England are left to toil again
Cook’s men struggle after another slipshod showing
ENGLAND did not know whether to laugh or cry on another fluctuating day in which they seemed intent on snatching victory with one hand — and just as determined to make a hash of things with the other. The wicket of Mahmudullah, bowled off the last ball of the day as he crazily tried to heave Zafar Ansari into kingdom come, gave Alastair Cook’s team at least some hope of heading to Mumbai bearing a 2-0 series win and a modicum of self-respect.
But the captain knows things will have to improve fast if his side are to give India, the world’s top-ranked team, a proper run for their rupees.
The stark truth was that it needed a gutsy ninth-wicket stand of 99 between Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid to keep England afloat in this second Test — against a team ranked No 9 in the world, however quickly Bangladesh are improving.
Even then, England opted to toss their opponents a lifeline. Armed with a first-innings cushion of 24, they bowled so poorly that Bangladesh raced along at five an over, reaching stumps on the second evening at 152 for three, a lead of 128.
On a surface that has turned throughout, it is the wrong game in which to be batting last. Whatever total England end up chasing, and whatever the result, their flaws in Asia are too glaring to ignore.
As they slipped from their overnight 50 for three to 144 for eight, only Joe Root — and to a lesser extent Jonny Bairstow — showed any poise.
Not that Root’s 56 was chanceless. Dropped on 19, the left-arm spin of Taijul Islam hassled him constantly and he was lucky not to be run out on 29.
Yet so tight was the noose drawn by the Bangladesh spinners that England’s batsmen were doing strange things just to get some air.
Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes had come and gone, though both have breathing-space after their part in the 22-run win in Chittagong — and in England’s first-day fightback with the ball here.
Moeen was bowled by Mehedi Hasan for 10, while Stokes went for a duck.
After helping Root put on 45, Bairstow was lbw to Mehedi for 24 to leave England 114 for six. When Ansari and Root fell in quick succession, they were eight down, and still 76 behind.
Root later succumbed to a stomach complaint, and headed early for the team hotel to avoid the risk of infecting his colleagues, who were left instead to undergo a regulation ICC drugs test.
But the collapse brought to mind the prevailing wisdom of this tour: England can’t keep relying on one or two to sweep up everyone else’s mess. Regardless, Woakes and Rashid set about doing precisely that.
If they were helped by some hopelessly defensive fields, then they were quick to capitalise, defending stoutly and locating the gaps. The turn became less venomous.
Woakes enjoyed one moment of luck, clubbing Sabbir Rahman’s high full-toss to midwicket on 38 — only to be reprieved because third umpire Chris Gaffaney ruled the ball had reached him above waist height. At best, the decision was marginal.
The resistance ended when Mehedi had Woakes snared at leg slip for 46, to become only the third bowler — after Alec Bedser of England and India’s Narendra Hirwani — to take six or more in an innings in both his first two Tests.
Steven Finn edged Taijul Islam, and the England bowler was soon in action again, setting the tone for a poor display in the field as the tourists’ lead evaporated in Dhaka’s afternoon heat.
After the Bangladesh openers had hurried to 65 inside 13 overs, Ansari collected his maiden Test wicket when Tamim Iqbal turned him straight to Cook at leg slip. One run later, Stokes removed Mominul Haque.
But the manner in which Imrul Kayes and Mahmudullah added 86 in less than 19 overs highlighted the gulf between the teams’ spinners.
By the end of England’s first innings, Bangladesh’s three main slow bowlers had claimed 28 wickets in this series at 19 apiece, conceding just 2.46 runs an over.
By the end of the second day, England’s four spinners — including Gareth Batty, rested here to accommodate Ansari — had 19 wickets at 31, with an economy-rate of 3.74. It has been no contest.
Rashid, in particular, has struggled, and currently looks a better bet with the bat. His three wickets over the first seven days of this series have cost 62 each and he offers Cook precious little control.
That could change on the third day, but England’s slowbowling pecking-order currently has him in last place.
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane will not feel inclined to allow England off the hook.