Published: Oct 30, 2016, 04:22 PM (IST)
Edited: Oct 30, 2016, 05:30 PM (IST)
Bangladesh led by their spinners outwitted the England batsmen, who were caught in a web spun by Mehedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan enabling their side a 108-run victory. Set a target of 273 runs to win with two full days of cricket left Mehedi and Shakib ensured that England does not bat into Day 5. Bangladesh by winning this match has also equaled the two Test series much to the jubilation of the fans. This is also their first ever win over England in Test. After initial success in the second session, England batsmen were caught napping in a bid to play the willy Mehedi. Mehedi started with collapse snatching the wicket of Ben Duckett in the very first over of the final session. Shakib struck soon getting the wicket of Joe Root. Root was wrapped on the front foot departing for 2-ball 1. FULL Cricket Scorecard: Bangladesh vs England, 2nd Test at Mirpur
Post Root’s wicket the Mehedi show commenced. Mehedi got 2 wickets in an over to down the England batting. Gary Ballance’s poor run with the bat continued as Mehedi bowled a slower one only to catch his bat-face for Tamim Iqbal to catch at mid-off. His second wicket came in the form of Moeen Ali. Moeen got cleaned up by a Mehedi drifter from round the wicket which wrapped him on his pads. Mehedi’s fourth wicket came in the form of Alastair Cook for 59. Mehedi tossed the ball-up inviting Cook to fend it on the front foot. Cook completed missed the ball and is wrapped on the pads.
Mehedi’s fifth wicket came in the form of Jonathan Bairstow. Bairstow got out playing a nothing shot, giving a simple catch to leg-slip. Bairstow looked in hurry to score quick runs which went against this time around. With this Mehedi notched up his third 5-for in just his 2nd Test for Bangladesh.
Shakib soon sprung back into action dismissing England’s danger-man Ben Stokes. Shakib gets the ball to fizz past Stokes’s bat and onto his off-stump. Just the delivery Shakib is known for. Adil Rashid comes into bat and gets peach of a delivery first-up. Shakib bowled a fuller-ball which caught Rashid on the back leg. Shakib nearly missed out on a hat-trick but grabbed his fourth in the form of Zafar Ansari. Ansari trying to flick, manages to bat pad the ball into the hands of short-leg.
Final England wicket was fittingly grabbed by Mehedi. Steven Finn became his sixth scalp via a simple leg-before decision. Finn in an attempt to flick the ball misses it completes and it struck in the pads. This is indeed a historic victory for Bangladesh and their first over England in as many as 10 Tests. Also, this is their first major victory in Tests since 2009, where they beat West Indies by 4 wickets.
Second Test was started with Bangladesh winning the toss managing to take their total to 224 thanks a superlative ton by Tamim. Moeen continued to the star with the ball for England picking up another 5-wicket haul. England once again didn’t manage to get going as their top-order floundered but Joe Root played a tenacious knock of 56 and tried his best to weather the early storm and sail the English ship out of choppy waters. Their lower-order did well in getting some valuable runs and helping their side a 24-run lead.
England won the first Test by 22 runs after both teams’ ensured the game into Day 5 and enthralled fans all-around to gain a 1-0 series lead. Mehedi was rightfully announced as Man of the Series scalping 19-wickets at 15.63 average.
Bangladesh 220 (Tamim Iqbal 104 , Mominul Haque 66 ; Moeen Ali 5 for 57, Chris Woakes 3 for 30) & 273 (Tamim Iqbal 40, Imrul Kayes 78, Mahmudullah 47; Adil Rashid 4 for 52, Ben Stokes 2 for 41) beat England 224 ( Joe Root 56, Chris Woakes 46, Adil Rashid 44*; Mehedi Hasan 6 for 82, Taijul Islam 3 for 65) & 164 (Ben Duckett 56 , Alastair Cook 59; Mehedi Hasan 6 for 77 ) by 108 runs.
