Debutant Das hits dashing hundred as Ireland toil in Essex warm-up

Robin Das, a 21-year-old British-Bangladeshi batter, hit 132 off 118 balls in his maiden first-class innings as Essex had the better of the first day against Ireland in their warm-up match at Chelmsford.

Ireland play England at Lord's in a four-day Test on June 1 and this game represents their only match practice before that fixture. They arrived in England on Wednesday evening, though a delay in the arrival of their luggage forced them to cancel a planned training session the following day.

With most of Essex's first team unavailable due to T20 Blast preparations and injuries, four Ireland squad members featured for their opposition - including George Dockrell and Mark Adair, who both made half-centuries from the middle order.

But it was Das, a product of Brentwood School who has already fielded as a substitute for England in Test cricket, who underpinned Essex's total of 343, reaching a 101-ball hundred before eventually falling to Andy McBrine's offspin.

Thomas Mayes, a 22-year-old seamer, was the pick of the attack on first-class debut, taking 4 for 68 including the big scalp of stand-in Essex captain Nick Browne with his second ball.

McBrine came in for some rough treatment, conceding 98 runs in his 14 overs, as Essex scored at a run rate of nearly five an over across their first innings.

Ireland finished the day two wickets down, with 19-year-old Jamal Richards - another first-class debutant - removing James McCollum and captain Andy Balbirnie.

Paul Stirling missed the first day of the match to fulfil his commitments with Birmingham Bears in the T20 Blast, but will join up with the squad in Chelmsford ahead of the second day.