Stopping boundaries key in tight Test finish

Stuart Broad believes keeping out the boundaries will be the main priority if England are to earn victory in a first Test that could still go either way at Chittagong.

Bangladesh were going steadily towards their target of 286, sitting on 179 for five at tea, but Gareth Batty ended the 87-run sixthwicket stand between Mushfiqur Rahim (39) and Sabbir Rahman (59 not out) before two wickets from Broad put England on the front foot.

But in a tense climax to the end of day four, Rahman’s maiden Test 50 and a stubborn 11 not out by tail-ender Taijul Islam left the hosts on 253 for eight, needing 33 runs for a first format victory against England.

Broad feels the final morning at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium will be a tense affair.

He told Sky Sports: “The key is to stop boundaries. Boundaries take your runs away so quickly. If we can make them operate in ones this pitch is still doing enough for us to take wickets.

“Our mentality will be to be as disciplined as we can and not give any free boundaries away. I think we will look to keep it dry and try and have a quiet first hour, make their batsmen make mistakes and try and take our catches.

“We had a chat at tea and as seamers we felt that we could limit the boundary options so we can still use spin at one end because when we used double spin, the batsmen got used to that and got used to hitting a boundary area.”

Stuart Broad: confident of taking the remaining wickets.