Day one report
So, a great job from England’s middle order has put them in the ascendancy, but the hero of the day, without doubt, is Mehedi Hasan who, on debut and aged 18, has taken 5-64. and he’s taken them bowling superbly too, employing turn, drift and guile. See you tomorrow!
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92nd over: England 258-7 (Woakes 36, Rashid 5) Kamrul’s third ball is an off-cutter and Rashid shoulders arms theatrically - it misses his off-stump, but by very little indeed. So, next up, he pulls and they run hard for three, then a single to Woakes brings him back on strike for the final ball of this very special elongated day. Rashid leaves it, and that’s stumps.
91st over: England 254-7 (Woakes 35, Rashid 2) An actual extra over! I feel faint. Mehedi returns for it, and its third ball yields a leg-bye - Rashid isn’t wasting the chance to get down the other end - but he’ll have to face again, BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING 92! On which point, if you’ve not seen this, I highly recommend it.
90th over: England 253-7 (Woakes 35, Rashid 2) Ah - it won’t be another over of Mehedi, rather Kamrul- and actually, there might be time for a 91st and perhaps 92nd spin. Anyhow, Rashid takes a single off the first ball and Woakes then misses with an airy drive - that was not wise behaviour, for which he immediately makes up, timing a four through cover. Lovely shot. Kamrul retorts with a wide, and we’re not quite done for the day.
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89th over: England 247-7 (Woakes 31, Rashid 1) Shakib is in for his 19th and final over of the day, which Woakes plays watchfully - not sure he’ll be seeking singles now. And shonuff he plays out a maiden - enjoy, Adil, old boy.
88th over: England 247-7 (Woakes 31, Rashid 1) Woakes takes a single off Mehedi’s first ball and well he might, then Rashid flips one around the corner - that’s him off the mark after 20 deliveries. Woakes adds one more, and provided there are no more wickets in the two remaining overs, this is probably now England’s day.
87th over: England 244-7 (Woakes 29, Rashid 0) The batsmen are just making sure that they’re there tomorrow now, Rashid ignoring everything that he can and handing Shakib his fourth miaden of the day.
86th over: England 244-7 (Woakes 29, Rashid 0) Woakes pushes a single to mid-on, and then the next delivery - a beauty - drifts, grips and turns, forsaking Rashid and Mushfiqur at the cost of three byes. That’ll learn you, Mehedi old boy.
This has nothing whatsoever to do with cricket, but given we’re all reading words, we can appreciate the artistry of this, which has just come to my attention. Do, though, feel free to send in your cricket/hip-hop segues.
It's the mighty mos def pic.twitter.com/Rl5myT4apj
— Heel Ambrose (@thecolourdeebs) October 16, 2016
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85th over: England 240-7 (Woakes 28, Rashid 0) Shakib into the attack and the ball’s turning for him - of course it is. Woakes picks up another single in what’s turned into a highly useful knock, before Rashid either leaves or dead bats the three balls that are left.
84th over: England 239-7 (Woakes 27, Rashid 0) Single to Woakes and then Rashid takes one on the pad, but he’s retreating towards leg. Not out says Chris Gaffaney, and Bangladesh review ... not out, drifting down leg side.
“Much as Aggers is right about the renaissance of conventional finger spinners (Swann the best evidence),” emails Christopher Dale, “it’s worth emphasising how important DRS and changes to the LBW laws regarding being hit outside the line have been. For as long as one could press forward and smother off-spin without any real threat of being out LBW, bowlers needed a ball that broke the other way to threaten. With that no longer the case, it’s far easier for finger-spinners to flourish.”
It is, though Swann was helped by ripping the ball as hard as he could every time. Because of it he gotnatural variation that even he couldn’t predict, so the batters for sure had no clue when it was coming.
83rd over: England 238-7 (Woakes 26, Rashid 0) Taijul comes on and it’s now spin from both ends - I wonder how this will work when England field. They’re spin attack is whatever at best, and Broad and Woakes might just find some reverse. Anyway, they add one, a single into the leg side from Woakes.
82nd over: England 237-7 (Woakes 25) “Isn’t ‘top’, as well as being relative, also superlative,” emails Luke Williams. “You can’t get higher, relatively speaking, than the top? That makes ‘a top, top player’ tautological, unless you are talking about playing with a spinning top.”
I think that was what I meant, properly expressed. Meanwhile, Rupert higham says that “I personally like the adjectival phrase ‘mighty fine’. In this context, though, usage might risk another commentator’s curse...”, while Chris Drew teaches us the word “polyptoton”.
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WICKET! Bairstow b Mehedi 52 (England 237-7)
Five for Mehedi, ON DEBUT, AGED 18! This is curious dismissal, a quicker delivery that’s missed entirely, skidding past the bat and rapping middle and off.
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82nd over: England 237-6 (Bairstow 52, Woakes 24) Mehedi takes the new ball and Woakes edges his second delivery - but it loops up and plummets in front of short leg! That was close and they amble a single, then the next ball is missed by Bairstow, trying the sweep. There’s an appeal for lb, but the pitch was outside the line.
