Bangladeshi test in England

[yount]

2nd Test match between England and Bangladesh. 23/5/2010

Forgot to introduce the new Bangladeshi coach: Ivan T. You'nt. You'nt has been coaching since the 2008 season with a few drawn test series' and a few ODI wins since (beat Pakistan 2-1.)

No changes were made to the Bangladesh side although there was speculation during the week that Razak or Hossain may come in a a third spinner, You'nt choosing instead to give that role to Ashraful is need be. England also no change.

A Cook M Hossain
J Middleton S Nafees
K Pietersen T Iqbal
I Bell S Al hasan
O Shah M Ashraful (c)
M Prior F Reza
A Flintoff (c M Islam
A Shantry G Mahbud
R Sidebottom A Rahman
S Harmison S Shuvo
M Panesar M Shahzada

Weather forecast is fairly mild, some cloud the first two days until we start to see things really clear up in the afternoon of day three. Day five is expected to be the hottest of them all. Currently the pitch is in reasonable shape but it should start to turn as early as day 2. Panesar, Islam and Shuvo should slowly build to dominance of this match. Visibility is perfect. The outfield is nice and fast. There could be some early movement from the seamers.
Ashraful calls "tails" and wins the toss again. Freddie knows the answer straight away. Both teams would have wanted to bat here, before the spinners take hold of the pitch. Ashraful and Flintoff shake hands and Mehrab Hossain and Shahriar Nafees stroll out to the crease....

In the 3rd over, Nafees flicked a boundary forward of square leg, two balls later a thick edge that went straight into the ground and just backward of point for a single. Harmison bowling around the wicket yorks Hossain but he digs it out. Then he bowls a good lenth ball that nips back a touch and hits the pad. The umpire puts up the finger. Hossain gone for 1 (10).
Shantry in his next over gets Nafees to glance an edge just wide of fine leg for 4. The very next ball Shantry tries for too much and no balls as again Nafees hits it cleaner this time, 4 runs. Both batsmen having trouble as Iqbal is beaten by a great line and length by Shantry.
In Sidebottom's 2nd over Iqbal was caught at 2nd slip edging to a good ball outside off for 11 (20), and then Shantry labouring in on his 6th over got Nafees on the drive, edging to the keeper for 24 (35). Suddenly Bangladesh were 3/43.
With an hour still to go until lunch, a Ryan Sidebottom bouncer careened into Shakib Al hasan's arm, who had to retire hurt for 6 (14) **NEWS UPDATE: Al hasan will miss a further 2 weeks with a fracture**
Farhad Reza walked to the crease, England frothing, Bangladesh essentially 4 for 49 and in deep trouble.... An over later, Reza pops up an easy catch to Middleton at bat pad, 4/50.
A play and a miss, and a loose top edge for 4 by Islam and Bangladesh had crawled to 4/78 at lunch on day 1. Ashraful 8* (57) Islam 20* (56). Best of the bowling: Sidebottom 6-2-9-1, every bowler has one except for Monty, who has been a scrooge though at 7-3-9-0. Bangladesh need a solid partnership now, and their batting now needs to run deeper that Al hasan is out of the test match.

Ashraful went soon after lunch for a very slow 11 (76) caught by Pietersen at bat pad off Harmison, his short stuff giving the batsmen some trouble. Islam and Mahbud hung in there until Monty Panesar returned for his second spell, getting Islam to edge to slip for 41 (151). Panesar missed catching Rahman at mid on, a very tough chance, as Bangladesh went into tea 6/137 with Mahbud 30* (73) and Rahman 4*(11).

Survival til stumps in extremely important here, and the light will fade later on. England will be keen to wrap up the lower order for somewhere between 150-175.

Rahman and Mahbud were determined in the 3rd session, Mahbud reaching his half-century at 5:25pm, a wonderful straight drive. 50* (127). England took the new ball and it had immediate results, Rahman falling LBW to a ball staying a tad low from Flintoff, 38 (75). A few overs later he was able to bowl the exact same ball to Shuvo, who was on his way for 3 (17). Shahzada surviving to have Bangladesh 8/220 at stumps. Mabud 68* (179) and Shahzada 4* (7).

DAY 2 -
After a bit of a wait, Mabud finally played it to Pietersen (another short leg catch!): for 79 (208) the top scorer. Shahzada not out 15. Best of the bowlers was Flintoff 9-1-18-3. Why he wasn't bowled more is a mystery??? Maybe he's carrying an injury. Bangladesh making 242.
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Cook and Middleton come to the crease with some cloud cover but a generally nice day, the pitch offers a little for both pace and spin, outfield is fast, England should chase down this total easily and win this match...

