Ireland's first Test

Ireland's First Test

Despite losing to Pakistan in their maiden Test at Dublin's Malahide ground, Ireland, after early batting woes, came tantalisingly close to not only winning but joining only England (twice) and India (all against Australia) in forcing a victory after following on. Some of the statistical highlights appear below. Ireland's 7 for 4 is the worst start (at the fall of the fourth wicket) by a country in their first Test innings. South Africa were 16 for 4 and New Zealand 21 for 4 in their first Test innings. Andrew Balbirnie became the forty-fourth player to register a pair in his first Test and the fifth to be dismissed in the same manner in both innings. Kevin O'Brien became the fourth batsman to register a maiden hundred in a side's inaugural Test but the first to do so in the second innings of the match. Australia's Charles Bannerman (in the first ever Test), Zimbabwe's David Houghton and Bangladesh's Aminul Islam are the other players to accomplish the feat. Kevin O'Brien also became only the second player to top score in both innings of a country's first Test. South Africa's Augustus Tancred achieved the same feat in South Africa's first Test in 1888-89. Ireland's first innings total of 130 is the third lowest total in a new Test-playing country's first innings. South Africa were bowled out for 84 and New Zealand 112 in their first Test innings. Ireland were the third country to be forced to follow on in their first Test innings. The same happened to West Indies and Pakistan. Ireland's second innings total of 339 is the highest by a side in their second innings of their first Test. Ireland's match aggregate of 469 runs is the third highest by a side in their first Test behind only Zimbabwe (602) and Bangladesh (491).