Lorcan Tucker scripted history after belting an exceptional century for Ireland on Day 3 of the one-off Test against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla stadium on Thursday (April 6). The Lorcan, who scored an impressive 108 off 162, stepped on two massive milestone as he became the first Irish batter to score a Test ton on foreign soil. The 26-year-old is also the second batter from Ireland after Kevin O'Brien to smash a hundred on Test debut. Five years ago in 2018, O’Brien scripted history after scoring an unbeaten 118 to become Ireland’s first Test centurion as he reached the milestone in 186 deliveries on day 4 of the only Test match between Ireland and Pakistan in Dublin.
Tucker stepped on the milestone on Day 3 of the ongoing Test between Bangladesh. On the second ball of the 81st over of Ireland's second innings, the right-hander played a stunning cover drive off Taijul Islam to hit his maiden Test hundred. He finished off that over by dancing down the track and hitting the ball straight over bowler's head for four his 14th boundary. The boundary brought up the hundred run partnership between Andy McBrine and him.
However, Ebadot Hossain halted Tucker's onslaught after a 108-run fightback to yet again put Bangladesh on driver's seat as Shorful Islam caught the Irish batter at the extra cover to give him the marching orders. Tucker could only score 37 off 74 in the first innings before making his debut memorable. Tucker's wickets left Ireland teetering at 238/7 with an 83-run lead over the hosts.
In the one off Test, Ireland opted to bat first and posted 214 after a fifty from Harry Tector, and handy contributions from Curtis Campher, Tucker and Mark Adair. Taijul picked five wickets for Bangladesh in the first innings. Bangladesh took a 155-run lead after a hundred from Mushfiqur Rahim, and fifties from Shakib Al Hasan (87) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (55).
Till lunch Harry Tector's stubborn resistance led Ireland's fightback as the visitors reached 93/5 at lunch on Day 3 of the match. Tector, who made 50 in the first innings, was batting on 43 with Lorcan Tucker on 24 at the first interval of the day, with Ireland needing 62 runs to force Bangladesh to bat for a second time. Bangladesh took a 155-run lead after being bowled out for 369 in its first innings.
Resuming the third day at 27/4, Tector and Peter Moor dealt astutely with the Bangladesh spinners.
Their effort put a dent in Bangladesh's hopes to wrap up the Irish second innings quickly.
Bangladesh could have removed Tector early in the third morning when he was on nine but Liton Das put down a chance after the batter edged a slower delivery behind the wicket. Pacer Shoriful Islam finally ended the 38-run partnership, when Moor edged a moving delivery behind the wicket to be out on 16. But Tucker's arrival led to an uptick on the scoreboard as his bold approach to attack the spinners, especially left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, paid off.
On Day 2, Taijul and captain Shakib Al Hasan reduced Ireland to 13-4 in just seven overs, sharing the four wickets.
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