Hope for Bangladesh
FIRST TEST: Iqbal stars as hosts close in on lead
OPENING batsman Tamim Iqbal hit a patient 78 as Bangladesh reached 221-5 against England by stumps on day two of the first Test yesterday.
The hosts trail by 72 runs and could hope to gain a first-innings lead after bowling out England for 293 in the morning.
In the middle were Shakib Al Hasan, on 31 not out, with nightwatchman Shafiul Islam yet to score after facing nine balls.
England ruined Bangladesh’s chance of taking complete control of the Test by removing captain Mushfiqur Rahim on 48, just two overs before the end of play.
Mahmudullah was the other notable scorer with 38.
Offspinner Moeen Ali took 2-66, both wickets in the same over in the morning session.
Just when Bangladesh looked like reaching lunch unscathed on a pitch offering plenty of turn and variable bounce, Ali’s first over flipped the complexion of the contest.
He bowled opener Imrul Kayes (21) with a quicker delivery that didn’t turn as much as Kayes expected, and induced Mominul Haque with extra bounce to poke a shot to gully for a three-ball duck.
Bangladesh were 29-2, and Mahmudullah joined Iqbal to keep England at bay for almost the entire second session. They used their feet well to neutralise the spinners, who operated tirelessly.
Legspinner Adil Rashid broke through by forcing Mahmudullah to edge to slip in the last over before tea, bring an end a 90-run partnership with Iqbal.
Iqbal, who brought up his seventh half-century in nine innings against England, survived a video review just two balls before the dismissal of Mahmudlluah, off Ali.
Offspinner Gareth Batty, playing his first Test in 11 years, snagged Iqbal, who was slowly approaching his third century against England. Iqbal hit seven fours in a knock in which he faced 179 deliveries.
Mushfiqur and Shakib looked like they would make stumps together, until Ben Stokes delivered a perfect leg-cutter to get the edge of the former.
Shaiful and Shakib survived the last overs against Stuart Broad and Stokes, who found reverse swing.
Earlier, teenage offspinner Mehedi Hasan returned figures of 6-80 to prevent England from going past 300.
Mehedi’s figures were the second best on debut for Bangladesh, behind Sohag Gazi’s 674 in 2012.
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam struck with the first ball of the day, removing Chris Woakes, who edged to short leg on his overnight score of 36.
Adil Rashid survived a video review and kept England on track but fell for 26, caught at cover off the bowling of Islam.
In the 14th over of the morning, Mehedi finished off England with a successful video review of Broad caught behind. AP