Ireland misses records, but wins hearts
Australia is the only nation which won its first Test against England in 1877; Zimbabwe drew against India in 1992.
Published : May 15, 2018 20:26 IST
Among the Test playing nations, only Australia won its first-ever Test match — against England in Melbourne in 1877. Ireland, following on in the second innings in its debut Test against Pakistan at the Malahide Oval in Dublin, had a chance to enter the record books. Had the Irishmen won the fixture, they would have been the second team in history to clinch a win on debut.
Ireland also had a chance to become the third team, after England and India, to win a Test after following on.
None of that happened, and Ireland lost by five wickets. But the Irishmen can still be proud of their performance. Pakistan had to earn a win.
Tim Murtagh, who caused the early breakthroughs, stood out with his pace and length.
Earlier, Kevin O’Brien (118), Ed Joyce (43) and Stuart Thompson (53) helped Ireland reach 339, after a disastrous first innings total of 130.
Ireland led by 159 runs, and Pakistan — which scored 310/9 in its first innings — was patient with the chase.