Taijul, Murad leave Bangladesh four wickets away from 2-0

Bangladesh are four wickets short of a series sweep against Ireland, on the day Taijul Islam overtook Shakib Al Hasan as the hosts' highest wicket-taker. The visitors went to stumps on the fourth day on 176 for 6 in pursuit of an improbable 509, with Taijul having taken three wickets in the innings so far.

Taijul took his 247th wicket to lead Bangladesh's Test bowling charts when he trapped Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie lbw for 13 as the first wicket of the chase in the sixth over. Paul Stirling, the other opener, also fell to Taijul, caught at short leg where Mahmudul Hasan Joy took a simple catch. Hasan Murad trapped Cade Carmichael for 19 in the 20th over and Ireland were 77 for 3 just before tea.

Harry Tector struck three fours off Taijul after the break and brought up his fifty off 78 balls but he handed a catch to Mushfiqur Rahim, who ran in from the deep. Three overs later, Khaled Mahmud had Lorcan Tucker, who was unbeaten on 75 in the first innings, edge one behind for 7 and Ireland were in trouble at 127 for 5.

Bangladesh then went on to drop Stephen Doheny three times, leaving the small crowd in Mirpur frustrated. Murad first dropped him at short midwicket on 2 before wicketkeeper Litton Das couldn't latch on to a sharp chance when Doheny was on 13. Ebadot Hossain also put down a chance when he couldn't hold on to a catch running in from deep square leg when Doheny was on 14. Taijul finally removed him on 15, when he missed an arm ball.

Earlier, Mominul Haque's dismissal on 87 led to Bangladesh's declaration shortly after the lunch break on 297 for 4. Mushfiqur was unbeaten on 53, having already struck a century in the first innings.

Mominul struck 10 fours in his 118-ball knock, as he continued to look for a century since Kanpur last year. The openers Shadman Islam and Mahmudul also struck fifties, as they added 119 runs and Mahmudul had fallen on the third evening for 60. Shadman's was the first wicket to fall on the fourth morning when he was lbw to Andy McBrine for 78 and captain Najmul Hossain Shanto who handed a catch to gully for Jordan Neill's first Test wicket. Mushfiqur joined Mominul and the duo put on a brisk century stand of 123 from 167 balls to power the lead past 500.