Bangladesh v. England - 2nd. Test
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couragous cloke
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Donny
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Clarke gives England the edge after another collapse
The Wisden Bulletin by Freddie Auld
England ended the second day of this Test holding the edge, but only after another shocking collapse in which they lost their last five wickets for 13 runs from 80 balls to be bowled out for 326. Mashrafe Mortaza took a Test-best 4 for 50 and the clatter of wickets again surrendered a strong position and threw away a good start to the day, this time by Nasser Hussain and Chris Read. Rikki Clarke did put England back on track with two quick wickets, but Bangladesh held out to close on a battling 93 for 4.
England's morning progress was solid rather than spectacular, with 74 runs coming in the first two hours for the loss of only Clarke's wicket for 55. Read and Hussain carried on untroubled until lunch, with Hussain happy to play second fiddle. Read was the main aggressor, playing positively from the start, hitting six boundaries and taking the attack to the bowlers.
However, just like yesterday, England suffered a sever bout of the post-lunch blues as the bowlers turned up the heat and the lower-order melted. Read's dismissal started the slide when he was caught by Rajin Saleh at short-leg off Enamul Haque jnr for a bright 37 (313 for 6). One over later and Hussain followed, snicking Mortaza to Khaled Mashud, the wicketkeeper, who took a good catch low to his right for 76 (313 for 7). That left the tail horribly exposed, and it offered precious little resistance as Mortaza cashed in on some cheap wickets. The last three batsmen fell for a miserly 13 runs to complete a wretched hour for England.
On the flat Chittagong pitch, the new ball was vital, and Richard Johnson and Matthew Hoggard both made early breakthroughs. Johnson continued his healthy knack of taking early wickets when he picked up Javed Omar in his second over. Trying to turn a straight ball through midwicket, Omar instead got a leading edge straight to Michael Vaughan at mid-off (6 for 1). Hoggard then tempted Habibul Bashar into a loose drive with a classic awayswinger which he edged head-high to Mark Butcher at gully (44 for 2).
Hannan Sarkar, meanwhile, took the fight to the bowlers and was keen to get forward and drive anything full. For a while, Bangladesh's scoring rate was more sprightly than it had been all series as Sarkar mixed the odd boundary with quick singles on both sides of the wicket. Hoggard, in particular, banged in the short balls to unsettle the batsmen, but it was the improving Clarke who turned the tide England's way.
Clarke replaced Johnson ahead of Martin Saggers, the debutant, and he was rewarded for another tight spell with two wickets in as many balls. His first victim was the big one of Sarkar for 28, with a bit of help from Asoka de Silva, who did his already dwindling popularity in these parts no favours. Sarkar went right back to a full delivery and was hit on the back pad. The ball was arguably missing leg stump, but de Silva quickly made up his mind and sent Sarkar on his way (61 for 3).
And with the first ball of his next over, Clarke dismissed Alok Kapali for a golden duck. Kapali tentatively defended a short ball which kicked up and hit the handle of the bat for Butcher to take his second catch at gully (63 for 4). Clarke was on a hat-trick and Bangladesh were threatening to take a leaf out of England's well-read book on The Art of Collapsing.
But no-one can do it quite like they can, as Rajin Saleh and Mushfiqur Rahman defiantly held out for the last 15 overs. But only just. After Rahman creamed a square-drive for four off Saggers and spanked a Clarke slower-ball to the fence, he was dropped on 14 by Marcus Trescothick at first slip off Hoggard. It was hard chance low to Trescothick's left, but not only did he spill it, he also injured his thumb and had to leave the field immediately to have an X-ray.
Ashley Giles wasn't brought on until the 36th over when the light was fading fast, but he bowled as well as could be expected given his current lack of confidence and was starting to find a rhythm just as the umpires offered the light to the batsmen with four overs of a mixed day for England remaining.
The Wisden Bulletin by Freddie Auld
England ended the second day of this Test holding the edge, but only after another shocking collapse in which they lost their last five wickets for 13 runs from 80 balls to be bowled out for 326. Mashrafe Mortaza took a Test-best 4 for 50 and the clatter of wickets again surrendered a strong position and threw away a good start to the day, this time by Nasser Hussain and Chris Read. Rikki Clarke did put England back on track with two quick wickets, but Bangladesh held out to close on a battling 93 for 4.