At lunch on day 2, England have replied with 0/51 Cook 31* Middleton 18*.

It took well into the 2nd session and well after the two spinners Islam and Shuvo had tirelessly worked for no wicket, Reza coming on for his first true spell of the day getting Middleton at short leg, caught by Shahzada for 55. The session ended with England 1/150, 92 runs behind and in the box-seat. Ashraful was bashed all over the place for 5-0-28-0, Shuvo the best so far with 15-4-26-0.

Cook reached his century with an hour left in play, a patient 100* off 221 balls. Bangladesh were struggling for answers...
Just before the new ball, Islam got a ball to jag back nicely and hit the pad of Alistair Cook - a poor shot - and the finger was raised. But Pietersen was like a fortress as England finished day 2 six runs ahead. 2/248

DAY 3 -
Reza bowled Bell for 16 and Rahman had Shah caught by Ashraful hooking forward of square for a duck. A nice shot but he picked out the fielder. Reza later on getting Pietersen for 100 exact, LBW again. England 5/305...
Shuvo then bowled Flintoff, but Prior 40* and Shantry 17* hung in there til lunch, 6/347.

Shahzada is taken off, his figures 23-1-81-0. You'nt scratches his head as the partnership grows, Shantry finally departing for 38. Reza with 4-59.
Prior belts a massive 6 down the ground off Ashraful for his 100. England 215 runs ahead at tea, 7/457.

Finally Prior was bowled and the tail followed soon after for 475.
Bangladesh 233 runs behind. Yikes. Best bowlers were Reza 19-3-59-4 and Shuvo 47-12-105-2.
Bangladesh saw out the last session to be 0/39 at stumps day 3. Hossain 13* (76) and Nafees 23* (59).

DAY 4 -

Bangladesh have to make sure they can try and bat as long as they can today and even into tomorrow if they can stretch it. The pitch is doing something for spin and pace, so the odds are certainly on England to win this match and the series.

The 5th ball of the day, Harmison rapped the pads of Hossain, out for 13. But Iqbal and Nafees again combined for a good partnership, Nafees making his 50 just after noon, the pair batting to lunch to have Bangladesh 1/112, 121 runs behind still.

Panesar got the breakthrough 4th ball after lunch with an edge to Cook in the slips off the bat of Nafees, out for 66 (156). Ashraful and Iqbal held it steady until Shantry got his first wicket of the innings, Ashraful edging to first slip for 21 (59). Reza called for a risky run and was run out coming from the non-strikers' end (he called it!!) for 6. England took the new ball 10 minutes before tea and Bangladesh were still 47 runs behind, 4/186.
Iqbal 61* (197)
Islam 7* (29)

Another handy partnership of 70 between Islam and Iqbal when Flintoff caught & bowled Islam for 32 (105).Mabud didn't trouble the scorers trapped in from to a Freddie Flintoff full pitched delivery. Rahman batted well to have Bangladesh at 6/262, only 29 runs ahead with the tail exposed. Iqbal still alive on 93* (281) and Rahman 13* (27).

DAY 5 -
Impossible to win, a draw is what Bangladesh would be hoping for, but they would need to bat at least a session-and-a-half into the day. England have been backed even further by the bookies to win this test match by the end of the second session.

Iqbal was on 97 for at least 6 overs before finally smashing an on-drive for his ton. Well played!
Flintoff soon bowled him coming back over the wicket for 103 (319) and then Shuvo survived a dropped catch and a few overs of tight bowling before Rahman with a good 41 (106) was bowled by Harmison. Shahzada didn't trouble the scorers and Bangladesh were all out for 321, 88 runs ahead and facing certain defeat. Lunch was called ath the conclusion of that innings.

Shahzada did not open the bowling this time, but came on shortly after for 3 good wickets, England reaching the target with 30 minutes before tea, 3/89.

Al hasan getting that injury early on made it very difficult for our team.

England win by 7 wickets.

[yount]

Day 3 - the ball is 13 overs old. Ashiqur Rahman and Farhad Reza to bowl to Cook 11* and Bell 9*. Iain Bell lasted until 23 when he drove upishly down the ground to be caught by skipper Ashraful at deep mid off. But with Cook and Shah now at the crease, looking very dangerous, Bangladesh decided to unleash a spin only attack, bowling Manjural Islam and Suhrawadi Shuvo for most of the first session. Islam got the crucial breakthrough, getting through the gap to bowl Shah for 30 (42), and the next over Shuvo gave the ball some extra flight and appealed loudly for an LBW against Cook, who was given out 31 (92).
Islam soon struck again with a great delivery to Mark Prior, bowled for 2. England limping to lunch at 6/141.

