Heavy rain led to the abandonment of the second one-day international in Sylhet last night and probably saved Ireland from a second heavy defeat by Bangladesh after the home side posted a whopping 349-6 from 50 overs.

The forecast storms arrived during the dinner break and did not allow a re-start.

Graham Hume was again the pick of the Ireland bowlers, mixing up his medium pace intelligently for a return of 3-58, to follow up his 4-60 in the opener, but the spinners suffered with combined figures of 0-155 from 20 overs.

Debutant Matthew Humphreys, a 20-year-old left armer from the Belfast area, quickly discovered that senior cricket is big step up from U19s where he has been a stand out performer, while Andy McBrine and Harry Tector fared little better.

The home side’s total was their highest in ODIs, beating the 338-8 they amassed on Saturday, and Mushfiqur Rahim’s 100 not out from 60 balls, completed from the last delivery of the innings, is his country’s fastest in List A matches.

Ireland may regret leaving specialist spin bowling coach Nathan Hauritz in Dublin because with the slow men lacking inspiration and star paceman Josh Little sidelined, it’s hard to see where wickets are to come from in Thursday’s final game.