ENG vs IRE, only Test: Mark Adair hammers career-best 88
Ireland all-rounder Mark Adair came up with a sensational batting display against England in the second innings of the one-off Test at Lord's. Adair smashed his maiden Test fifty and he couldn't have selected a better time to score these runs. Ireland were in deep trouble and his knock has given the visitors something to cheer about in this match. Here's more.
A sensational counter-attack from Adair
Adair came to the crease when Ireland were 162/6 in the second innings, on the verge of defeat. Adair slammed his maiden Test fifty and was just a dozen short of his ton. It was a definition of a counter-attacking knock. His 163-run partnership with Andy McBrine meant that the visitors will not go down without a fight. He was dismissed by Matthew Potts.
Highest partnership for Ireland in Test cricket
Adair and McBrine's 163-run stand is now the highest-ever partnership for Ireland in Test cricket. They have broken the record of Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling's 115*-run stand against SL this year. 163 - Adair & McBrine vs England, 2023 115* - Andrew Balbirnie & Paul Stirling vs SL, 2023 114 - Kevin O'Brien & Stuart Thompson vs Pakistan, 2018
Second-highest score by a visiting number nine versus England
Adair's 88 is the second-highest score by a visiting team's number-nine batter against England. He surpassed the score of West Indian player Eldin Baptiste, who scored 87* at Edgbaston in 1984. He is behind Pakitan's Asif Iqbal, who slammed 146 at the Oval in 1967.
A look at Adair's Test numbers
Playing his fourth Test match, Adair has amassed 181 runs and most of which was today's contribution. He owns an average of 25.85 and is better with the bat than the numbers suggest. His previous high score was 32 against Bangladesh. In these four matches, he has scalped 10 wickets at 41.40. Six of his Test wickets have come against England.