81st over: England 235-6 (Bairstow 51, Woakes 24) Shafiul doesn’t, in fact, take the new ball, deciding to have a couple of looseners first. In commentary, the prevailing opinion is that this cedes some advantage to the batter, but perhaps facing apparently the same thing, only for different things to happen, is difficult. Anyway, Woakes nudges the first delivery behind square on the off side and they run two, before some width allows him to throw hands, clattering four through cover. Oh, and there are four more, edged through slip with soft hands. Ten off the over
80th over: England 225-6 (Bairstow 51, Woakes 14) Mominul comes on to bowl the final over the with old ball and Bairstow is watchful. In the meantime, Sam Al-hamdani returns too note that Wasim Akram made his Test debut batting at 11, and later hit 267. Maiden.
78th over: England 224-6 (Bairstow 50, Woakes 14) Sabbir into the attack, and Bairstow bunts one into the off side, ambling through for a single - this has been a fine knock, in a run of fine knocks. And then Woakes puts an exclamation mark on things with a four from the last ball of the over, pulled to midwicket.
Not long ago we were told no future for finger spinners. Had to be mystery/doosra etc. Here old fashioned 18 yr old has shown that's rubbish
— Jonathan Agnew (@Aggerscricket) October 20, 2016
He’s right of course, but I couldn’t help but think of this.
79th over: England 225-6 (Bairstow 51, Woakes 14) Well done Gary Naylor, James Brough, David Brown and Simon Thomas, all of whom point out the Wilfred Rhodes started life as a number 11 and had a Test best of 179. Meanwhile, Sam Al-Hamdani points out that no one has scored more than 169 from number 7 or lower and subsequently batted at 11. One off the over.
77th over: England 219-6 (Bairstow 49, Woakes 10) Taijul persuades one to bounce and Woakes takes it off his pads to get one behind square on the off side. Bairstow then outside edges one, but with soft hands, adding one more to the total.
“Jonny is indeed so, so good,” emails Mark Lewis. “Does this also make him a top, top player?”
I think they might be different, as “top” is relative to something, whereas “so” is a measure of intensity. Maybe.
Anyway, drinks.
76th over: England 217-6 (Bairstow 48, Woakes 9) the second new ball is due in four overs after this one, which might give Bangladesh some impetus - I wonder if they’ll bother with pace, or just give their spinners a shy with the harder, er, cherry. The batters take a single each, then Bairstow twists two to midwicket, and he is looking so, so good. Is so, so good qualitatively different to so good?
75th over: England 213-6 (Bairstow 45, Woakes 8) Woakes is looking to get the scoreboard moving, and after four dots waves the bat at one which earns him a single into the off side. Bairstow then retorts.
Various of you are getting in touch to mention Jason Gillespie’s 201* in Chittagong, but he never batted at 11 and it came in his final Test.
74th over: England 211-6 (Bairstow 44, Woakes 7) Single to each batsman and Woakes looks acclimatised and acclimated now. Acclimated. Really.
73rd over: England 209-6 (Bairstow 43, Woakes 6) A maiden from Taijul, which I’d hoped might facilitate an answer to the following poser sent in by Tom Bowtell. it did not.
“I’m wondering if Broad’s 169 the highest Test best that someone officially selected to go in at 11 has ever had?”
If we’re excluding those batting there because of injury, I guess it might be.
72nd over: England 209-6 (Bairstow 43, Woakes 6) Leading edge from Bairsterr, early on a slower one - surely it’s not just me who reads his name in that accent - but the ball drops safe, shy of short midwicket and mid-on. He curses himself and gets back on with things, soon swiping two to square-leg; what an oversight it was dropping him on 13.
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71st over: England 207-6 (Bairstow 41, Woakes 6) Taijul returns and when he serves up a short, wide one Woakes waits, stands tall, and clobbers it through cover. Three singles from the over too, and England are still going well.
“’Bangladesh look out of ideas here’,” quotes Phil Sawyer. “Someone needs to take a long hard look at themselves.”
I can’t believe it took so long. But I did it on purpose - Mehedi deserves more wickets, and I’m vicariously living my lost youth through him. Sorry!
70th over: England 200-6 (Bairstow 39, Woakes 1) More beautiful bowling from Mehedi, tossing one up that turns between bat and pad as Woakes misses with the drive. The ball bounces over the stumps and runs away for four byes.
“I was slightly disappointed to wake up and find that I’d already missed Duckett’s debut knock,” emails Richard Jansz-Moore. “Hopefully he can hang around a bit longer in his next innings. Based on the current set up’s way of sticking with players how long do you think they will give him to establish himself?
Also as a Northants fan is it bad that I was glad to see Duckett make his test debut before Willey? Considering that the reason Willey gave for leaving Northants was to improve his chances of getting into the test team. Now if only Duckett can establish himself, hopefully he can show that you can play for a “minor” county and still get picked for England!”
I’m sure Duckett will get a proper go, though it’s a matter of time before he moves down the order and Hameed comes in for Ballance, I’d say. And it’s never bad to laugh at misfortune - it’s only sport, after all.
69th over: England 196-6 (Bairstow 39, Woakes 1) Single to leg brings Woakes onto strike and he’ll be happy to start against Shafiul, I shouldn’t wonder. Well, we’ll see him against spin in a minute, because he takes one off the final ball of the over, bumped to mid-off.
