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Najmul Hossain Shanto’s quickfire hundred and Liton Das’ blazing fifty helped Bangladesh to take a big lead before the spinners put them in a commanding position in the first Test against Ireland after the third day’s play at the Sylhet International Stadium on Thursday. 

Ireland were reeling at 86-5 and still 215 runs behind in the second innings after Bangladesh declared with a total of 587-8 in 141 overs, marking their third-highest score and the highest ever recorded at home

Barry McCarthy, however, began the day on a more positive note for the visitors as he got rid of both overnight batters, Mahmudul Hasan and Mominul Haque, in his first two overs in the morning. 

Mahmudul edged one to the wicketkeeper after making 171, while Mominul (82) was caught at slip before adding only two runs to his overnight score. 

However, Shanto took charge despite two early blows to put back the pressure on Ireland. He formed a 79-run stand with Mushfiqur Rahim before adding another 98-run partnership with Litton Das. 

The Bangladesh skipper raced to his fifty in 53 balls with nine boundaries. Mushfiqur Rahim, on his 99th Test, couldn’t dig in as he fell before lunch on 23. 

Litton, however, was in a fast-forward motion as he was dealing with boundaries. He also brought up his fifty in 53 balls before falling for 60 off 66 with eight fours and a six. 

Shanto then equalled Mushfiqur Rahim’s tally of four hundreds as a captain—the most for Bangladesh—when he swept Andy McBrine for a brace in the 129th over of the innings. He fell soon after reaching his hundred, though. 

Ireland kept striking at regular intervals, but there was enough on the board for Shanto to make the declaration. 

Left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys took five for 170, while McCarthy took two for the visitors. 

With a big lead hanging over their heads, Ireland faltered early when Nahid Rana cleaned their makeshift opener Cade Carmichael—who came in for their skipper Andrew Balbirnie—in the fourth over. 

Paul Stirling and Harry Tector steadied the ship for a while before Taijul Islam and Hasan Murad started to throw venom. 

Stirling, who made a counterattacking 43, was run out after being beaten to a sharp turn from Taijul. Tector was trapped lbw by the same bowler before Murad had Curtis Campher and Lorcan Tucker put Ireland on the brink. 

Mahmudul, who missed out on a double hundred, was hopeful that Bangladesh could wrap things up quickly today. 

‘Taijul bhai and Murad finished well for us. If we can take one or two wickets early tomorrow morning, then their late order will come. Things will be easier then. There’ll be a strong chance to finish [the game] within tomorrow,’ he told the reporters after the day’s play.