At least Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for this year's World Cup will rely on English conditions because if they had to beat Bangladesh in their own back yard, they would be virtually nil.
The Tigers won the first one-day international in Sylhet by 183 runs, their biggest margin of victory courtesy of their highest ODI total, 338 for eight. An opening partnership of 60 between Stephen Doheny and Paul Stirling in response only flattered to deceive as, after both were out in the space of seven balls, the rest followed tamely, bowled out in the 31st over.
Stirling passed 11,000 runs for Ireland, across all formats, in his 351st game, but the most significant landmarks in the game were in the opposition.
Shakib al Hasan became only the third player to score 7,000 runs and take 300 wickets, although like his partner, Towhid Hridoy, in a fourth wicket stand of 135, narrowly missed out on celebrating with a century.
Both were victims of Graham Hume who finished with four for 60, Shakib caught behind for 93 and Hridoy bowled for one run fewer. It was a spirited ending by Hume, the former South African Under-19 World Cup player, who took his last three wickets in six balls because Bangladesh were threatening 350 for most of their innings.
The Ireland bowling was never consistent in line and length on a perfect batting track with Ireland's three spinners conceding 142 runs from their 24 overs, Andy McBrine the sole wicket-taker.
Mark Adair (1-76) and Curtis Campher (1-57 from eight overs) had figures which accurately summed up Bangladesh’s dominance on a day when the hosts’ pacemen proved more effective than their slow bowlers.
Mustafizur Rahman (The Fizz) may get all the publicity but their star man is Taskin Ahmed and back to back wicket maidens, which accounted for Andrew Balbirnie and Lorcan Tucker, effectively ended Ireland’s challenge; the captain was bowled middle stump and Tucker caught behind off seriously good deliveries.
Bangladesh’s third paceman, Ebadot Hossain, claimed the always prize wicket of Stirling, one of five catches for Mushfiqur Rahim behind the stumps, the third of which ended Harry Tector’s innings much earlier than he is used to.
One of the most prolific ODI batsmen in world cricket in the last two years had passed 50 11 times in his last 15 innings, which included three centuries in his last five, but his failure duly arrived and Ireland’s best hope is that he and the rest of their talented batting line-up adjust to the conditions quickly.
Doheny made 34 off 38 balls and looked to have plenty more to add when he nicked Shakib to the keeper and George Dockrell, Ireland’s new finisher, also ended this game although not in the way he would have wanted, but not before he top scored with 45.
Those final three World Cup Super League games between the teams have been confirmed for Chelmsford in May but the immediate task for Ireland is to end Bangladesh’s record in Sylhet, which is now five wins out of five. The remaining games are back here tomorrow and on Thursday.