Dominant Bangladesh close in on 2-0 series sweep

After dominating yet another day in the Test and the series against Ireland, Bangladesh find themselves four wickets away from a 2-0 sweep.

Starting the fourth day with an overnight lead of 367, Bangladesh lost opener Shadman Islam and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto early. Islam was trapped in front by Andy McBrine, while Shanto fell five balls later, edging a lifter from Jordan Neill to gully. Mominul Haque (87) and Mushfiqur Rahim (53*) then added 123 runs for the fourth wicket.

Mominul looked steady during his knock, completing his 25th half-century in Tests and his third in the series to hand Bangladesh control. Mushfiqur chanced his arm and even hit a six over deep midwicket against McBrine. By Lunch, Bangladesh had added another 124 runs, ballooning the lead to 491.

Mushfiqur reached his 28th fifty early in the afternoon session, but Mominul perished to a catch at cover. Bangladesh declared immediately, setting Ireland a near-impossible 509 to chase.

Ireland's chase started with some early promise, with Paul Stirling hitting back-to-back boundaries against Ebadot Hossain, but he soon edged a Taijul Islam ball to short leg. His opening partner Andrew Balbirnie was the first wicket to fall, trapped in front by Taijul, who became Bangladesh's leading wicket-taker with that scalp.

A fifty-run stand between Cade Carmichael and Harry Tector was broken as soon as Hasan Murad came into the attack, striking first ball to pin Carmichael lbw with a slider.

Tector scored a fighting fifty but fell to a loose shot, mistiming a delivery to deep midwicket. Khaled Ahmed accounted for Lorcan Tucker with tight lines that induced an outside edge behind the wicket.

Stephen Doheny, dropped by Ebadot in the deep early on, became Taijul's third wicket of the innings, but play was called off with two overs to go due to poor light.

Brief Scores: Bangladesh 476 & 297/4 dec (Mominul 87; Gavin Hoey 2-84) lead Ireland 265 & 176/6 (Tector 50; Islam 3-55) by 332 runs.