Lorcan Tucker struck a wonderful century in Dhaka yesterday as a spirted fightback with the bat on the third day of the one-off Test match gave Ireland the merest glimmer of a chance of beating Bangladesh.

Wicketkeeper Tucker made 108 from 162 balls, with a six over long on and 14 fours, and received great support from first Harry Tector and then Andy McBrine as the visitors closed on 286-8 - a lead of 131 and a very long way from the depths of 13-4.

Astonishingly, whereas the first four Ireland wickets fell in seven overs on Wednesday evening, Bangladesh managed to take only four more in the next 100.

Tucker’s was a thoroughly modern Test innings, mixing watchful defence with an array of drives and sweeps to keep the scoreboard ticking, and he joined Kevin O’Brien in the Ireland centurions’ club with a quality stroke through the covers.

For half the day Tector had seemed destined for a hundred too but after battling to 56, his second half-century, he was adjudged lbw sweeping, a decision that was upheld by the technology although Hawkeye didn’t seem to allow for the clearly visible spin.

While Tector and Tucker’s partnership was worth 72, when McBrine strode to middle Ireland were only 123-6 and still needed 32 to make the home side bat again.

The no-nonsense all-rounder from Co Tyrone went about his business accumulating runs and with his partner excelling at the other end, the left-hand right-hand combination took Ireland well into credit before Tucker smashed a drive to extra cover.

The pair had added 111, the second-highest partnership for Ireland in Tests, falling three short of the 114 that O’Brien and Stuart Thompson scored against Pakistan in 2018, also for the seventh wicket and in very similar circumstances.

The GOAT, as McBrine has been nicknamed on this tour, was not to be beaten though and ably supported in the final 90 minutes by Mark Adair and Graham Hume he walked off on 71 not out, with designs on joining O’Brien and Tucker in their exclusive club.

Another 30 or 40 runs minimum from the last two wickets might just cause a flutter or two in the Bangladesh dressing room but the pitch has yet to start breaking up and the Tigers will be confident of getting home with six or seven wickets to spare.