68th over: England 194-6 (Bairstow 36) Mehedi now has 4-53, aged 18, on debut; the partnership was 88.
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WICKET! Moeen Ali c Mushfiqur b Mehedi 68 (England 194-6)
What a delivery this is! From around the wicket, it drifts in then spins away, cutting across the face of Moeen’s bat and wiping itself across a chunky edge -and that’s an excellent snaffle behind the stumps too.
Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images
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67th over: England 189-5 (Ali 65, Bairstow 36) Bangladesh look out of ideas here as Shafiul continues - but that is no barrier to taking wickets. The problem is that they’re now faced with two set batsmen, so bowling dry is difficult - this is a decent over, but still yields two singles.
66th over: England 187-5 (Ali 64, Bairstow 35) Mehedi’s second ball here is a jaffa, gripping and fuller, then spinning past Moeen’s outside edge. But Moeen is serene, flipping a single into the leg side and relaxing at the other end.
65th over: England 186-5 (Ali 63, Bairstow 35) Shafiul continues and Bairstow deals beautifully with one that actually bounces, stepping back and softhandsing it for four down to third man. He really is very very good now, far better than I thought that backswing would allow him to be. If he and Moeen are still batting in ten overs, Bangladesh are in trouble.
64th over: England 181-5 (Ali 62, Bairstow 31) Mehedi, the star of the day, has the ball, and Bairstow is watchful, protecting his stumps. But then he goes down on one knee to sweep one, the fielder catches, and the umpires call for a review ... which shows that the ball was hit into the ground. Which makes it five dots, only for the final ball to be delivered short, allowing Bairstow to flow backwards in his crease and stroke four through cover.
“So Aidan’s dad reads him the batting line up before school and his mum makes him watch Strictly Come Dancing,” emails Tom Morgan. “And they talk about declining family values.”
63rd over: England 177-5 (Ali 62, Bairstow 27) Moeen runs a single down to third man, but Bairstow then misses out on a leg-side delivery - only Mushfiqur takes it on the hand and they nab two byes. Another one on the pads is glanced behind for a single, and that’s a decent start for England.
Pace to begin with - Shafiul has the ball, and has 0-12 off 4 so far today.
Out come the batsmen. The first hour is crucial/whichever team wins this session will be happy/a wicket would make a huge difference.
Tea-time email: “‘Batty is a good one because his name starts ‘bat’ and that’s the thing you hold’ — verdict of Aidan, four, when I read out the team,” says Smylers. “My spouse recently got him into Strictly Come Dancing and noticed the aspects he was most into were the scores and the order the performers appeared, rather than the actual dancing, so it seemed worth trying him on cricket. He enjoyed looking at the OBO before school, reading the numbers as each over appeared. Handily the batters at the time all had names that can be read using phonics: Root and Ali, then Stokes, who has a magic E.
He sounds very mature for a 4-year-old.
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62nd over: England 173-5 (Ali 61, Bairstow 26) Shakib wheels in and Bairstow is circumspect, mainly sitting on the crease and protecting his stumps. The batters have a little chinwag in the middle after five balls to make sure that they face only one more, and then amble off after a very acceptable session, which yielded 92 runs for the loss of just two wickets. The partnership is now 67 and we’ll be back presently.
61st over: England 173-5 (Ali 61, Bairstow 26) For this first time today, you could say that England are now controlling the pace of things, and perhaps even in the ascendancy. It’s now fair to expect them to get towards 250 - though a wicket now, and they could end up skittled for barely 200. Which is a long-winded way of saying the match is beautifully poised. Another maiden from Taijul, but a more testing one than the last, testing Moeen with his flight. One more over before tea.
60th over: England 173-5 (Ali 61, Bairstow 26) So, off goes Mahmudullah and on comes Shakib as Athers tells us the pitch looks like it’s suffered three days of cricket. Moeen takes a single from the third ball, bumped into the covers, but otherwise this is a nondescript over.
59th over: England 172-5 (Ali 60, Bairstow 26) Taijul is quietly going about his business, but there’s not as much point to his maidens - of which there are now six - when the batsmen are cashing in at the other end.
58th over: England 172-5 (Ali 60, Bairstow 26) Mahmudullah hasn’t settled into his spell yet, and Moeen takes advantage, sauntering down the track to crack four over the top. And then a fuller one floats into the slot so gets the treatment two, driven hard down the ground. That’s 17 off two Mahmudullah overs, and tangentially, if had a terrace song, this would be it.
57th over: England 163-5 (Ali 52, Bairstow 26) A quieter over, one from it. But this is good partnership now, 58 off 16.2 overs.
56th over: England 163-5 (Ali 51, Bairstow 26) Mahmudullah returns, and Bairstow wastes no time clubbing a wide one to the point fence. He’s taking great care not to miss out when the bowlers send him a loose one. And there he goes again, picking the length of a short one, rocking back, and carting it to square-leg. Bairstow now has more than 1000 Test runs this year, only the second wicket-keeper to achieve that feat - the first was Andy Flower, who got 1045 in 2000. He played nine tests, to Bairstow’s 11 so far, averaging 80.38 compared to 78.00.
