Sunzamul bags five

The Bangladesh A team bowlers once again displayed a brilliant performance as left-arm spinner Sunzamul Islam picked up five wickets to bundle out Ireland A for just 213 runs in 60.2 overs in their second innings yesterday.

The hosts are now seemingly heading towards victory on the fourth-day of their solitary unofficial four-day match at the Sylhet International Cricket stadium.

Bangladesh, chasing the target of 132, requires another 105 runs with eight wickets in hand after Irish off-spinner Andrew McBrine cheaply removed opener Zakir Hasan (4) and skipper Nazmul Hossain (0) during the last hour of the day. First innings centurion Shadman Islam hit a composed 18 and will resume the final day alongside Al Amin (9).

Earlier the home side, resuming the third-day on 322 for 6, lost their last four wickets in the span of 15 runs and were eventually all-out on 337 after taking a first innings lead of 82. Meanwhile, wicket-keeper batsman Nurul Hasan added three to his overnight score of 51 runs.

Sunzamul, who opened the bowling along with pacer Kamrul Islam on the other end, immediately put Ireland under pressure as the 27-year-old kept picking up wickets at crucial moments. The cricketer from Rajshahi then bagged his 13th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket to end with figures of 5-90 from his 23.2 overs while off-spinner Mahedi Hasan once again scalped three wickets following the three in the first innings.

On the other hand, Ireland opener James Shannon fought alone for his 118 ball 90 run knock, which featured seven fours and three sixes, as none of the other batsman were able to provide support to the right-hander aside from Sahne Getkate who scored the second highest for the side with 26.

SCORES IN BRIEF

IRELAND: 255 and 213 all-out in 60.2 overs (Shanon 90; Sunzamul 5-90, Mahedi 3-48)

BANGLADESH A: 337 and 27 for 2 in 11 overs (Shadman 14, Al-Amin 9; McBrine 2-14)

Bangladesh need another 105 runs to win with eight wickets in hand.