Afghanistan v Ireland: Ireland trail by 367 after day 2


Afsar Zazai produced an unbeaten century and leg-spinner Rashid Khan claimed five wickets as Afghanistan put themselves in control of their Intercontinental Cup clash with Ireland.

Intercontinental Cup scores (Greater Noida)


Afghanistan 1st Inns: 537-8 dec (Stanikzai 145, Zazai 103*, Shahzad 85, Jamal 73; G Dockrell 3-160, McBrine 2-98, Anderson 2-92)

Ireland 1st Inns: 170-7 (A Balbirnie 62, E Joyce 45; R Khan 5-54).

Day two report

Afsar Zazai produced an unbeaten century and leg-spinner Rashid Khan claimed five wickets as Afghanistan put themselves in control of their Intercontinental Cup clash with Ireland, who still trailed by 367 runs at the end of day two in Greater Noida.

Captain Ashgar Stanikzai (pictured) pushed his side on towards a commanding first-innings total with 145 while wicket-keeper Zazai added 103 as Afghanistan eventually declared at 537 for eight.

Rashid then set about the Ireland batsmen, finishing the day with five for 54 in his impressive 17-over spell to put Afghanistan on course to complete victory with still two days left to play.

Afghanistan are looking to overtake Ireland at the top of the Intercontinental Cup standings as they aim to secure a chance of earning Test status in a play-off next year.

Resuming at 357 for six, with Stanikzai 110 not out, the captain was eventually dismissed when he was beaten by a turning delivery from George Dockrell and stumped by Niall O'Brien.

Rashid followed when Dockrell took out his off-stump but Zazai, on seven overnight, remained composed as he brought up his century before an immediate declaration while paceman Dawlat Zadran finished 32 not out.

Dockrell ended with three for 160.

When Afghanistan returned to the field, they made an early breakthrough as captain William Porterfield was trapped leg before by Mohammad Nabi in the third over with just six runs on the board.

A 117-run stand between Ed Joyce and Andy Balbirnie looked to have steadied the ship before Zahir Khan had the latter caught at short leg for 62.

Rashid soon trapped Joyce in front of the stumps on 45, which signalled the start of Ireland's collapse as Gary Wilson (four) and O'Brien (17) swiftly followed while Dockrell and Paul Stirling were both out to the leg-spinner for ducks.

John Anderson (10) and Andy McBrine (nought) were at the crease when play finished, with Ireland on 170 for seven from 51 overs and with it all to do to save the match.

Day one report

Afghanistan were in command on 357 for six after day one of their Intercontinental Cup clash with Ireland in the heat and humidity of Greater Noida.

Captain Ashgar Stanikzai led the way for Afghanistan with 110 not out, with opener Mohammad Shahzad (85) and Nasir Jamal (73) also in fine touch.

John Anderson and Andrew McBrine snared two wickets apiece but it was very much Afgnanistan's day.

Ireland lost the toss and must have known they were in for a hard day's graft on a slow pitch which offered no assistance to the seamers, and so it proved.

McBrine took the only wicket of the morning session, trapping Shabir Noori for 15, but Shahzad and Rahmat Shah (46) added 106 for the second wicket before both were dismissed by leg-spinner Anderson (two for 68).

Stanikzai and Jamal shared a 144-run fourth-wicket partnership, the former smashing five sixes and seven fours in his impressive unbeaten knock.

Their stand was broken late on by Peter Chase with the second new ball, Jamal feathering a wide delivery to wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien.

McBrine then had Shahidi caught at slip by Gary Wilson for two, and the hard-hitting Mohammad Nabi (11) holed out to Chase at mid-off off the bowling of George Dockrell to give Ireland some reward for their toils.

But centurion Stanikzai was very much still there at stumps, alongside Afsar Zazai (six not out).

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