You know I still make Bangladesh favourites. They’ve got a decent lead very quickly and, despite Mahmadullah’s brain-fade, batting to come that has plenty of potential runs in it.
I’m off to bed do more work, but do join me again at about 3am GMT tomorrow morning for what promises to be a cracker of a fourth day. Cheers for reading and apologies for any tweets and emails I couldn’t use. Bye!
Updated
Stumps – Bangladesh 152-3
31st over: Bangladesh 152-3 (Imrul 59) Alastair Cook is told he can’t bowl Finn in this light, so Zafar returns. I guess this will be the penultimate over, although the way he’s taking his time could well make it the last. Imrul comes forward to the second ball and looks to defend, but is nutmegged outside leg-stump by the low bounce. There’s a sense of panic when he turns back and heads towards his crease, but he’s fine. Cook brings in the men from long-on and long-off to catching positions and the pressure tells! The very last ball of the day brings the wicket England wanted and they’ll be buoyed going into tomorrow. Bangladesh lead by 128 with seven wickets in hand.
Wicket! Mahmadullah b Zafar 47
Utterly idiotic from Mahmadullah. He goes for the huge slog-sweep and ruins all his hard work by missing a straight one. Down go the stumps on the last ball of the day.
30th over: Bangladesh 150-2 (Mahmadullah 46, Imrul 58) On Sky, Mike Atherton is talking about playing with his dog, which makes me want to be mates with Mike Atherton all the more.
Mahmadullah is playing a fine innings himself here, scurrying and busy, and moving to 46 from 54 balls with a clip to midwicket for a well-run two and a push to mid-on for one. The 150 comes up and we can start thinking about what kind of total Bangladesh will want to defend. Another 120 runs and it’d be a corker of a fourth innings.
29th over: Bangladesh 147-2 (Mahmadullah 43, Imrul 58) Another overthrow after a pointless shy at the stumps by, I think, Ballance. It looks like he’s been exiled to the deep for that one. A googly out the rough takes Imrul by surprise and takes the shoulder of the bat, but there’s no catcher in place. Twice the batsman sweeps and the second time it works, beating the sweeper Duckett and skidding away for Imrul’s eighth boundary.
28th over: Bangladesh 138-2 (Mahmadullah 40, Imrul 52) Into the last over then, which Moeen will bowl. Imrul misses a big sweep and is very careful to keep his back foot planted in the crease with Bairstow lurking ominously behind. Moeen needs to take a wicket to prevent this from being Bangladesh’s day, despite that 99-run ninth-wicket stand for England.
Er... it looks like we’re carrying on. Of course we’ve had the minimum overs for the day. It’s looking dark out there too.
Updated
27th over: Bangladesh 135-2 (Mahmadullah 38, Imrul 51) John Starbuck writes: “Dan,TMS are reminding us that, as the clocks go back tonight, their official start time will be 03:45 GMT, so why bother going to bed? Those crazy, irresponsible TMS guys, eh?” I’m opening up the OBO tomorrow, so I’ve just spent Rashid’s over swearing loudly while Barry Glendenning and Gregg Bakowski laugh at me.
Imrul moves to a fine 50 with a reverse sweep that goes fine and fine down to third man. This has been an excellent innings from the man whom some thought of as a jumped-up ODI player before this series.
26th over: Bangladesh 127-2 (Mahmadullah 36, Imrul 46) Woakes is off, Moeen is on with just three overs left. Bairstow, who is getting increasingly irritating behind the stumps, screams his head off for lbw against Imrul, who dug a full ball out with his bat about a foot away from his boot. Cook, unlike Mushfiqur this morning, is not impressed enough to call for a review. There’s a better shout a couple of balls later when Mahmadullah is hit on the pad from round the wicket, but Moeen turns away without appealing himself.
25th over: Bangladesh 124-2 (Mahmadullah 33, Imrul 45) Another call for a catch from behind the stumps, but Rashid’s leg-break just looped up off the pad with daylight between bat and ball. Two singles from the over drop the run-rate below five, which is a victory of sorts for England. The lead is 100.
