Ireland 265 and 263 for 8 (Campher 63*, Hoey 18*, Taijul 4-94) trail Bangladesh 476 and 297 for 4 dec (Mominul 87, Shadman 78, Hoey 2-84) by 246 runs
Curtis Campher led Ireland’s fight on the fifth day with Bangladesh still two wickets away from a win in Mirpur. Campher was unbeaten on 63 runs, while Jordan Neill made an enterprising 30 as Ireland went to lunch with 263 for 8 on the board, still 246 to get.Expectations of Bangladesh getting Ireland’s last four wickets were initially quashed by Andy McBrine, who survived for most of the first hour. He became Taijul Islam’s 250th Test wicket. Taijul became the sixth left-arm spinner to reach this mark.
Neill started with a string of boundaries off Taijul, using the square-cut and cover drives, before launching him down the ground. Neill’s only six came off Hasan Murad, though he also survived a dropped chance by Litton Das when he was on 23.
Campher meanwhile batted solidly at the other end, but didn’t let go of boundary opportunities. He reached his half-century with a six over long-on. A fine delivery from Mehidy Hasan Miraz finally undid Neill. The ball spun through Neill’s attempted push down the ground.
Campher found Gavin Hoey as an ally in his defensive game, as play was extended by 20 minutes after the scheduled lunch time. Hoey batted out 38 deliveries, also hitting three fours in the process.
Ireland had come into the fifth day with four wickets in hand, after they ended the fourth evening on 176 for 6. After openers Andy Balbirnie and Paul Stirling fell cheaply, Harry Tector did the bulk of the scoring. He made exactly 50 before holing out, as Mushfiqur Rahim took a good tumbling catch.
Stephen Doheny meanwhile dropped on 2, 13 and 14, before Taijul had him lbw on 15. Bangladesh had earlier declared on 297 for 4, with fifties from openers Shadman Islam and Mahmudul Hasan Joy, as well as Mominul Haque, who top-scored with 87, and Mushfiqur Rahim, whose unbeaten 53 capped off a remarkable game for the 38-year-old veteran.
