HARRY TECTOR marked his Test match debut with a well constructed half-century yesterday but Ireland will know they let a strong position slip on the first day of their one-off clash with Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Tector struck a maximum and six boundaries in his 92-ball innings but no other batter bettered 37 in a total of 214 all out and while late wickets pegged the Tigers to 32-2 at the close, a long second day in the field beckons for the Boys in Green.

Some will say it was an acceptable first day back after nearly four years away from the Test arena - and with no domestic first-class cricket in that time - but with more patience and better shot selection Ireland would still be batting.

At drinks, halfway through the afternoon session, Tector and Curtis Campher were looking comfortable in a record fourth-wicket partnership that would realise 74, and had a solid platform of 121-3 to take the visitors to 300 and beyond.

Yet within four-and-a-half overs the innings lay in tatters as Tector tried to work a delivery to mid-wicket only to play on, PJ Moor eased a leading edge to mid-off and Campher departed lbw for 34 with the scoreboard showing a barely credible 124-6.

This was not what skipper Andy Balbirnie had in mind when he won the toss and gave his side, containing seven players earning a first Irish Test cap, first use of a green-tinged pitch.

In contrast to England’s exciting new ‘Baz-ball’ approach to Test cricket, it soon became clear that ‘Bal-ball’ would follow the tried and tested approach of patience, blocks and leaves, at least in attempting to negotiate the tricky first hour.

Murray Commins was pinned in front early, but James McCollum and Balbirnie dug in until the former flashed at a wide one and fell to a juggled catch at second slip for 15, and on 16 the skipper himself was adjudged lbw attempting to sweep a ball that was too full.

After the mid-afternoon collapse, wicketkeeper Lorcan Tucker, who made 37, and Andy McBrine showed it was easy enough to survive and quietly accumulate runs, while Mark Adair timed a couple of glorious shots among his five fours and a six.

Adair also found some swing to hit the stumps in his first over and then held a catch at second slip to give McBrine a wicket with the last ball of the day. That the delivery bit and bounced only added to the frustration of a missed opportunity with the bat.