24th over: Bangladesh 122-2 (Mahmadullah 32, Imrul 44) Two more boundaries: Woakes strays on to the ankles, Mahmadullah steps back and across and whips it fine for four to bring up the 50 partnership from 61 balls. Fine stuff that from the hosts, whose run rate is – incredibly – still around five an over. Root, incidentally, is off the field with an upset stomach. Then four balls later Woakes puts a half-volley in the slot and Imrul reaches into the coaching manual and pulls out the cover drive.
Oi, @DanLucas86, England needs a wicket! What are you planning to do about that? Howzat?!#BANvENG
— Sara Torvalds (@SaraxCricket) October 29, 2016
Run-out bowling?
23rd over: Bangladesh 113-2 (Mahmadullah 27, Imrul 40) Nice shot from Mahmadullah, going back in his crease and punching against the spin to mid-on for just one. You kinda feel he deserved more. Imrul then brings out the reverse sweep and Zafar comes round to save a couple with a good slide. The Bangladesh batsmen play that shot well, getting across and right on top of the ball to smother the spin. A leading edge along the ground and through gully, off the googly, brings two more then a clip off the pads lands a foot or so short of Buttler at midwicket. “You are kidding me?” says a grumpy Rashid and his mood won’t be helped by Imrul thwacking the final ball on the pull, through midwicket for four.
22nd over: Bangladesh 104-2 (Mahmadullah 26, Imrul 32) Belatedly, Chris Woakes is introduced to the attack and Mahmadullah’s single takes Bangladesh to 100 with minimal fanfare. Imrul reaches for a full, wide one and Bairstow appeals for a catch behind, but I’m not convinced he even believes that one himself given his grin. He cashes in with a glorious pull shot, from a waist-high short ball and crashed through midwicket with a lovely woody sound for four.
Simon McMahon updates us: “Arrived in Glasgow. Apparently ‘Joe and Casper’ are here too. Yeah, me neither. They’re YouTubers apparently. But at least Mrs McMahon kept me up to date with the cricket on the way through, asking at one point ‘so, do both teams get a go at batting and bowling every day?’ It’s been that kind of Test, hasn’t it?”
Sometimes I think I should be a YouTuber. They’ve all got loads of money and I see their grinning, shiny faces and nice teeth and bad hair everywhere when I get dragged to bookshops by the other half (buy a Kindle, luddites). But I have a voice like a constipated Tom Waits, apparently.
21st over: Bangladesh 99-2 (Mahmadullah 25, Imrul 28) Change of bowling as Zafar, who looked increasingly confident, takes a break and is replaced by Adil Rashid. The leggie played a fine innings with the bat earlier and he turns one square out of the rough, albeit well outside leg-stump and almost worth calling a wide. Once again Imrul top-edges an attempted slog-sweep and again it lands safe, this time around backward square. They take two.
20th over: Bangladesh 96-2 (Mahmadullah 24, Imrul 26) I’d haul Stokes off now, given he looks knackered and could well be England’s most effective bowler when the ball gets properly old. The covers are being readied, while on the field a pair of singles push Bangladesh’s lead to 72. The final ball induces an inside edge that thuds into pads when it could so easily have been stumps. Such are the fine margins etc.
19th over: Bangladesh 94-2 (Mahmadullah 23, Imrul 25) It’s raining, so not sure how much longer this will last – I’d be surprised if we get the 10 remaining over in. Imrul lives dangerously, top edging a booming slog-sweep but the ball falls wide of Moeen at midwicket. It would have been hard for him to watch that one in the air. Although there’s little excusing the fielding sloppiness that allows a couple of overthrows a few balls later.
18th over: Bangladesh 90-2 (Mahmadullah 20, Imrul 24) Stokes continues after drinks and it looks like the clouds have given way a bit – it’s certainly brighter there. Imrul drives and it comes off the thick outside edge, going through point and slightly in the air rather than booming through cover as he intended. The ball before that, Stokes got a bouncer all wrong and it was called a wide on height. The final ball is on the opener’s pads and whipped hard, square, aerially and safe for two.
“King of the wicketkeeper chat was surely Paul ‘Mad as a badger’ Nixon,” says Phil Russell. “His most celebrated comments have had plenty of airings previously, but my favourite remains the one where he innocently asks the batsman “Do you hold you breath when you play your shots?” Which as a subtle way of getting into a batsman head is so much better than the usual ‘come on lads, this lot are a bunch of [redacteds]’ nonsense that seems to proliforate these days.”
