England’s Jack Leach fell eight runs short of a maiden Test century as Ireland kept alive its victory hopes on the second day of its historic four-day Test on Thursday as the host reached 209 for five at tea.
The spinner, sent in as nightwatchman for the last over of a manic opening day, played superbly to reach 92 before edging Ireland’s first-day hero Tim Murtagh to Mark Adair in the slips.
He had shared in a 145-run partnership with Test debutant Jason Roy that had wiped out England’s 122-run first innings deficit after it was bowled out for 85 and then dismissed Ireland for 207 on a crazy opening day.
Just when it appeared England was seizing control, however, Roy was clean bowled by Stuart Thompson for 72 and Leach went a few overs later.
Terrible mix-up
Joe Denly was run out for 10 after a terrible mix-up with skipper Joe Root before Jonny Bairstow was dismissed for a duck for the second time in the match, leaving England with a precarious lead of 87.
In contrast to its woeful Wednesday morning, England got through Thursday’s first session for the loss of just Rory Burns’s wicket.
Leach, who somehow survived a Murtagh maiden on Wednesday, played watchfully straight.
And when fast bowler Boyd Rankin, the first cricketer since the Nawab of Pataudi in 1946 to both play for and against England in a Test match, dropped short, Leach cut him for four.
Burns’ struggles
Burns, selected as an opening batsman, looked the more likely to be dismissed and, for the second time in the match, the Surrey left-hander fell for six when he pushed hard at Rankin away from his body and edged a simple catch behind to wicketkeeper Gary Wilson.
Leach, however, carried on and when he off-drove Mark Adair for three he went to 25 — more than any England batsman managed in the first innings of this match.
Roy, looking to make England’s problem position of Test opener his own after starring in England’s World Cup triumph, off-drove a four off paceman Adair and hoisted off-spinner Andy McBrine for six.
Straight-driven four
Leach went to 47 with a straight-driven four off Stuart Thompson before his edged boundary through third man off the medium-pacer saw him to an 82-ball fifty featuring eight fours.
It was a fine effort by Leach, playing his fifth Test but first on home soil, given his previous highest score at this level was 16 against New Zealand in Christchurch last year.
And when Roy cut Thompson to the point fence, he completed a 47-ball fifty including seven fours and a six.
