does amazingly well is he shuts one end down and (it’s tough to play him) because he’s such an experienced campaigner, he varies his pace really smartly. Although there was no real turn all day long, I thought he would’ve been a guy that would control one end.”
Graham Hume, another debutant on 9, saw out the day with McBrine.
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