That is actually pretty good.
Updated
Shameless self-promotion
Here’s some actual journalism I did.
It’s drinks.
17th over: Bangladesh 85-2 (Mahmadullah 19, Imrul 21) Despite those two wickets, Mahmadullah reckons attack is still the way to go against Zafar and he waits for the full ball on middle, then clumps it nicely back over the bowler’s head for the 14th boundary of the innings. Imrul hasn’t scored a run since the 12th over.
Apparently Zafar Ansari also plays the piano. Any excuse for this.
16th over: Bangladesh 81-2 (Mahmadullah 15, Imrul 21) There are ostensibly 12 overs left today after this one but it is very dark now and rain is forecast for around about now. A maiden.
15th over: Bangladesh 81-2 (Mahmadullah 15, Imrul 21) Zafar continues and is looking better with every over. That wicket might have given Bangladesh second thoughts about trying to dismissively swat him from the attack. A lovely drifting ball turns and beats Mahmadullah, who eventually gets four with a very lovely sweep from outside off from the last ball. Good bowling and good batting in that over.
@DanLucas86 Zafar Ansari becomes the first person ever to deliver 40,000 words on civil rights and take a Test wicket in the same year
— Tim de Lisle (@TimdeLisle) October 29, 2016
14th over: Bangladesh 75-2 (Mahmadullah 9, Imrul 21) The new new man Mahmadullah (not a typo) is off the mark in style after Stokes takes a wicket with the first ball. A swivel-pull dismisses a short ball to fine-leg for four, then a lovely crisp cover drive doubles it. The clouds are coming over.
“Hi Dan.” Hi, Derek Walmsley. “I’m not really feeling Bairstow’s lyrical flow behind the stumps - bit blood and thunder for my liking. I wonder if you had any favourite wicket keeper cheerleaders? Matt Prior was a bit more bright and up tempo, and I remember the odd engagingly hysterical laugh from Gilchrist.”
I’m not a fan of any wicketkeeper chat. They’re the cricketing equivalent of scrum-halfs and need shutting up promptly.
Wicket! Mominul c Cook b Stokes 1
And there’s a dent in Mominul’s Test average. A good line, just back of a length from Stokes and he can’t resist a little prod. Cook goes to his left and clings on.
Updated
13th over: Bangladesh 66-1 (Mominul 1, Imrul 21) Zafar Ansari’s first Test wicket quietens the crowd and brings the 5’3” Mominul Haque to the crease. He’s a fine player, with a Test average of 53 and three hundreds, including ones against New Zealand and Sri Lanka. I’d imagine Bangladesh will slow things down and just look to accumulate now...
Wicket! Tamim c Cook b Zafar 40
Shows what I know. Tamim plays a rare tentative shot and pays the price: prodding forward it goes from inside edge, to pad, to Cook at leg-slip.
Updated
12th over: Bangladesh 65-0 (Tamim 40, Imrul 21) The batsmen are, understandably, watchful against Stokes. His third ball is short, wide rubbish angled across Imrul but he’s not tempted. He does pull hard at a straighter bouncer but doesn’t get hold of it, the ball tumbling to midwicket for just a single. With his final ball he knocks the stumps with his bowling hand, a no-ball, and looks to have hurt it a bit; indeed at the end of the over he runs off.
Andy Potts responds to the 10th over: “The way Bangladesh are scoring the ball will be roughed up in no time. Finn has never really shined as a bowler for England. What’s happened to Stuart Broad?”
Broad is being rested for this Test. It’s harsh to say Finn has never shone, but he’s never really looked like being the consistently terrifying pace bowler we hoped for.
Now, now. No Finn-bashing, @DanLucas86. #FinnsForFinn
— Sara Torvalds (@SaraxCricket) October 29, 2016
(I hope this tweet produces a wicket as promptly as one did this morning.)#BANvENG
Perhaps a bit earlier than he might have liked, Cook tosses the ball to Stokes. Tamim Iqbal has the strike. This could be fun.
11th over: Bangladesh 61-0 (Tamim 38, Imrul 20) Another reverse sweep, another boundary to Tamim through the region formerly known as point. Zafir, to his credit, asks for a field change and gets it. Nonetheless, I’m about to curl up in a shivering ball thinking about what Virat Kohli and co are going to do to this attack. Four seamers for India, anyone?