55th over: England 154-5 (Ali 50, Bairstow 18) I know there’s a way to go, but if Moeen can convert this, England will be in a strong position. It’s good to see that Sky’s commentators are wearing ties in this heat - I’ve got one on too, which gives you a real sense of how important this all is. So, sartorialists of the OBO, is there ever a circumstance in which it’s legitimate to insist that people make themselves uncomfy and silly, by prescribing a collar and accoutrements? And don’t give me weddings. Maiden, by the way.
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54th over: England 154-5 (Ali 50, Bairstow 18) This England selection, then - what, exactly, has Ballance done to demand inclusion, save a good summer two-and-a-half years ago? Anyway, Kamrul returns and his loosener gets the treatment, a low full-toss that’s battered back past him. And then, two balls later, he’s loose again, so the same thing happens again, this time through cover, which makes it a fifty for Moeen. Just the five reviews and the one not taken when he was actually gone, in a chanceless innings so far.
53rd over: England 146-5 (Ali 42, Bairstow 18) Taijul sends a nondescript delivery that spins away and sits up, so Bairstows rises and times a glide through point for four. That was beautifully controlled - it looked like the fielder would catch up with it, but as it turned out he was nowhere near. But Taijul responds well, spinning a fuller one away, tempting Bairstow to push forwards and fence laterally - the edge dropped just in front of first slip.
52nd over: England 142-5 (Ali 42, Bairstow 14) Here comes Mehedi again - what had you done by the time you were 18? He gets one to properly grip and rip too, beating Moeen on the outside. But then, to the final ball, he gets down on one knee and flips over his shoulder for two.
51st over: England 140-5 (Ali 40, Bairstow 14) That’s more like it - another maiden. This really is shaping up into an excellent contest, which is great news for Test cricket. Especially given west Indies travails, it’s desperate for another serious team.
50th over: England 140-5 (Ali 40, Bairstow 14) Runs! Moeen twinkles down the track and feathers Mehedi over long-on for six! This isn’t something we say of cricketers too often, but he really is a beautiful mover. Then, two balls later, he welts four through midwicket; England needed that.
“Morning Daniel. Watching elite sport whilst also eating some croissants and pain au chocolate,” emails Chris Drew.
I feel like I’m going to attract opprobrium for this, but I take joy in neither of those two aspects. Chilli McCoys and a tube of Refreshers, on the other hand...
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49th over: England 128-5 (Ali 29, Bairstow 13) Bangladesh have England in a strait-jacket here, and Bairstow tries the kind of drive that is not at all what’s required or viable on this track. Shonuff he edges ... but it’s dropped at one! That wasn’t a dolly, as it was low, but it was precisely what the man was there for. And yet, he contrived to impart not even a finger, taking a knuck on the shin in instead. He earned it.
“Death,” emails Joe Haycock. “I haven’t tried it but I assume it’s not as painful as reading about an England batting collapse.”
Does this count as a collapse? I’m not sure, not yet. But here’s Rob Smyth on that precise pleasure. And tangentially, that reminds me of a great nickname I heard - “Suicide”, for the bloke in every office who’s done everything, it being the only thing he’s not tried. Accordingly, send any other nicknames and yarns this way.
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48th over: England 128-5 (Ali 29, Bairstow 13) Another maiden. Moeen was deceived in the flight by Mehedi, but Bangladesh are now out of reviews.
Not out! The ball pitched outside leg!
Five survived reviews! Is that a record?
48th over: England 128-5 (Ali 29, Bairstow 13)
In comes Mehedi, over the wicket to Moeen, trying to tie him down rather than attack the stumps and pad. But, sure enough, he still finds that pad with one that barely turns, but straightens and kicks on ... they appeal, the umpire says no, and Moeen faces his fifth review!
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47th over: England 128-5 (Ali 29, Bairstow 13) Morning and afternoon all. Taijul Islam replaces Shakib Al Hasan and twirls through a maiden as Bairstow has a good look at him.
Let’s try a riff: things in the world that are better than elite sport during the working day. I’ll wait.
46th over: England 128-5 (Ali 29, Bairstow 13) Moeen Ali threatens to get that strike rate to 30 with a crisp slow sweep, on bended knee, for four. Perhaps time for a change from Mehedi’s end? There’s a change here, anyhow. I’m done for the day and will be replaced by Daniel Harris.
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45th over: England 124-5 (Ali 25, Bairstow 13) Another loose Shakib delivery – this one short and wide outside off stump – is cut away by Bairstow for a third boundary. An over-correction brings two byes down the leg side.
1000+ Test runs for Jonny Bairstow this year. 2nd wicketkeeper to score 1000+ in a year after Andy Flower's 1045 runs in 2000. #BanvsEng
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) October 20, 2016
44th over: England 118-5 (Ali 25, Bairstow 9) An 18th over of turn and bite for Hasan, who must be starting to feel the strain. Then again, he’s an 18-year-old on Test debut, so this must be the best moments of his life so far. Bowl on, young’un. Felix Wood writes in: “I think it’s a bit early to start tutting about incorrect selections of certain players, but as a rule of the thumb – a team with Jos Buttler in it is more exciting that one without. If the selectors could find their way to getting him in the team soon that would be great.” As much as I love Jos Buttler – who in their right mind doesn’t? – watching him against spin might just be the proof we need that he is indeed human.