Shantry given not out to what looked like a certain LBW decision from Islam, maybe the ball was turning too much. Islam continued to beat the bat with no luck, frustration getting the better of the bowlers as Flintoff and Shantry put on 119 until a change of spinners saw Freddie caught at short leg to Shuvo for 41. The tail managed to wag its way to tea. 9/242 although Rahman dropped a sitter one over prior to the break at 2nd slip. England 140 runs behind.

Taking the new ball, Bangladesh got Panesar for 9 to finish off England for 255. The pitch is crumbling and turning and is very unpredictable. Bangladesh will be looking to make 200 to give England something tough to chase.
Nafees bowled for 11 by Harmy-parmie and at the end of day 3, Bangladesh 161 runs ahead on 1/34.

Hossain and Iqbal carried the score to 104 before Hossain was caught for 48 just short of the half-century. Iqbal hauled out to mid off, and Al hasan was given LBW but Bangladesh are in the box seat at lunch time on day 4. 4/158. 285 runs ahead of England. Ashraful and Reza with a few runs between them.

A dropped catch off Reza at 2nd slip early was the only chance, until Ashraful was trapped LBW with the new ball being taken a few overs before tea. Reza 37* and Islam 1* have Banladesh 372 runs in front with the score at 5/245. Bangladesh will look to slog it around and them bowl at England in the last half of the last session of day 4. The sun is blistering (as blistering as an English sun can be) and the pitch is a mess. Surprised to see Bangladesh batting so easily (although visibility is perfect.)

With 1 hour to go Bangladesh retire at 7/313, 440 runs ahead of England should be enough to see a victory. Runs were shared in this inning: Iqbal 64, Ashraful 62, Hossain 48, Reza 42 and Harmison was easily the best of the bowlers nailing 24-3-74-5.
England able to see off the new ball to be 0/23 at stumps.

DAY 5
Frustration for the bowling team, Alistair Cook the only casualty this session LBW for 33, Middleton 64* and Pietersen 5* have England at 1/111.

At tea on day 5, England look to have the match saved at 2/212. Shuvo the only bowler to have any success. Pietersen 54* and Bell 36*. England need 229 runs to win.

The new ball got rid of Pietersen caught for 67, but that was all Bangladesh could muster as the match petered out in a draw, England still standing at 3/263.

Match drawn.

[yount]

5-day Test vs England

Batting order:
M Hossain*
S Nafees
T Iqbal
S Al hasan*
M Ashraful (C)
F Reza*
M Islam
G Mabud*
A Rahman*
S Shuvo*
M Shahzada*

* denotes player has played under 15 Test matches.

15/5/2010
DAY 1.

Bangladesh win the toss and bat. In-form opening pair Mehrab Hossain and Shahriar Nafees stride to the crease to face Shane Harmison and Freddy! After seeing off the opening bowlers, Adam Shantry and Ryan Sidebottom try to penetrate the defenses, the former having success catching Hossain at short leg for 6 (40). With the score 1/52, Shantry got Nafees to play at one outside off, which he flicked to 2nd slip. Doesn't say who dropped it, but he was blonde, maybe Freddie at 2nd slip.?
Lunch day 1. Bangladesh 1/62. Nafees 30* Iqbal 22*

3 LBW shouts turned down early. Panesar bowling very tight 13-3-13-0. Batting slowly, Nafees gets yet another 50, Iqbal not quite making it with an agonizingly slow 43 (156), caught in slip off of Monty Panesar. The crowd went wild.
At tea on day one Bangladesh had again slowly crept along to 2/122, the England bowlers somewhat frustrated by the lack of wickets falling on a crumbling pitch, but Bangladesh batsmen frustrated at not being allowed any freedom to play attacking shots by Shantry and Pansesar.
Nafees 62* (170) 6 fours
Al hasan 4* (23)

Nafees kept the same aggression and was caught at short leg by a brilliant Pietersen catch 62 (179). Panesar got some great turn on a ball to bowl Al hasan for 21 (63) and Bangladesh were looking shaky at 4/152. England promptly took the new ball and to no avail, Ashraful 41* and Reza 24* at stumps with Bangladesh 4/207.

