9 OUT! In the air... dropped, no taken! Afghan hangs onto it, not on the first, not on the second but on the third attempt to send his opposite number back. Huge wicket and Ireland now have both the openers back in the hut. Alam gets his second. He bowls it just ahead of a length from wide of the crease. Porterfield who has been driving on the up quite often, tries to do the same. This time though he hits it uppishly and does not find the gap. It goes towards Asghar at mid off who tries to catch it reverse cup but the ball pops out, tries to take it on the second attempt but it again pops out. He then dives and takes it one-handed. Throws the ball onto the ground in anger. A timely wicket as this partnership was building into a promising one. 34/2

2.2 OUT! EDGED AND TAKEN! Alam draws first blood and it is a well deserved wicket. He has been really good till now and he has got his reward. He lands it on a length around off, Stirling has to play at it. He is half-forward as he tries to keep it out. The ball straightens, kisses the outside edge and goes into the mitts of the keeper. Alam is pumped up and he seems to be watching a lot of football as he brings out the Ronaldo celebration. The dangerous Paul Stirling walks back cheaply, not the start Ireland would have wanted after winning the toss and opting to bat. 7/1

10.5 OUT! It had to be a peach to get this in-form batsman. Naib is the one who comes up with it. Lands this one a bit short of full length and a bit wide of the off stump line. Entices Andy into the drive who takes the bait. The ball pitches and nips away ever so slightly and takes the outside edge. Mohammad Shahzad behind pouches it and jumps in joy. The tourists get the man in form. 39/4

10.1 OUT! Gulbadin strikes and the change of ends works. He fires in a length ball angled into Niall from around the wicket. The southpaw tries to come forward and push it straight down the ground. However, he's beaten as the ball lands and nips in further and raps him on his front pad. A big appeal follows and the umpire raises the dreaded finger. It looked very close to the naked eye. The length was the key there as it did not allow the batsman to either come forward or go back. He was stuck in his crease and could not cope with the movement either. Gulbadin takes his second and the hosts lose their fourth. 38/3

17.1 OUT! The dangerman strikes again! The No. 1 bowler of the visiting team, a world class leg spinner, delivers what is expected from him. Tosses up a googly just outside off. It pitches and turns in. Singh, prods forward and tries to defend but is beaten by the spin. The ball raps the front pad. Rashid goes up instantly and the umpire, after taking a couple of seconds, gives him the marching order. 72/6

16 OUT! Boom! Rashid Khan strikes on the last ball of his first over! What a champion bowler he is. Gets the big fish, if there is one in this Ireland side. Once again it is the googly which does the trick for him. It it pitched outside off, it turns back in. O'Brien plants his front foot across and tries to flick. He misses and is hit right in front. The players appeal and the umpire agrees. Ireland have not even crossed the 100-run mark and they have lost half their side already. Ominous signs these! 71/5

29.1 Dream Start! Just cannot get better than this. Talk about a golden arm, this is platinum. Afghan lands the first one on a length on the middle stump line. The ball hits the surface and moves into the batsman as he is looking to keep it out from his crease. The movement in has beaten the inside edge and hits him in front. A loud appeal follows, the umpire think for a couple of seconds and then raises his finger. And the Afghanistan captain now is into the wickets column. 109/7

34.4 OUT c Aftab Alam b Mohammad Nabi. Ireland have lost their ninth wicket. 119/9

31.5 OUT! Plumb in front! 5th LBW of the innings! Rashid Khan gets his third. This was on the cards, wasn't it? He bowling to a tailender, there was only going to be one outcome. He bowls the leg spinner, it pitches around off, turns in and also skids through. Murtagh goes back and tries to defend but is beaten by the pace of the delivery. He is hit on the pads, the players appeal and the umpire immediately raises his finger. 111/8

36.1 OUT! It looked like a six till the very end but Gulbadin at deep long on pouches a skier. Rankin sees the flight on this one which is floated full on the off stump by Nabi. The southpaw swings through the line towards long on. The ball goes high up in the air towards long on and for a moment it looks like it will sail over the ropes. But Naib positioned there judges it well, settles under the ball nicely and wraps up the innings. 124/10

1.1 OUT! Gone! What a start for Ireland, just what the doctor ordered. Rankin digs this one around off and Shahzad goes hard at it from his crease. He ends up getting a thick edge of his willow on it and it goes aerially towards the third man fielder. Murtagh there cups it easily and disappointment for Afghans in the second over. They need more wickets if they are to defend this low total. 3/1

10.3 OUT! Timely wicket for the hosts. Tim Murtagh strikes right at the stroke of Lunch. The Irish team still in the hunt as they return back to their dressing room with some momentum and hope. Tim lands this one on a fuller length just outside off. Rahmat, while looking to half-heartedly come forward, tries to work it away towards mid-wicket. The ball pitches, nips in, beats the inside edge and hits Shah's front pad. The hosts go up with a big appeal and Ian Gould obliges. Can the home team fight back after the break and make a match out of this one? 53/2