Ireland suffer three-wicket defeat in rain-affected ODI against Bangladesh

​Harry Tector fired a career-best 140 that was struck off 113 balls to help Ireland amass 319 for six, hitting 10 sixes that set a new ODI record for his team.

The Leinster man has now scored four centuries in this format as he continues to establish his reputation at international level, pushing his average up to 53.69 across 29 innings and this effort marked the 12th time he has surpassed 50 in ODI cricket.

George Dockrell contributed an unbeaten 74 off 47 balls, sharing a sixth-wicket partnership of 115 with the brilliant Tector before the latter was bowled by Ebadot Hossain, and apart from Hasan Mahmud’s early success in removing openers Stephen Doheny (12) and Paul Stirling (0), it was a difficult afternoon for Bangladesh’s bowlers with only Mahmud finishing with an economy rate under six.

Facing a daunting target given the conditions, the tourists took the match to the wire with Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 117 laying the foundation for their reply until he was removed by Curtis Campher.

Ireland made a terrific start with Mark Adair dismissing Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal in the fourth over and shortly after Litton Das was walking back to the pavilion also, edging behind to Lorcan Tucker off the bowling of Graham Hume.

Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan (26) steadied the ship with a partnership of 61 but the defining combination came when Towhid Hridoy (68) joined centurion Shanto and the pair took their side to 232/4 before the latter was dismissed by Dockrell, who collected his 300th international wicket across formats.

With four runs needed from the last four balls of the final over, wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim (36*) hit a boundary to propel Bangladesh to a 1-0 lead in the series, but it wasn’t without drama as he was caught off the bowling of Adair, only for a no ball to be called.

Tuesday’s opening instalment of the three-match World Cup Super League series, which is being staged entirely in Chelmsford, was called off because of rain.

The final encounter will take place on Sunday when Ireland will be looking to share the spoils.