England's morning progress was solid rather than spectacular, with 74 runs coming in the first two hours for the loss of only Clarke's wicket for 55. Read and Hussain carried on untroubled until lunch, with Hussain happy to play second fiddle. Read was the main aggressor, playing positively from the start, hitting six boundaries and taking the attack to the bowlers.
However, just like yesterday, England suffered a sever bout of the post-lunch blues as the bowlers turned up the heat and the lower-order melted. Read's dismissal started the slide when he was caught by Rajin Saleh at short-leg off Enamul Haque jnr for a bright 37 (313 for 6). One over later and Hussain followed, snicking Mortaza to Khaled Mashud, the wicketkeeper, who took a good catch low to his right for 76 (313 for 7). That left the tail horribly exposed, and it offered precious little resistance as Mortaza cashed in on some cheap wickets. The last three batsmen fell for a miserly 13 runs to complete a wretched hour for England.
On the flat Chittagong pitch, the new ball was vital, and Richard Johnson and Matthew Hoggard both made early breakthroughs. Johnson continued his healthy knack of taking early wickets when he picked up Javed Omar in his second over. Trying to turn a straight ball through midwicket, Omar instead got a leading edge straight to Michael Vaughan at mid-off (6 for 1). Hoggard then tempted Habibul Bashar into a loose drive with a classic awayswinger which he edged head-high to Mark Butcher at gully (44 for 2).
Hannan Sarkar, meanwhile, took the fight to the bowlers and was keen to get forward and drive anything full. For a while, Bangladesh's scoring rate was more sprightly than it had been all series as Sarkar mixed the odd boundary with quick singles on both sides of the wicket. Hoggard, in particular, banged in the short balls to unsettle the batsmen, but it was the improving Clarke who turned the tide England's way.
Clarke replaced Johnson ahead of Martin Saggers, the debutant, and he was rewarded for another tight spell with two wickets in as many balls. His first victim was the big one of Sarkar for 28, with a bit of help from Asoka de Silva, who did his already dwindling popularity in these parts no favours. Sarkar went right back to a full delivery and was hit on the back pad. The ball was arguably missing leg stump, but de Silva quickly made up his mind and sent Sarkar on his way (61 for 3).
And with the first ball of his next over, Clarke dismissed Alok Kapali for a golden duck. Kapali tentatively defended a short ball which kicked up and hit the handle of the bat for Butcher to take his second catch at gully (63 for 4). Clarke was on a hat-trick and Bangladesh were threatening to take a leaf out of England's well-read book on The Art of Collapsing.
But no-one can do it quite like they can, as Rajin Saleh and Mushfiqur Rahman defiantly held out for the last 15 overs. But only just. After Rahman creamed a square-drive for four off Saggers and spanked a Clarke slower-ball to the fence, he was dropped on 14 by Marcus Trescothick at first slip off Hoggard. It was hard chance low to Trescothick's left, but not only did he spill it, he also injured his thumb and had to leave the field immediately to have an X-ray.
Ashley Giles wasn't brought on until the 36th over when the light was fading fast, but he bowled as well as could be expected given his current lack of confidence and was starting to find a rhythm just as the umpires offered the light to the batsmen with four overs of a mixed day for England remaining.
Donny.
It's a game. Enjoy it.
It's a game. Enjoy it.
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Sultan of spin
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I am a big fan of Nasser Hussian and with Stewart and Gough gone and Caddick not in the side Nasser is about the last old fashioned, traditional english battler left. But I think if Nasser is going to remain in the test side he has to improve his scoring rate, it's not like he was facing Warne and Mc Grath it was only Bangladesh so I don't think there is any excuse for such a poor scoring rate. I must admit though i was disapointed he didn't get a ton after working so hard.
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Donny
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Johnson and Hussain take England out of sight
The Wisden Bulletin by Freddie Auld
For the first time in the series, England enjoyed a day of total domination, starting with Richard Johnson's magic in the morning and ending with Nasser Hussain's evening rampage. England closed the third day on 293 for 5 with a firm stranglehold on the match, extending their lead to a massive 467 against a tired and dispirited Bangladesh side starring down the barrel.
Hussain batted England into an almost certainly unbeatable position, but it was Johnson who got things going with his second five-wicket haul in only his second Test as Bangladesh lost their last six wickets for 61 runs inside 25 overs. They scrambled past the score needed to avoid the follow-on, but their batting was fragile and England's second-string seamers enjoyed their day in the sun.
Johnson (5 for 49), whose extra bounce regularly troubled the batsmen, was the pick of the bunch. Under more pressure to perform with the unwell Rikki Clarke back in the team hotel, he struck three times in the first hour as Bangladesh just about clawed their way towards short-term safety. Rajin Saleh was Johnson's first victim of the day. He attempted to cut a ball which was far too close to him and edged to Chris Read, the wicketkeeper (107 for 5).
In Johnson's next over he removed Khaled Mashud for a duck with a short ball which Mashud could only fend off to substitute fielder Paul Collingwood at third slip (110 for 6). Khaled Mahmud took on the bowling in a successful bid to get Bangladesh to the 127 they needed to avoid the follow-on, but with one run needed a full-length ball leapt a little, caught the shoulder of Mahmud's bat and lobbed to Collingwood (126 for 7).
A delighted Martin Saggers took his first Test wicket, ending Rahman's 95-ball 28 with a peach of a delivery which Rahman nicked behind. Johnson then took his fifth, courtesy of a vile heave from Mashrafe Mortaza who deservedly lost his off stump (138 for 9) and then Saggers wrapped things up when Enamul Haque jnr holed out to Matthew Hoggard at long leg.
England were on a high after a job well done and Mark Butcher, opening in place of the injured Marcus Trescothick, gave them a further lift. He started in a hurry, signalling his intent with a boundary off the first ball of the innings and smacking two more in the next over.
But after he had creamed six boundaries in all, he once again fell victim to left-arm finger spinner Rafique, who has now taken his wicket three times in this series. Butcher was deceived by the quicker ball which he tried to cut but only succeeded in getting a thin edge to Mashud, the wicketkeeper (66 for 1). England then quickly lost their second wicket when Hussain called Michael Vaughan through for a suicidal single but after a mix-up mid pitch, Vaughan was run out by some distance (70 for 2).
Another post-lunch capitulation was on the cards, but Hussain and Graham Thorpe made sure that didn't happen and showed who was boss with an utterly dominating stand of 138. After taking half an hour to get off the mark, Hussain then slowly stamped his authority on the tired attack which was severely missing Mortaza, who left the pitch before tea with a knee injury and will miss the one-day international series. Hussain used his feet well, and drove and cut a barrage of boundaries. He signalled the hundred partnership with a towering straight six off Rafique and for good measure, cut the next ball for another four.
Thorpe went about his business in his own quiet way, knocking off the singles but also crashing anything short in to the midwicket boundary. He didn't even realise when he notched up his half-century, and neither did any of the deadly quiet crowd, which was a measure of how far England were on top.
Rafique gave Bangladesh something to shout about when he trapped Thorpe plum lbw for 54 (208 for 3). But by that stage it didn't really matter. Hussain carried on with ease, nearing his century, passing 20,000 first-class runs, and guiding the lead towards 400. But in the end, Rafique spoiled what would have been the icing on the cake for England with a simple catch off his own bowling to remove Hussain for an exhilarating 95 (231 for 4).
Clarke, up to his eyeballs with Imodium, replaced Hussain and straight away launched Rafique for a straight six in a quick 27 from 15. Read also took his chances, knocking a quick 38 not out, including five classy fours. He added a rapid 59 with Clarke which represented a fine end to what was England's day. Clarke fell lbw to Haque in the final over, and there was then a surprise entrance from Trescothick, who faced one ball before the close.
For Bangladesh, though, the day started badly and got worse. They now have a huge job on their hands to save the match, and considering their highest fourth-innings total is 184, you wouldn't fancy their chances.
The Wisden Bulletin by Freddie Auld
For the first time in the series, England enjoyed a day of total domination, starting with Richard Johnson's magic in the morning and ending with Nasser Hussain's evening rampage. England closed the third day on 293 for 5 with a firm stranglehold on the match, extending their lead to a massive 467 against a tired and dispirited Bangladesh side starring down the barrel.
Hussain batted England into an almost certainly unbeatable position, but it was Johnson who got things going with his second five-wicket haul in only his second Test as Bangladesh lost their last six wickets for 61 runs inside 25 overs. They scrambled past the score needed to avoid the follow-on, but their batting was fragile and England's second-string seamers enjoyed their day in the sun.
