IRELAND FAILED to back up their impressive showing in Thursday’s opener as they lost to Bangladesh in the second of the RSA Challenge One-Day Internationals at Stormont yesterday, a result that sees them drop back to 11th spot in the world rankings.
Ireland enjoyed a seven-wicket victory in the first encounter, but this six-wicket win for the tourists was even more impressive as they got past their target of 190 with 50 balls to spare, with talismanic opener Tamin Iqbal making 74.
Heavy overnight rain left the Stormont outfield saturated, with the start being delayed by 90 minutes. The conditions, and the possibility of Duckworth/Lewis coming into play in the second innings, made Ireland skipper William Porterfield’s decision to bat after winning the toss a little surprising.
Afterwards, he expanded on his decision, but also pointed out that the game was lost elsewhere.
“We were always going to bat first today having seen how much the wicket turned late on yesterday. In hindsight it may have been a mistake, but either way we’ve got to play better than we did,” he said.
“The difference was just the way we batted, with a few soft dismissals and a lack of application.”
Already reduced to 49 overs a side, the game was further cut to 46 after the players were forced off by a light shower at the start of the second over.
Porterfield and Paul Stirling, whose 118-partnership set up Thursday’s victory, returned to the middle 20 minutes later but any hope of a repeat of their heroics were soon dashed when Porterfield holed out at backward point for six.
Four balls later Stirling followed for the same score as Shafiul Islam took the first of his four wickets. Alex Cusack went for a duck and Ireland fell to 62 for five after Niall (27) and Kevin O’Brien (14) fell to spin.
Ireland showed their depth in batting to turn the situation around somewhat, with Andrew White (24) and Gary Wilson sharing a 44-run stand for the sixth wicket, before Wilson was joined by John Mooney in a crucial partnership that added 62 runs in 44 balls.
Wilson fell for a well-made 60, and just as Ireland looked like pushing on to set a decent target they lost the wickets of their last two recognised batsmen as Trent Johnston and John Mooney (27) departed in the next over before closing on 189 for nine.
Johnston prised out Imrul Kayes early on to break up Bangladesh’s opening partnership. Sadly, it was the little left-hander at the other end they wanted as Iqbal, playing well within himself, orchestrated their chase perfectly.
He shared an 84-run stand with Jahurul Islam for the third wicket and 47 with Shakib Al Hasan before departing for 74 and with a series-levelling victory just 18 runs away.
