- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
In what has been a fascinating Test match so far, Bangladesh enter the final day’s play hoping to somehow get their first ever win in the longest form of the game over England, who only need two wickets. Join The Roar for live scores of Day 5 from 3pm (AEDT).
Tension was the name of the game towards the end of Day 4 as the match almost came to an end, and it may well have if bad light hadn’t been called with five overs to go.
England, after a disastrous start to their second innings, recovered strongly on Day 3 and the early parts of yesterday, and with Ben Stokes leading the way with 85 they scored 240, setting the Tigers 286 to win.
Given how the pitch has played, taking turn from the first overs of the match, it looked like an uphill battle for Bangladesh and even more so when you remember they were knocked over for 248 in their first innings.
As much as it looked like the game would be over yesterday, Bangladesh dug in for the long hall and batted out 78 overs, finishing the day’s play on 8 for 253, a mere 33 runs short of the target to record a historic win.
While there were plenty of contributions from the top order, it was the partnership of captain Mushfiqur Rahim, who ended with 39, and the unbeaten Sabbir Rahman (59) that paved the way for Bangladesh to get within touching distance of victory.
However, the wicket of Rahim saw the first part of the tail fold away as they lost 3 for 11. Heading into stumps, though, Rahman was joined by Taijul Islam, who is unbeaten on 11, to build a 15-run stand.
Rahman’s tactics batting with the tail, though, were baffling, as he consistently took singles early in the over and left Taijul to the sharks.
Nonetheless, he survived to stumps and Bangladesh are still in with a shout.
Prediction
Can Bangladesh pull off a miracle? Either way, it’s not going to take long to find out with the match so nearly over.
Those 35 runs seem so, so far away for the Tigers when they only have two wickets left. If Sabbir Rahman can get himself back in, and fix up his tactics of batting with the tail, then they have a chance.
Patience for him will be key, but the closer it gets the louder the home crowd is going to get, and the greater the pressure will be on England’s bowlers.
You have to expect them to get the job done, but this is going to be a classic finish to what has been an unexpectedly fantastic Test match.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of the fascinating conclusion to this match from 3pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde