Bangladesh continued to fight hard yesterday against more fancied opponents England and can move ahead in the first Test with a good performance today in Chittagong. Join The Roar for live scores of Day 3 from 3pm (AEDT).
After the Tigers came flying out of the gates on Day 1, reducing England to 3 for 21 at one point, they struggled to close it out with England’s middle and lower order springing to life.
By the end of the first day’s play, the tourists had reached 7 for 258 thanks to half centuries down the order from Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow before Chris Woakes hit 36 and ensure they would reach a competitive total of 293.
Given the way the pitch was turning, that score was looking a long way away for the hosts, but they knuckled down with the pitch becoming a lot easier to play on once a batsman was in.
At the end of the second day’s play, Bangladesh had reached 5 for 221 which left them just 72 runs behind, but given the way the pitch is playing and that they will have to bat last they must get a first innings lead to be a chance.
Still, given they were expected to get blown out even at home, their performance has been fantastic. Like England, they had a shaky start getting reduced to 2 for 29 before opener and key player Tamim Iqbal settled in and made 78.
While partners fell around him, the experience of Mahmudullah (38) and Mushfiqur Rahim (48) saw partnerships built and England’s attack thwarted.
Their spinners simply didn’t do a good enough job and it continues a trend for the tourists – with their spin bowling stocks struggling.
Shakib Al Hasan then batted through to stumps finishing on 31 not our although the wicket of Rahim right on the stroke of stumps hurts big time.
Al Hasan will be joined by Shafiul Islam at the start of the third day, and the pair must erase most of the deficit before they lose another wicket if Bangladesh are to stay in this match.
Day 3 prediction
Al Hasan was looking solid at the end of yesterday, and if he can get back win with Shafiul at the other end then they can hope to build a substantial first innings lead.
Patience is the key for both sides when batting, but the English batsmen must get a better start to their second innings when they inevitably get the chance – although that doesn’t look likely.
Be sure to join The Roar for live scores of Day 3 in this enthralling Test match from 3pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to get involved by dropping a comment in the box below.
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Andy
Guest
Its what Austrlia were so good at for years, one or two players would almost always stand up for us and score a ton and thats all that is really needed to win tests. Forget the top four batsmen scoring a ton each, which is what my memory incorrectly remembers happened heaps, most of the time it was one big score that meant we got enough runs. More teams need to do this instead of just giving up.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Brass- I think it is not just about the personnel which i wholely agree with you, even did on the article. But it is more about the resolve. English will fight through tough times in foreign confines by gritting it out whereas Australia meekly crumbles
Brasstacks
Guest
This is exactly what I meant in another article by Tim Holt when I said the Australian lower middle order is not going to cause sleepless nights to any half decent bowling attack. Imagine that we were 5-62 with Neville and Mitch Marsh at the crease in subcontinental conditions (or for that matter any condition)., it would be almost impossible to expect a similar rescue act by these two. Both India and England are ahead of us in this regard. They have been winning tests over the past year because of their lower order repeatedly bailing them out of sticky situations. We really need a proper batsman at number six, a keeper who can actually score runs at seven and a consistently handy bat at eight. There is too much pressure when we lose the fourth wicket because the batsmen at the crease know all too well that there is nothing much left to come.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Yep. And on a wicket that any current Australian side you'd care to select would likely have not just been cooked but thoroughly roasted by now.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
England are digging themselves out of a deep hole here - at 5-62 leading by just 100 they looked cooked.