DAY 2
Ashraful and Reza put on a further 53 runs before Ashraful was run out coming back for the second run for 70 (154) 5 fours 1 six. Reza got his half-century and was then dropped by Freddie at second slip, although it was only half a chance.

Flintoff finally got his man Reza for 57 (154) LBW to a ball that pitched outside off stump but was going on to hit the stumps. Reza wasn't too happy with the decision. Mahbud and Islam - both excellent players of spin - moved the score along to 330 before Panesar got his man, spin specialist Golam Mahbud for 27 (65). The weather is sunny and perfect for cricket, but the pitch is showing signs of wear. Bangladesh want to try and scratch out 400 for their bowlers to protect. Fortune favoured them as Islam was dropped on 38* at short leg. Freddie was frustrated. Bangladesh 8/359 at tea.

Islam got his 50 and England had to take a 3rd new ball to dismiss Bangladesh for 382 one hour from stumps.
Shahzada trapped young Jeff Middleton in front for 7, and then Asiqur Rahman had Pietersen caught at slip for 10, maybe a little too hard at the ball early from KP. England 2/38 at stumps.

More in the morning, good night and rest up fast bowlers, day 3 is supposed to be warm early with cloud increasing, but day 4 is expected to be a scorcher all day. A breakthrough of the in-form Alistair Cook (last scores: 39 OD, 118* FC, 77* OD, 185 FC, 153 FC) is crucial as well as on-deck batsman Owais Shah (last scores: 102 OD, 6 OD, 5 FC, 230 FC, 28 OD, 15 FC, 127 FC, 99 OD, 57* OD).

[yount]

3-day friendly vs MCC

One change, Ashiqur Rahman in for Salahuddin. Perfect pitch and a perfect day.
Bangladesh lose the toss and have to bowl on a flat track.

Islam dropped an early catch at short leg of Shahzada who went on to get spanked his first spell, 5-0-33-0. At lunch MCC had not lost a wicket and had given up only a dropped catch and a few desperate LBW appeals, MCC 0/105

Shahzada got the breakthrough after lunch, then Islam two wickets in two overs, but the run rate was fast as MCC had scored 233 for 6 at tea thanks to a 127 from Hulme.

MCC proved to be stubborn even with the new ball, their score all out for 331 as stumps were called on day 1. Some terrible figures for Reza 20-0-97-1 (4.85 per over) but Islam would have to be the pick of the lot of an unfriendly wicket for spin he collected figures of 25.3-4-44-3.

At lunch on day 2 Bangladesh are 0/123 Hossain 45 (118) and Nafees 77 (117) 208 runs behind, no chances given. They both look in red hot form coming into the 1st test vs England.

Hossain and Nafees went on the attack after tea, with Nafees smacking another ton, but Hossain falling 8 runs short, 92 (162) with 10 4's and a 6. A 214-run partnership. Iqbal promptly runs out Nafees 115 (163). Although Iqbal was soon caught behind, Al hasan 28 (63) and Ashraful 48 (55) kept the scoreboard ticking along to 3/295 at tea on day 2. MCC by 36. Bangladesh plan to be at least 100 ahead at stumps for a decent crack for the win on day 3.

In the first over after tea, Ashraful smashed a massive 6 over backward point to bring up his 50, but in the 2nd over was caught at first slip for a quick 54 (62)Al hasan also falling just prior to the new ball, he sped up his innings to finish on 55 (86). Islam added 20+ and Reza another quick 42 (54) facing the new ball, looks like a good player. Always tough to decide what balance of bat and ball training to give him. Bangladesh finall 8 for 420-odd and over 100 runs ahead of MCC with one day to play.

Day 3 - Mahbud and Rahman do not mess around, smashing boundaries at will, Mahbud reaches his 52 (69), while Rahman is 21 (17); Mahbud hauling out to deep mid on, it looked like it might go for 6! Rahman finally caught in slips for 31 (25), Bangladesh 171 runs in front of MCC, an hour and three quarter from lunch. Their score of 502 owed to 4 half-centuries and a century.
A run out the only wicket to fall as MCC strode to lunch at 1/76, 95 runs behind but with plenty of wickets in hand.

A few scattered wickets midway through the session was not what Bangladesh had in mind, although the pitch was still very nice to play on. 4/202. Shuvo getting two wickets in that session. MCC by 31.