43rd over: England 116-5 (Ali 24, Bairstow 8) Another wayward delivery from Shakib – he’s had a few today – and Bairstow gets off the mark with a four, swept fine. The follow-up is a full toss which is put away through a vacant midwicket. Jonny’s up and running...
@markbutcher72 Don't know what you mean😃.Jokes apart this offie is good, Mehdi Hasan.
— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) October 20, 2016
42nd over: England 107-5 (Ali 23, Bairstow 0) “270?” asks Chris Drew. “I’ll happily take 170 from here!” Ali works the ball off the pitch as Mehedi gets one to bounce, picking up a single to wide mid on.
41st over: England 106-5 (Ali 22, Bairstow 2) Such a good delivery. If you don’t have access to Sky, highlights of today play – and the whole Test series – will be shown on ITV4. Worth watching for that wicket alone. Wonderful stuff from Shakib.
WICKET! Stokes b Shakib 18 (England 106-5)
Nevermind me – Shakib loved bowling that one to Stokes! A belter turns through the forward press, between bat and pad, and clips the top of off. Dipped late, span big – around the wicket to the left-hander, too. Absolutely worldie!
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40th over: England 106-4 (Ali 22, Stokes 18) A well-hit two to midwicket from Ali is spoiled somewhat by missing out on a long hop the very next ball. With the whole of the off side to pilfer, he manages to find the one man in the cover region, who “I can see why England left out Hameed,” writes Kevin Wilson. “After all, Test cricket’s tough for a 19-year-old. It’s not like England’s chief tormenter in this Test so far is an 18-year-old debutant!”
“I’m pretty disappointed in the Ballance selection. He did nothing last summer and it’s a completely conservative pick. England talk up their strength in depth but they don’t have it in batting at all. Who’s the best batsman of slow bowling in the county circuit? Because England are going to be facing a hell of a lot of it.” Honestly, Kevin, I think Ballance is a very good player of spin. I do agree that he represents a conservative pick in this instance but I can understand why, as the man in possession, he has been given this Test. Then again, is this not the perfect series to see what Hameed is made of? That sound you can hear is my shuffling uncomfortably on the fence.
39th over: England 104-4 (Ali 20, Stokes 18) You get the impression Shakib isn’t too keen on bowling most of his deliveries at Stokes. The allrounder is using his feet well and is able to release the pressure with a couple of nice twos – fine and through midwicket – as Shakib tries to pin him to the crease.
38th over: England 100-4 (Ali 20, Stokes 14) 227 balls into the innings and the 100 comes up with a single to wide mid on, as Stokes pushes and runs. It’s been slow going but it certainly has been entertaining. I reckon 270 is a very good score here.
37th over: England 98-4 (Ali 19, Stokes 13) Another maiden, albeit a different one from Stokes, as he tries to manufacture something from very little offered by Shakib. Unnerved by a six at the end of his previous over, most of these deliveries are flat.
36th over: England 98-4 (Ali 19, Stokes 13) Ali retreats back into his shell after the hell-raising experience of pushing a single in the previous over. Plays out a maiden to Mehedi when, perhaps, there were a couple of singles to be taken.
35th over: England 98-4 (Ali 19, Stokes 13) Stokes attempts a sweep, as Shakib , over the wicket, pitches on leg stump. Somehow, the ball is scuffed towards backward point. He gets enough on a similar delivery moments later, for a single. Ali then gets his first run in 14 balls. Comfortable enough, Stokes decides to finish the over with a skip and a hoik over wide long on for six!
@AWSStats believes Moeen is the first batsman to have had three successful reviews in an innings
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) October 20, 2016
34th over: England 90-4 (Ali 18, Stokes 6) Shouts of “catch” as Stokes goes on the back foot and forces a good length ball through cover for one. No chance of a catch, even if the ball was in the air, as Stokes adjusts to cut the ball to the left of short cover. Again, Ali dots out...
33rd over: England 89-4 (Ali 18, Stokes 5) More or less a carbon copy of the previous over: Stokes with one off the third, Ali with nothing off the final three. For now – i.e. the last couple of overs – Shakib and Mehedi have just spun the ball a bit too much.
32nd over: England 88-4 (Ali 18, Stokes 4) Stokes is keen to get a move on, it seems. he’s not taking any risks, mind, but he’s picking up any scraps out there to watch from the nonstriker’s end. Not a bad idea considering how much turn is out there. Ali, watchful, patient, king of the review, blocks on.
31st over: England 87-4 (Ali 18, Stokes 3) AA Runs off Shakib, as both Ali and Stokes push straight before Stokes sweeps hard to backward square leg.
@Vitu_E Gary Ballance as Wayne Rooney? A player everyone except the management can see is not good enough, and slightly rotund to boot.
— Jimmy Tyldesley (@JimmyTyldesley) October 20, 2016
A bit harsh, for mine. Can see the reason for sticking with him, even if it did mean we have to wait a bit longer before we begin Time Of Has.
@Vitu_E Gary Ballance as Wayne Rooney? A player everyone except the management can see is not good enough, and slightly rotund to boot.