10th over: Bangladesh 56-0 (Tamim 33, Imrul 20) The boundaries are flowing and Bangladesh are scoring at an ODI rate. Imrul drops his hands and edges wide of the slips and down to the rope at third man to bring up the 50 for Bangladesh. A single, then Tamim plays an absolutely brilliant lofted cover drive, hard and over the close field for four more. This is cracking stuff.
Andy Potts writes: “I would have had Stokes open the bowling with his figures in the first innings to keep it tight and to keep the pressure on, then Ali at the other end to make things happen.”
Mo yes, but I think it’s wise to keep Stokes back and let the spinners rough up the ball so he can get it reversing. I don’t see Stokes as a new-ball kind of bowler.
9th over: Bangladesh 46-0 (Tamim 28, Imrul 15) Down the leg side from Zafir and Imrul sweeps hard, but he can only get one as there’s a sweeper coming round. Tamim likes the sweep too and, when Zafir tosses one on off-stump he reverses it beautifully to pick up four more. He’s 28 from 28 balls now.
8th over: Bangladesh 41-0 (Tamim 24, Imrul 14) “Catch!” is the cry as Imrul sweeps hard and in the air out towards square-leg. It goes too fast for Stokes out in the deep to pick it up and away the ball goes for four. It was a big ask for the Durham man to get to that.
“At what point do we have to ask whether Finn will ever realise his clear potential?” asks Elliot Wilson. “It’s during sessions like these, where Finn really needs to find lightning in a bottle, that he tends to go missing.”
It’s a fair question. Finn is 27 now and should really be at his peak. I’m more worried about Buttler: he’s one of the biggest talents England have had in a generation and they can’t waste him as well as Finn. I don’t think the bowler is going to make it, going on gut feeling.
7th over: Bangladesh 35-0 (Tamim 23, Imrul 9) Finn is off but it’s Zafir Ansari rather than Woakes. Ansari is another one I’m not sure about; yes he was the “next cab off the rank”, but that was a year ago and we’ve had an entire county season between the Pakistan series in the UAE and now, during which he was easily outbowled by Ollie Rayner. He overpitches to Tamim and again that bottom hand comes into play, drilling it through extra cover for four. Two balls later he flicks one just short of Cook at leg-slip. The camera angle on the replay doesn’t show us whether or not it carried but my suspicion is that it didn’t.
6th over: Bangladesh 29-0 (Tamim 18, Imrul 8) Now Imrul gets in on the boundary game, sweeping very nicely from outside off and behind square for his first four and the first off of Moeen. Bangladesh lead in what is now essentially a one-innings match.
Speaking of Mo, here’s a good question from Neil Delaney: “Moeen was opening the batting last year & the bowling now. There can’t be too many others to do this. Sobers?” I don’t think Kallis ever opened the batting did he?
5th over: Bangladesh 24-0 (Tamim 18, Imrul 3) Personally I’d have Woakes on for Finn; in fact I’d probably have opened with Woakes. In fact I probably wouldn’t have picked Finn, whose first-innings effort can kindly be described as anodyne. He twices asks for lbw against Tamim but with curbed enthusiasm, as the ball was twice going well down the leg side. Tamim gets his third boundary, using his bottom hand and excellent timing to shovel a full ball through extra cover. That levels the scores in no time at all.
“Your guitar hero is Bieber?” Asks Patrick Harvey. “For Shame! Try this instead.”
My guitar hero is David Gilmour. Just look at this.
4th over: Bangladesh 18-0 (Tamim 13, Imrul 3) A thick outside edge from the first ball goes to slip, but it was played with soft hands by Imrul and dribbled along the ground. After a leg-bye, Tamim plays a nice cut off a wide ball but can only get a single to point. When he’s in this kind of nick, Tamim is a lovely player to watch.
Mehedi just the third bowler to take a six-wicket haul in each of his first two Tests after Alec Bedser and Narendra Hirwani
— Benedict Bermange (@Benedict_B) October 29, 2016
3rd over: Bangladesh 16-0 (Tamim 12, Imrul 3) Finn gives round the wicket a brief go to Imrul Kayes and to little avail. After a single he goes too full to Tamim, whose first innings hundred is looking increasingly outstanding. He looks good here, too, leaning into that ball and clipping it off his ankles with gorgeous timing and through to the midwicket boundary. Another overpitched ball is knocked in front of square leg for two more. The lead is down to eight.