The wickets started to fall thanks to Shuvo an expensive 15-3-51-3 with Reza and Islam chipping in a pair each to have them all out for 238, 67 runs ahead with only 38 minutes remaining.
Thanks to 3 consecutive 4's from Mehrab Hossain in the 2nd-last over, Bangladesh needed only 10 to win from one James Ogden over. Tamim Iqbal to face.
Iqbal a single forward of point.
Hossain an LBW shout with a ball pitched outside the line of leg.
Hossain cover drives though two men on the rope for 4 runs.
Hossain reaches his 50 with a flick of his pads to square leg for 2.
Hossain driven hard to the fielder at deep cover for only one.
Last ball. 1 to draw, 2 to win.
Iqbal faces Ogden bowling around the wicket. It angles in but is a tad over-pitched. Iqbal drives it through the covers for 4. Bangladesh win!!
A real moral booster in the lead up to the big test match, the Bangladeshi boys rally around each other. 1/70.
Win by 9 wickets.

[yount]

New season, 28/4/2010.

Bangladesh in England.

Squad:
(projected 1st XI)
M Hossain
S Nafees
T Iqbal
S Al hasan
M Ashraful
M Islam
F Reza
G Mabud
F Hossain
S Shuvo
M Shahzada

P Joy
N Mirza
A Salahuddin
A Razzak
A Rahman
S Alzabir
Z Rahman

May be a little heavy on the bowlers but in only a season of play, Bangladesh seem to have found some consistency in the batting order (although R Hasan our regular number 3 is injured - replaced with Al hasan)

3-day friendly vs Kent. - conditions are average for everything, just like with the start of every new season (a feature I do not like)


In these types of matches I prefer to let my batsmen knuckle down and work themselves into some good form before the tests. No rash shots. The win doesn't matter so much as it is seeing as many live balls as possible and getting used to the conditions in preperation for the 1st test.

However Mehrab Hossain was bowled first ball of the 2nd over by Justin Kemp coming around the wicket for 1 run, a great yorker. Scoring was tight early, when Tamim Iqbal went for an aggressive backfoot shot and was dropped at first slip on 17. He and Shahriar Nafees added 76 runs to their partnership to have Bangladesh 1/77 at lunch.

Soon after lunch Nafees brought up his 50 off 142 balls. Iqbal creeping to his off 165. Both batsmen loosened up after their respective half-centuries, until 13 minutes from tea, Iqbal was trapped in front for 71 (200). Shakib Al hasan hit three quick boundaries before tea to be 14 (12) with Nafees 85 (217). The score 2/183.

Nafees was painstakingly slow in the 90's due to some nice tight bowling, but he eventually prevailed. Al hasan was LBW for 45 (89) 30 minutes from stumps. Mohammad Ashraful 18 (30) and Nafees 120 (305) took Bangladesh to a sluggish 270 for 3 at stumps. The pitch starting to turn for the spinners yet Kent have not bowled one over of spin yet. Day 2 may change things.

Ashraful was far too late and clean bowled by Kemp without adding to his overnight score, Manjural Islam not long after for 17 (49) and then Reza plumb LBW (a lot of LBW outs I'm noticing) for 2. Nafees finally went slashing outside off caught behind for 146 (366) and the tail was exposed. Simon Cook rolled through Mahbud for 4 (26) Shuvo not troubling the scorers 0 (10) and then Shahzada 3 (13) left Salahuddin not out 24* (42).
Bangladesh all out for 348. Just prior to lunch on day 2.

Two early caught behinds to Farhad Reza and two late catches by Al hasan off the two spinners gave Bangladesh the slight advantage going into th last session having Kent at 119/4.

Kent batting well enough to be 224/7 at stumps, only 100 or so behind with R Key making a solid 83. Walker 43. Kemp 39. Jones currently not out 30 with McLaren 3*.

Still an hour to play in the 1st session of the 3rd day, Kent all out for 262, 86 runs in arrears. The best of the bowlers: Reza 18.1-2-44-4 and Islam 24-5-58-3.
Hossain and Nafees guiding Bangladesh to 33 at lunch. A draw almost certain.

Bangladesh surprisingly threw their wickets away with aggressive batting, trying to reach 200 in front to have a session and a bit at the Kent batsmen, although the clouds are over the light is still good. The pitch has some wear for both bowling types. Hossain made 59 (121) Islam 25 (61) and Nafees 23 (44). 4 ducks.

Kent 2/96. Reza with 2 more wickets looks to be the form bowler. The top 3 of the Bangladeshi batting lineup look to have to form going into the next friendly vs MCC.

Match drawn