Afghanistan v Ireland: Mark Adair takes five wickets as Irish edge first day of Test

Ireland players celebrate a wicketCricket Ireland

Ireland players congratulate Mark Adair after the seamer took one of his five wickets

One-off Test, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Afghanistan first innings 155 all out (54.5 overs): Ibrahim Zadran 53, Karim Janit 41*; Adair 5-39

Ireland first innings 100-4 (31 overs): Campher 49, Tector 32*; Zia-ur Rehman Akbar 2-13, Naveed Zadran 2-32

Afghanistan lead by 55 runs

Scorecard

Mark Adair took his maiden five-wicket haul as Ireland edged the first day of their one-off Test against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.

Having opted to bat, the Afghans were all out for 155, opener Ibrahim Zadran top-scoring with 53 and Adair securing career-best figures of 5-39.

In reply, Ireland lay 100-4 by close of play, with Curtis Campher having contributed 49.

Harry Tector was unbeaten on 32 and Paul Stirling not out at stumps.

On a day when seamers dominated at Tolerance Oval, Adair made good use of the new ball to remove opener Noor Ali Zadran (7) and key figure Rahmat Shah for a duck in the seventh over.

The Afghans rallied with a 55-run stand between captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (20) and opening batter Ibrahim Zadran which took them from 11-2 to 66-3, but wickets then fell regularly thereafter.

Karim Janat was 41 not out when Afghanistan were bowled out for what they will regard as a very disappointing total.

While Adair was the pick of the Ireland bowlers, he had good support from Test debutant Craig Young and all-rounder Campher, who took two wickets apiece.

The Irish response began badly as opener Andrew Balbirnie went cheaply for two and Peter Moor followed him to the pavilion soon after for 12 to leave their side 32-2.

A third-wicket partnership of 60 between Campher and Tector saw Ireland make good progress, before the former was dismissed one run short of his half century.

Theo van Woerkom was introduced to the crease as a nightwatchman on his first appearance for Ireland in a Test but soon after fell to Zia-ur-Rehman Akbar as the hosts fought back.

Both Akbar and Naveed Zafran have taken two wickets apiece to date.

With Tector and Stirling at the wicket, Ireland will aim to build on their position on day two, having marginally had the better of Wednesday's proceedings as they chase a first ever Test match victory.

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