2nd over: Bangladesh 9-0 (Tamim 6, Imrul 2) It’s Moeen from the other end, with two slips in place for the left-handers. Mushfiqur didn’t use his spinners especially well as England’s ninth wicket eroded Bangladesh’s lead, so it’ll be interesting to see how Cook does. There’s a big shout for lbw when Tamim prods forward but he was hit outside the line, as both Moeen and Bairstow point out so Cook doesn’t review.
Jim Procter-Blain writes: “Just thought I’d point out that Justin Bieber is not a talented musician. If he was, then all those girls wouldn’t have been screaming to get out at his concert.” Arf.
Updated
1st over: Bangladesh 7-0 (Tamim 5, Imrul 1) Steven Finn is opening the bowling for England and, after a couple of singles, he gets an inside edge from Tamim with a ball that rises sharply and clumps via bat into pad. In comes short-leg. Tamim gets his first boundary off a short, wide ball that he murders through point with a mighty cut. A leg-bye concludes the over.
Tea
They’ve actually taken it early, which I didn’t realise, and now I’ve missed my chance to go to Tescos. Vending machine for crisps it it.
John Ryan is angry. John Ryan didn’t get up early for this kinda crap. John Ryan has not been watching Tests for too long. “Bangladesh’s only hope of ever being a competitive test team is if there’s a rule change that allows them to have a new ball at the beginning of every over,” he writes. “One of the most shambolic few hours of cricket I’ve ever seen.”
Bangladesh will have a mini session to negotiate before tea. In the meantime, Simon McMahon writes: “Morning Dan. I don’t know much about Belgian folk music, but I am going to Glasgow to see Justin Bieber tonight (escorting teenage daughters, that’s all, I’ve not got a ticket myself, you understand). Apparently he wants to be a real musician. Well, Justin, I want to play cricket like Ben Stokes and write songs like Neil Hannon, but it ain’t gonna happen. Anyway, cocktails on me if this Test is tied.”
I hate to say it but Biebs is a talented guy. I even quite like a couple of his songs though I couldn’t name any. I got a new guitar yesterday (early birthday present, thanks Liz!) and can’t do this.
England lead by 24
82nd over: England 244 (Rashid 44) Taijul continues and beats Finn, before ending England’s resistance a couple of balls later. England have a slim lead but it’s in the balance.
Wicket! Finn c Mushfiqur b Taijul 0 England 244 all out
That’s it. The new ball turns and bounces away from Finn’s bat. He follows it and gets the finest edge, which Mushfiqur takes well.
New ball taken
81st over: England 243-9 (Finn 0, Rashid 43) To no great surprise, and as you can see from that big chunky text above, Bangladesh take the new ball straight away. Their reviews have been topped up too, like a number of lives when you get 100 gold coins in the original Super Mario.
Mehedi, over the wicket, has the new ball as well as a slip, short-leg, leg-slip and shortish midwicket, and it’s the second of those who snares him with an excellent catch, diving to his left. Mehedi has six and England’s fine ninth-wicket stand comes to an end on 99.
Wicket! Woakes c Shuvagata b Mehdi 46
Woakes’s fine stand comes to an end. He likes the look of an off-break, on his pads, and flicks it round the corner, straight into the hands of leg-slip.
80th over: England 242-8 (Woakes 46, Rashid 42) The last over with the old ball, presumably and we have a change of bowling: Taijul replaces Mehedi. There is nothing doing for Bangladesh, but it is OK to have periods of a Test where wickets aren’t tumbling. Perish the thought this goes into a fourth day.
“Good morning,” began John Starbuck a while ago. “Being seen dead is actually very fashionable right now. Think of what they’re going to do in Strictly Come Dancing, let alone the little horrors who’ll be ringing our door bell all weekend. We insist they try to frighten us and the smaller ones are always non-plussed by this.”
Now I don’t live with my parents I can avoid every single second of Strictly Come Dancing. My TV is used exclusively for watching Pointless and The Simpsons between 5.15 and 6.30.
79th over: England 240-8 (Woakes 45, Rashid 41) