Curtis Campher smashed 75 not out from 50 balls and Paul Stirling weighed in with a half century as Ireland got their tour of Bangladesh off to a winning start on Wednesday, beating a local Select XI by 77 runs in a rain-reduced match in Sylhet.
tirling, who has played for Sylhet in the Bangladesh T20, opened his tour account with 54 from 50 balls but the opener’s dismissal led to a slump from 106-1 to 135-5 before all-rounder Campher rode to the rescue.
Campher cleared the boundary four times and added seven fours - with a six, four, four, six blitz in the 38th over - and a rapid 36 from 24 balls from the destructive Gareth Delany lifted Ireland to 255-7. DLS asked the home side to chase 259 to win.
Skipper Andy Balbirnie took advantage of the lax practice match rules to give all nine of his bowlers a work out, and spinner Andy McBrine was the pick, taking 3-12, before Fionn Hand wrapped the innings at the start of the 33rd over.
Ireland play the first of three one-day internationals against Bangladesh in Sylhet on Saturday, followed by three T20s in Chattogram, and a Test match in Dhaka.