Johnson (5 for 49), whose extra bounce regularly troubled the batsmen, was the pick of the bunch. Under more pressure to perform with the unwell Rikki Clarke back in the team hotel, he struck three times in the first hour as Bangladesh just about clawed their way towards short-term safety. Rajin Saleh was Johnson's first victim of the day. He attempted to cut a ball which was far too close to him and edged to Chris Read, the wicketkeeper (107 for 5).
In Johnson's next over he removed Khaled Mashud for a duck with a short ball which Mashud could only fend off to substitute fielder Paul Collingwood at third slip (110 for 6). Khaled Mahmud took on the bowling in a successful bid to get Bangladesh to the 127 they needed to avoid the follow-on, but with one run needed a full-length ball leapt a little, caught the shoulder of Mahmud's bat and lobbed to Collingwood (126 for 7).
A delighted Martin Saggers took his first Test wicket, ending Rahman's 95-ball 28 with a peach of a delivery which Rahman nicked behind. Johnson then took his fifth, courtesy of a vile heave from Mashrafe Mortaza who deservedly lost his off stump (138 for 9) and then Saggers wrapped things up when Enamul Haque jnr holed out to Matthew Hoggard at long leg.
England were on a high after a job well done and Mark Butcher, opening in place of the injured Marcus Trescothick, gave them a further lift. He started in a hurry, signalling his intent with a boundary off the first ball of the innings and smacking two more in the next over.
But after he had creamed six boundaries in all, he once again fell victim to left-arm finger spinner Rafique, who has now taken his wicket three times in this series. Butcher was deceived by the quicker ball which he tried to cut but only succeeded in getting a thin edge to Mashud, the wicketkeeper (66 for 1). England then quickly lost their second wicket when Hussain called Michael Vaughan through for a suicidal single but after a mix-up mid pitch, Vaughan was run out by some distance (70 for 2).
Another post-lunch capitulation was on the cards, but Hussain and Graham Thorpe made sure that didn't happen and showed who was boss with an utterly dominating stand of 138. After taking half an hour to get off the mark, Hussain then slowly stamped his authority on the tired attack which was severely missing Mortaza, who left the pitch before tea with a knee injury and will miss the one-day international series. Hussain used his feet well, and drove and cut a barrage of boundaries. He signalled the hundred partnership with a towering straight six off Rafique and for good measure, cut the next ball for another four.
Thorpe went about his business in his own quiet way, knocking off the singles but also crashing anything short in to the midwicket boundary. He didn't even realise when he notched up his half-century, and neither did any of the deadly quiet crowd, which was a measure of how far England were on top.
Rafique gave Bangladesh something to shout about when he trapped Thorpe plum lbw for 54 (208 for 3). But by that stage it didn't really matter. Hussain carried on with ease, nearing his century, passing 20,000 first-class runs, and guiding the lead towards 400. But in the end, Rafique spoiled what would have been the icing on the cake for England with a simple catch off his own bowling to remove Hussain for an exhilarating 95 (231 for 4).
Clarke, up to his eyeballs with Imodium, replaced Hussain and straight away launched Rafique for a straight six in a quick 27 from 15. Read also took his chances, knocking a quick 38 not out, including five classy fours. He added a rapid 59 with Clarke which represented a fine end to what was England's day. Clarke fell lbw to Haque in the final over, and there was then a surprise entrance from Trescothick, who faced one ball before the close.
For Bangladesh, though, the day started badly and got worse. They now have a huge job on their hands to save the match, and considering their highest fourth-innings total is 184, you wouldn't fancy their chances.
Donny.
It's a game. Enjoy it.
It's a game. Enjoy it.
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Donny
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Let's hope the Poms show some backbone and declare on the overnight score. They have a lead of 467.
For Bangladesh to win, they'd need to break the world record and if the equal 3rd. rated team in the world is wary of that from the 10th. rated team, there's a bigger problem in English cricket than we think.
If they bat on today and Bangladesh somehow scramble a draw - yes, highly improbable - the psychological damage would be immense.
For Bangladesh to win, they'd need to break the world record and if the equal 3rd. rated team in the world is wary of that from the 10th. rated team, there's a bigger problem in English cricket than we think.
If they bat on today and Bangladesh somehow scramble a draw - yes, highly improbable - the psychological damage would be immense.
Donny.
It's a game. Enjoy it.
It's a game. Enjoy it.