— Jimmy Tyldesley (@JimmyTyldesley) October 20, 2016
30th over: England 84-4 (Ali 17, Stokes 1) No need for reviews there – Root’s thick edge and Mushfiqur’s lithe thigh are enough for England’s fourth wicket. And a third for the impressive Mehedi Hasan. Ben Stokes is the next man in and immediately gets off the mark with a single.
WICKET! Root c Rahman b Mehedi 38 (England 83-4)
A fine delivery from Mehedi Hasan goes across Root and catches the edge. Mushfiqur’s hands are nowhere near it but the ball deflects off his right leg and balloons to first slip, who takes a simple catch.
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29th over: England 83-3 (Root 38, Ali 17) After 10 minutes, two LBW appeals given out and two successful reviews, the first over after lunch, bowled by Shakib Al Hasan, ends in a maiden.
NOT OUT AGAIN!
Outside the line – comfortably so.
If he's finally got his man here, Dharmasena should give Moeen a send off
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) October 20, 2016
REVIEW (England)
Moeen Ali struck on the pad, Kumar Dharmasena puts his finger up...
NOT OUT!
That’s a second successful review for Moeen Ali. The impact of ball on pad was right in front of middle and off – the turn taking it an inch or so wide of leg stump.
REVIEW (England)
Two balls after the restart, Shakib turns one past the inside edge of Ali and knocks the pad, drawing Dharamasena’s finger once more. Ali reviews immediately... turning too much?
5 lefties in England's top 6.. not sure that's wise with all the bunsens (& R Ashwin) to come this winter #BANvENG
— mark butcher (@markbutcher72) October 20, 2016
In case you missed it – England Women completed a 3-2 ODI series win against West Indies yesterday. It leaves them just one win away from qualifying for next year’s World Cup, which will be hosted over in England.
LUNCH
28th over: England 81-3 (Root 38, Ali 16) Bit of part-time leg spin to see us through to the first interval. Sabbir Rahman, another debutant, is brought into the attack. He has cover on the leg side, which is good considering he starts with a long hop that Root mistimes for a single. Ali gets himself in a muddle, staying back to a full delivery, but gets a good stride out to the ball before watching the spin off the pitch and taking a single to midwicket before walking off with Joe Root for a well-earned break.
27th over: England 79-3 (Root 37, Ali 16) Glorious from Moeen Ali, as he skips down the track and whips the ball away over midwicket for a couple, as the boundary is prevented thanks to some sharp work from a fielder diving onto the ball at the last moment. Another sweep brings an appeal – only this one is adjudged out. Ali reviews and gets away with another fluffed shot across the line. He’s had some good fortune this morning. Needs to make it count.
NOT OUT
Oh wow... saved by the faintest under edge! The impact looked good – or, at the very least, that it would stay with the on-field decision – but Ultra Edge shows a spike as the ball passes under bat.
REVIEW (England)
Moeen Ali sweeps (again) and misses (again) and is adjudged LBW by Umpire Dharmasena. He reviews almost instantly, after a quick look to Joe Root, perhaps believing he has been struck outside the line...
26th over: England 77-3 (Root 37, Ali 14) Taijul’s extra pace and flatter trajectory – he gets low, almost Paul Adam’s like in delivery – sees a missed sweep pass through the legs of Musfiqur Rahim behind the stumps for byes.
25th over: England 69-3 (Root 34, Ali 13) Kamrul Islam Rabbi is no more. I mean, he’s still about, but not with the ball as Shakib replaces him. Three singles are taken from the over, but it could have been more were it not for the backside of short leg getting between Joe Root and a boundary to fine leg.
Imagine it's very uncomfortable on the outfield #BANvENG - temp currently 32°C with humidity of 70% - that'll feel like 40°C! 😓 #bbccricket
— Simon King (@SimonOKing) October 20, 2016
24th over: England 66-3 (Root 32, Ai 12) Ali sweeps and is subject to yet another LBW appeal. “Not out”, answers umpire Chris Gaffney. A thick inside edge beats the man around the corner but the ball after brings another appeal, as Taijul beats the inside edge. It looks like Ali has got outside the line of the ball. This “not out” is greeted by the innings’ second review... this one stays with the onfield umpire (impact outside off stump judged “umpire’s call”). And there’s a nice one for Ali to end on – a drag down which he slaps to the square leg fence for four.
23rd over: England 60-3 (Root 32, Ali 6) More signs of variable bounce from Kamrul but it doesn’t deter Root from walking at the seamer and carving him behind point for four. Staggering how easy he makes it look. The replay highlights the beauty of the shot: with a few steps, he gets into the perfect position and is still at the point of impact.
22nd over: England 56-3 (Root 28, Ali 6) Taijul Islam, who has an international hat trick to his name, is brought into the attack and starts with a maiden. For a moment, it looks like Ali wants to take him downtown, but opts out of the shot as the ball dips and smothers the spin with bat and pad.
21st over: England 56-3 (Root 28, Ali 6) Root looking comfortable, doing that thing he does where he gets to thirty without breaking sweat, even in this heat. Bangladesh sense, though, that Moeen Ali is there for the taking. Another short delivery from Kamrul is worked well to long leg, as Ali rolls his wrists on a pull.
