Shanto, Hridoy script magnificent victory

On a day that BCB president Nazmul Hassan was talking about the inclusion of Mahmudullah Riyad, Bangladesh pulled off a brilliant chase of Ireland's 319, winning by three wickets, with Najmul Hossain Shanto hitting his maiden ODI ton in a night of triumph.

Bangladesh have mostly suffered in big chases but the ground, the wicket both favoured the chase. Shanto was playing all over the ground, sweeping hard to spinners and taking on the pacers straight down the ground. Shanto was jumping with joy, roaring having scaled his maiden ton. He hit Curtis Campher for a huge six straight down the ground in the 37th over but could not quite finish the job, holed out at deep square-leg with none other than Harry Tector, the other hundred-getter in the match taking the catch. Shanto's 93-ball 117 had however held the innings together. He was upping the scoring-rate when required, finding boundaries with authority.

It was a 'brutally cold' weather, as pace bowling coach Allan Donald, who came to the commentary during the Tigers' chase put it. "This is a great test for us. Throughout the last 12 months we have worked very very hard on our temperament through these phases with bat and ball. It requires now to really to bat with our heads. It almost requires now to bully the ball on the ground, to hit the sweep as hard. It's a period where we can take very low risk," Donald had mentioned; Shanto and Towhid Hridoy were seemingly doing it.

The game had been brought to its head by a partnership between Shanto and youngster Hridoy, who came on after the departure of Shakib Al Hasan with the Tigers needing 219 runs from 28 overs.

Hridoy showed calm under pressure, using his wrists in guiding the ball early on his knock. Once he got his eyes in the shots came out one after another and the chase did not look so impossible with Shanto and Hridoy at the crease. Hridoy hit five fours and three sixes during a 58-ball 68 and just when it appeared the game was going completely going away from Ireland, Hirdoy departed to George Dockrell.

63 runs were required off eight overs when Shanto departed soon after Hridoy but experienced Mushfiqur Rahim put on 29 off 17 deliveries with Mehedi Miraz.

Dockrell was right on money to remove Miraz for 19 in the 40th over. More wickets fell but eventually the Tigers got to the winning total with three balls to spare and three wickets in hand.

Earlier, a delayed start due to rain presented the ideal conditions for the Bangladeshi seamers in the second ODI, with skipper Tamim Iqbal winning the toss and electing to bowl in a reduced 45-over-a-side game in Chelmsford.

Hasan Mahmud used the new ball prodigiously, getting it to talk and causing all kinds of trouble. Tector however took apart the Bangladesh attack during a tremendous 113-ball 140, laced with seven fours and 10 sixes.

Mahmud did not get enough support from his bowling partners. Right-arm pacer Ebadot Hossaid bowled relatively well, but left-arm seamer Shoriful Islam remained expensive although he picked up two wickets as Ireland posted 319 for six.