Mehedi’s six has England in a fix
mirpur — Opener Imrul Kayes hit 59 not out as Bangladesh reached 152 for 3 on Saturday, gaining a useful 128-run lead against England at stumps on the second day of the second Test.
Fellow opener Tamim Iqbal struck a fluent 40 before England made inroads with two quick wickets, leaving Bangladesh on 66-2.
Kayes and Mahmudullah combined for 86 runs and appeared to take firm control. But Mahmudullah played a reckless shot against the last ball of the day to be dismissed for 47.
Zafar Ansari took 2 for 33 on his England Test debut.
Earlier, Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid combined for 99 runs as England were all out for 244 in their first innings, taking a 24-run lead after Bangladesh’s 220.
Mehedi Hasan claimed 6 for 82 for Bangladesh, his second six-for in as many Tests.
Bangladesh made a fluent start to their second innings, courtesy of Tamim Iqbal (40 off 47 balls) who showed sustained aggression before being caught at leg slip by Alastair Cook as Ansari’s maiden wicket brought an end to the 65run partnership.
Two balls later, Ben Stokes got Mominul Haque for 1 with a short delivery, leaving Bangladesh on 66-2.
Kayes and Mahmudullah stalled England’s sudden charge, using their feet well against the spinners. They appeared to be taking control of the Test before Mahmudullah’s dismissal ended the day for Bangladesh in disappointing fashion.
Earlier in the day Rashid and Woakes had survived some anxious moments to earn an important lead for England, which at one point was 76 runs behind with only two wickets left. Woakes won a Six-wicket hauls for Mehedi in as many matches
A. Cook lbw b Mehedi B. Duckett c Rahim b Shakib J. Root lbw b Taijul G. Ballance c Rahim b Mehedi M. Ali b Mehedi B. Stokes c Mominul b Taijul J. Bairstow lbw b Mehedi Z. Ansari c Shuvagata b Mehedi C. Woakes Shuvagata b Mehedi A. Rashid not out S. Finn c Rahim b Taijul Extras: (b13, lb7, nb 1)
1-10 (Duckett), 2-24 (Cook), 3-42 (Ballance), 4-64 (Ali), 5-69 (Stokes), 6-114 (Baristow), 7-140 (Ansari), 8-144 (Root), 9-243 (Woakes), 10-244 (Finn)
Mehedi 28-2-82-6, Shakib 165-41-1, Taijul 25.3-3-65-3, Kamrul 3-0-16-0, Shuvagata 4-0-8-0, Sabbir 5-0-12-0 (nb1)
Bangladesh’s Mehedi Hasan celebrates after taking the wicket of England’s Moeen Ali as Joe Root looks on. —
video review on 2 and survived a dismissal on a no-ball off Sabbir Rahman on 38. They put on England’s highest ninth-wicket partnership in Asia, eclipsing 83 runs by Norman Gifford and Keith Fletcher against India in 1973.
Offspinner Mehedi Hasan broke the stubborn partnership when he found the edge of Woakes for 46 with the new ball.
Left-arm spinner Taijul (3-35)
1-65 (Tamim), 2-66 (Mominul), 3-152 (Mahmudullah) Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Shuvagata Hom, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Finn 3-0-18-0, Ali 8-0-34-0, Ansari 8-0-33-2, Stokes 5-1-20-1 (nb1, w1), Rashid 5-0-30-0, Woakes 2-0-14-0 Bangladesh Kumar Dharmasena (SRI) and Sundaram Ravi (IND)
then got Steven Finn to wrap up the innings and prompt an early tea. Rashid was unbeaten on 44. Joe Root fought hard to score 56 as Bangladesh’s spinners made regular inroads after England resumed the day on 50-3.
Jonny Bairstow made 24 and combined for a 45-run partnership with Root for the sixth wicket after Mehedi and Taijul took two early wickets in the morning session to reduce England to 69-5. —