Rain wins in Chelmsford as first ODI between Bangladesh and Ireland called off

The first ODI between Ireland and Bangladesh at the Essex County Ground in Chelmsford has been called off due to persistent rain. It's the second time the Tigers are playing on this ground. They famously played their first ODI World Cup game there against New Zealand. 

This means South Africa have secured a direct qualification for the 2023 World Cup, which will be held in India later this year. Ireland needed to win all three matches of this series in order to move up from eleventh place in the points table. The Tigers have already sealed their place in the World Cup. 

Before the rain started, Ireland were 65 for three after 16.3 overs needing 182 more runs to win from 33.3 overs. According to the rules, a minimum of 20 overs have to be played for a result in case of rain. 

Defending 247, Bangladesh picked up two Irish wickets early in the innings. Shoriful Islam sent Paul Stirling back to the pavilion before Hasan Mahmud clean-bowled skipper Andy Balbirnie reducing Ireland to 27/2 in the fifth over. Stephen Doheny and Harry Tector then built a 36-run partnership before Taijul Islam caught Doheny off his own bowling.

The match was evenly balanced and poised for an exciting finish but the rain came in and halted the proceedings. It never stopped since it began and the covers never came off. Rather it started getting heavier with time. 

Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim hit a half-century on his birthday to take Bangladesh to 246 for nine after an initial stutter in the first innings.

A ground where 300-plus scores have been frequent recently in one-dayers and defending has been notoriously tough, Ireland would be happy to keep Bangladesh under 250. 

However,Litton Das' woes against left-arm pace continued as he succumbed to a golden duck. IPL returnee Josh Little bowled an in-swinging yorker on off-stump, getting the right-hander out leg-before.

Short of runs of late, captain Tamim Iqbal started decently with a couple of fours but threw his bat at a full ball outside off, only to find himself caught behind. Although he was initially not given out, Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie made the best use of DRS to send him back. 

The movement in the air and off the pitch lessened after the first half hour and Najmul Hossain Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan started to look for runs. 

Shanto and Shakib were deliberately standing outside the crease and walking down the pitch to negate the movement. The move worked well before a Graham Hume delivery on good length got the better of Shakib as got himself in a tangle coming down the pitch. He hit four boundaries in his 21-ball-20.

In a spot of bother at 52 for three in the 12th over, the visitors needed Shanto and Towhid Hridoy to do some rebuilding. They went around five-an-over for about 10 overs, keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

Shanto, who did not quite find his rhythm in Bangladesh's home ODIs against Ireland, looked set for a big one. The southpaw hit seven fours before going out on 44 off 66. The swivel-pull, which often proved to be a productive shot for Shanto, led to his downfall. 

Hridoy (27 off 31) started well but Hume gave Ireland a vital breakthrough again as he got one to move away, forcing the batter to edge it to keeper Lorcan Tucker who took a stunning catch diving to his right. 

Mushfiqur Rahim, celebrating his 36th birthday, was in great touch again. A revelation at number six in the last home series, Mushfiqur had a difficult job in hand - to do some consolidation and score at a rapid rate. 

The Ireland bowlers found it hard to bowl to the seasoned campaigner. Very strong square of the wicket, Mushfiqur was severe on anything short and wide and one-third of his 61 runs came off the cut shot.

He added a run-a-ball 65 with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (27 off 34) and 33 off 44 with number eight batter Taijul Islam.

Little, who opened the accounts for Ireland, accounted for Mushfiqur's wicket as well. He ended up with three wickets for 61 runs.