20th over: England 54-3 (Root 27, Ali 5) Just one from the over, as Root sweeps the first ball and Ali covers every change of pace and length with beady eyes and a straight bat.
19th over: England 53-3 (Root 26, Ali 5) An extra run is taken off the first ball of the over as a result of some brilliant work at gully from Mehedi Hasan. Kamrul continues (no idea) and Root tries to guide the ball through third man. But Hasan stops it well and then throws down the stumps, as Root clunks his bat behind the line moments before they are hit. The ball ricochets into the leg side, allowing an easy single. A wide delivery is then driven square for Ali’s first boundary. He’s less convincing a few deliveries later, ducking away from a bouncer and turning his head to the keeper, as the ball keeps low and nearly grazes his temple.
18th over: England 47-3 (Root 35, Ali 1) Mehedi Hasan continues, with his ninth over on the bounce. He finishes the over with a lick of his lips, as he bowls a beauty that beats the outside of Moeen Ali’s forward defence.
17th over: England 45-3 (Root 24, Ali 1) I stand corrected – Hawkeye shows that the ball is clattered into leg stump! A missed opportunity for Bangladesh, who opted not to review that “not out”. Kamrul Islam comes back into the attack, much to the joy of Root, who nudges one around the corner for four before pulling out a picture perfect cover drive for another.
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16th over: England 35-3 (Root 14, Ali 1) Big noise in the first over post-refreshment, as Moeen Ali misses a sweep and is struck on the pad by Mehedi Hasan. Luckily for him and England, the man was headed down the leg side.
15th over: England 34-3 (Root 13, Ali 1) The over before drinks passes without incident. Root tries to get Shakib away but the left arm spinner darts a few in to counter Root’s quick feet.
14th over: England 33-3 (Root 12, Ali 1) Moeen Ali, batting at five for the first time in his Test career, gets off the mark with a tickle around the corner. A more forceful tickle – is that even still a tickle? (maybe a Trump tickle) – brings Root three in the same region.
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13th over: England 29-3 (Root 9, Ali 0) Classic counter-punching from Joe Root. A powerful sweep and then a back foot pull brings a couple of boundaries through midwicket, as Shakib gets his lines and length wrong, respectively.
Mehedi Hasan is the 26th teenager to play Tests for Bangladesh (out of 81 players). England have 5 teenagers out of 672 Test cricketers.
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) October 20, 2016
12th over: England 25-3 (Root 5) That’s three wickets in 14 balls that England have lost. Fine bowling from Mehedi Hasan and good captaincy, too, from Musfiqur, who made sure there was spin from both ends sooner rather than later.
WICKET! Ballance LBW Mehedi 1 (England 21-3)
Brilliant review from Mushfiqur. Perhaps he went on the strength of the bowler’s initial appeal, but he wasted little time in calling for the review. The ball, delivered with more of a round arm, did indeed strike Ballance’s pad first, right in front of all three...
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REVIEW
Ballance defends a ball coming in, off the back foot, but the bowler, Mehedi Hasan and the keeper think it’s pad first. Looks it, too...
11th over: England 20-2 (Root 0, Ballance 1) Shakib Al Hasan comes into the attack, replacing Kamrul, and immediately causes havoc. After removing Cook with a bit of a freebie, he squares Joe Root up right and proper. No edge though, as the ball squirts past slip off the keeper’s pad for a bye.
Like David Davies surrounded by un-cooperative dentists, Duckett never looked comfortable #BANvENG @Vitu_E
— Tim Lezard (@TolpuddleTim) October 20, 2016
WICKET! Cook 4 b Shakib (England 18-2)
Eeesh, where to start with that? Alastair Cook tries to sweep Shakib Al Hasan’s second delivery but can only fall back in the shot and guide the ball onto his leg stump off his glove as he brings his hands around to complete the shot. Grim.
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10th over: England 18-1 (Cook 4, Root 0) The 18-year-old debutant Mehedi Hasan has his first Test wicket. It’s a good delivery too, turning big as Duckett plays inside the line. It was very Duckett footwork: he doesn’t necessarily go to the ball but rather moves his foot across, as if it’s on a rail running parallel to the stumps, before meeting the ball. It seemed to be his undoing then.
WICKET! Duckett b Hasan 14 (England 18-1)
It’s been on the cards... Duckett goes as Hasan turns one from middle-and-leg to off stump. Duckett, showing almost all of his stumps, is done by the big turn.
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9th over: England 18-0 (Cook 4, Duckett 14) First change of bowling comes from the seamer’s end, as expected given the sapping Chittagong heat. Kamrul Islam Rabbi, a sling medium pacer, replaces Shafiul Islam and immediately gets a bit of lift off the surface, which Duckett waves through to the keeper. One closer to the body is worked away for a single.
8th over: England 17-0 (Cook 4, Duckett 13) Duckett’s definitely done this the right way around. Having faced the off spinner as he was getting used to the rock hard seam, he watches on from the other end as Mehedi Hasan gets to grips with the fresh nut. A couple turn big past Cook – one bouncing, too, taken well by Mushfiqur Rahim.
7th over: England 17-0 (Cook 4, Duckett 13) Shafiul decides to come around the wicket to Duckett to cut down on the width being offered. As good as the first delivery is from the new angle, Duckett defends away through gully for another couple. The next shot for runs is played with a lot more conviction: Duckett forward and driving nicely through extra cover for four, beating the cover fielder with ease.
6th over: England 11-0 (Cook 4, Duckett 7) Cook’s first taste of something different doesn’t go quite as well. Mehedi turns one sharply (and low) past his outside edge, before nearly finding a way between bat and pad. A flatter, straighter delivery is an attempt to trap Cook on the crease, but another leg side nudge.
Congratulations to 'Alastair Cook's nudge off his pads for two' on becoming England's most played shot in Test cricket.
— Charlie Reynolds (@cwjreynolds) October 20, 2016
5th over: England 9-0 (Cook 2, Duckett 7) The first boundary of the day goes to Ben Duckett, who carves Shafiul away over gully for four.
Tests played by each team from Alastair Cook's debut
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 20, 2016
Eng: 135
Aus: 114
Ind: 109
SA: 96
SL: 94
WI: 92
NZ: 91
Pak: 82
Ban: 53
Zim: 16#BANvENG pic.twitter.com/8gxtfK9CXo
4th over: England 5-0 (Cook 2, Duckett 3) Confident leave from Duckett and not necessarily a wise one. Granted, he gets away with it – the ball, another on with the arm, passing close to his stumps – but he could do with punching that away. A single off the last ball and Duckett keeps the strike for his first bit of pace this morning.
3rd over: England 4-0 (Cook 2, Duckett 2) This is a brilliant start from Shafiul Islam. Having brought Cook onto the front foot in his first over, he sends a few away off a good length, which have the England captain groping outside off (both draw appeals but no reviews). He attempts to follow up with a delivery that moves in, but Cook uses the angle to tuck two off his legs through midwicket.
2nd over: England 2-0 (Cook 0, Duckett 2) Mehedi Hasan – an off-spinner on debut – is opening from the other end and immediately he’s turning the ball away from the left-handed Ben Duckett, who swipes and misses his first ball in Test cricket. His second – angling in at the pads – is played away through cover for his first Test runs. The over almost ends with Duckett’s first dismissal: the fifth ball goes on with the arm and just misses off stump, as Duckett moves back to attempt a cut.
1st over: England 0-0 (Cook 0, Duckett 0) Shafiul Islam starts full. The ball after, there’s a bit of movement off the seam as Shafiul draws Cook forward and beats him on the outside edge. That’s a tidy over: nothing short and forcing Cook to play at all but the final delivery.
A word on Gareth Batty. Perhaps the most impressive thing is that he had all but given up hopes of a Test recall. Which is understanding when you’re so close to 40. In 2014, he opened his season with a career-best eight for 68 against Essex at Chelmsford. At the end of the day’s play, he was tentatively asked about England hopes unequivocally stated that he felt he was up to the task and as good as he ever has been. Two years on, following an all-action performance against Hampshire – runs, wickets, sledges from short leg – he waved away the same question: “I’m too old to worry about that stuff. I’m having a baby in August so that will be taking priority in my life. That and winning games for Surrey. I ain’t getting dragged into any of that.”
Gareth Batty back in @englandcricket shirt for first Test against @BCBtigers. What a moment for the great man. What a moment for the club.
— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) October 20, 2016
In a quarter-of-an-hour, Alastair Cook will become England’s most capped Test player. He’ll have also captained his country more than anyone else. Earlier this year, Andy Bull wrote this piece on Cook (and James Anderson), featuring a belting anecdote on Cook’s trip out to India from the Caribbean:
In February 2006, Alastair Cook and Jimmy Anderson were on tour with England A in the West Indies when word came through that they had both been called up to join the senior team in India; Anderson as a replacement for Simon Jones, who had damaged his left knee, Cook as cover for Michael Vaughan, who had damaged his right. Cook and Anderson had been on tour for a fortnight already but somehow hadn’t spoken a single word to each other in all that time. Now they found themselves facing each other in a pair of first-class seats on the first flight out of Antigua. When Anderson sat down, Cook looked at him and said: “The last time we met, you called me a c***.”
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England win the toss and elect to bat first
Alastair Cook confirms that Ben Duckett bats up top with him – he cedes he wasn’t a big part of the selection process because he “hasn’t seen much of Has” – and that Gareth Batty returns to Test cricket after 11-years.
Bangladesh: Iqbal, Kayes, Haque, Rahman, Mahmudullah, Shakib, M.Rahim, M.Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shafiul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi
England: Cook, Duckett, Root, Ballance, Ali, Stokes, Bairstow, Woakes, Rashid, Broad, Batty
Expected but exciting nonetheless
.@BenDuckett1 receives his @englandcricket test cap from @Athersmike and as expected will open batting #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/hS2nhhsPfT
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) October 20, 2016
Preamble
Don’t worry, though. This shouldn’t be anywhere near as bad. If you’re not too bleary-eyed, here’s Rooteh on the record-breaking Alastair Cook and Vic on England’s unlikely trio of debutants from their 2003 visit to Bangladesh.
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