Bangladesh spinner Hasan Murad provided the brightest moment yesterday with a gem of a delivery, drawing Ireland batter Curtis Campher forward before finding the edge as captain Najmul Hossain Shanto took the catch at slip. While it was an auspicious moment for the debutant, Shanto's reaction was telling as he proceeded to throw the ball into the ground in anger.

Shanto's frustration was understandable, given that he had earlier dropped one at slip to hand Lorcan Tucker a reprieve in the 49th over -- a missed opportunity that would have given Murad his first-ever wicket earlier in the innings on the opening day of the first Test in Sylhet.

Despite the spinners roaring back in the third session with four wickets, Bangladesh's day was defined by a string of missed chances, as the hosts allowed the visitors to wrest back the initiative.

The morning started brightly when Hasan Mahmud's in-dipper trapped Irish skipper Andy Balbirnie leg-before with just the fourth delivery of the day. Even as the stands were mostly empty, both Hasan and Nahid Rana were urged by the fans to go for the kill.

The movement of the new ball subsided soon after, but Rana, in particular, was able to generate some extra bounce from the surface. He soon induced Paul Stirling into poking one to second slip, only for Shadman Islam to spill it. The next over, Taijul Islam failed to hang on to another regulation catch, as Irish debutant Cade Carmichael was given a reprieve. Rana's frustration deepened when Stirling was dropped again, this time by Mehidy Hasan Miraz at gully.

Within the first half-hour of the Test, the Tigers had already dropped three. The Stirling–Carmichael duo made the most of the reprieves. Stirling hit a swashbuckling fifty off 61 deliveries, and Ireland seized the momentum completely in that first session, reaching 94 for one in 26 overs.

The pair put on 96 for the third wicket before Rana finally had his man, Shadman holding on to Stirling's catch after a 76-ball 60. Carmichael went on to score his maiden fifty, but Miraz's two wickets in the second session saw Ireland reach 184 for four at lunch. Tucker added 41 after being dropped on 11, adding to the Tigers' woes, while Mushfiqur Rahim later grassed a tough chance to allow Jordan Neill to survive.

Hasan Mahmud reflected on the day, saying catches are part of the game, though "it doesn't feel good when a catch is missed."

Eventually, the spinners staged a partial recovery. Miraz bagged three, Murad two, and Taijul Islam struck with the final delivery as Ireland closed on 270 for eight.

The Sylhet International Cricket Stadium has hosted four Tests, and in three, the side surpassing 200 in the first innings have won. After a butterfingers day, Bangladesh will have their work cut out to drive home the advantage.