HEAVY RAIN led to the abandonment of the second one-day international in Sylhet last night and probably saved Ireland from a second heavy defeat by Bangladesh after the home side posted a whopping 349-6 from 50 overs. The forecast storms arrived during the dinner break and did not allow a re-start. Graham Hume was again the pick of the Ireland bowlers, mixing up his medium pace intelligently for a return of 3-58, to follow up his 4-60 in the opener, but the spinners suffered with combined figures of 0-155 from 20 overs. Debutant Matthew Humphreys, a 20-year-old left armer from the Belfast area, quickly discovered that senior cricket is big step up from U19s where he has been a stand out performer, while Andy McBrine and Harry Tector fared little better. The home side’s total was their highest in ODIs, beating the 338-8 they amassed on Saturday, and Mushfiqur Rahim’s 100 not out from 60 balls, completed from the last delivery of the innings, is his country’s fastest in List A matches. Ireland may regret leaving specialist spin bowling coach Nathan Hauritz in Dublin because with the slow men lacking inspiration and star paceman Josh Little sidelined, it’s hard to see where wickets are to come from in Thursday’s final game.

Ireland crashed to a crushing 183-run loss in the first match of their ODI series against Bangladesh in Sylhet. The hosts compiled their record ODI total of 338/8 after being put in, with Shakib Al Hasan (93) and debutant Towid Hridoy (92) sharing a fourth wicket stand of 135. The wicket of Shakib didn't slow Bangladesh with the equally experienced Mushfiqur racing to 44 as he and Towid added 80 in 8 overs. Graham Hume (4-60) was the pick of the tourists attack. Stephen Doheny (34) and Paul Stirling (22) got the reply off to a fine start as they added 60 in 11 overs for the opening wicket. However a collapse followed which saw five wickets fall for 16 to effectively settle the contest. George Dockrell top-scored with 45 to give the margin a modicum of respectability but it was a little crumb of comfort on a day when Heinrich Malan's side were totally outplayed by the in-from Tigers. The sides meet again on Monday at the same venue.

Ireland crashed to a crushing 183-run loss in the first match of their ODI series against Bangladesh in Sylhet. The hosts compiled their record ODI total of 338/8 after being put in, with Shakib Al Hasan (93) and debutant Towid Hridoy (92) sharing a fourth wicket stand of 135. The wicket of Shakib didn't slow Bangladesh with the equally experienced Mushfiqur racing to 44 as he and Towid added 80 in 8 overs. Graham Hume (4-60) was the pick of the tourists attack. Stephen Doheny (34) and Paul Stirling (22) got the reply off to a fine start as they added 60 in 11 overs for the opening wicket. However a collapse followed which saw five wickets fall for 16 to effectively settle the contest. George Dockrell top-scored with 45 to give the margin a modicum of respectability but it was a little crumb of comfort on a day when Heinrich Malan's side were totally outplayed by the in-from Tigers. The sides meet again on Monday at the same venue.

Curtis Campher and Paul Stirling scored half centuries as Ireland beat a BCB XI by 77 runs in a warm-up game ahead of their ODI series. Rain meant the game was reduced to 40 overs and having been put in Stephen Doheny (30) added 53 for the first wicket with Stirling, who hit 7 fours and 3 sixes in his 54 from 50 balls. Stirling dominated the second wicket partnership, also 53 with skipper Andy Balbirnie who laboured for his 17 before retiring. A flurry of wickets had Ireland wobbling slightly at 135 for 4. However Campher clubbed 7 fours and 4 sixes in a hard hit unbeaten 75 from just 50 balls, sharing a seventh wicket stand of 75 in 46 balls with Gareth Delany as Ireland finished on 255 for 7. Graham Hume (1-4) bowed a tight opening spell but the hosts rallied with Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, and Fionn Hand taking early punishment. However, Andy McBrine (3-12) took wickets in three consecutive overs to put Ireland in control. Ireland used nine bowlers, with a wicket each for Matthew Humphreys, Gareth Delany, and Harry Tector, while Adair came back well to take two at the death, and Hand completed the morale boosting win ahead of Saturday's series opener.

A stop start morning with persistent rain calling an end to what has been a close and keenly fought series.

Ireland lost a last ball thriller in Harare, despite dominating the contest for long periods of the game. Skipper Andrew Balbirnie, playing in his 200th game, top scored with 121 before having to retire hurt. He and Harry Tector had added 212 for the third wicket after they had been in early trouble at 25 for 2. They looked on course to break the Irish ODI partnership record of 227 before Balbirnie edged a high full toss onto hiss helmet which felled him. Tector scored his third ODI hundred in his last four innings in the final over and a total of 288 for 4 looked a winning one. The Zimbabwe reply always seemed to be playing catch-up and at 99 for 4 in the 23rd over with both Ervine and Ballance in the hutch, the home crowd were very quiet. Ryan Burl though had other ideas and he and Sikander Raza powered their way back into the contest - energised by an assault on George Dockrell, whose solitary over cost 17. Rain arrived in the 34th over with Ireland two runs ahead on DLS. An 80 minute delay saw a revised target of 214 in 37 - 39 runs off 22 balls. That looked even more challenging when Raza holed out off Adair. Still Burl kept finding boundaries and with 13 needed off the last over, it was game on. The run out of Burl looked to have won it, but Brad Evans went six and out to leave the equation at five off two balls. A single left Clive Madande on strike and he was the home town saviour as he thumped a full toss to long on. A real thriller, with more to come on Saturday.

A rusty batting display saw Ireland beaten by five wickets against Zimbabwe in the opening match of their T20I series in Harare. The Irish gave debuts to both Ross Adair and Stephen Doheny in a new look to the top of the order. However, they slumped to 45 for 4 at the halfway stage, and only a run-a-ball 20 from Curtis Campher and a top score of 24 by Gareth Delany down the order saw them past 100. A final total of 114 looked well short at the halfway stage, but wickets in the first two overs from Harry Tector - his first bowl in the format at this level - and Mark Adair put a different complexion on matters. However, Gary Ballance's return to international cricket proved a timely one, as he steadied the ship with a solid 30. Further wickets for Tector (2-17) and Adair (2-12) gave the tourists hope, but Sean Williams' unbeaten 34 ensured the win with two overs to spare, sending the sizeable home crowd home happy. Ryan Burl's three wickets saw him collect the Man-of-the-Match award, while there were two apiece for Mazakadza, Chatara, and Ngarva on a day where the bowlers made use of a sluggish track. The sides meet again on Saturday at the same venue in the second game of the series.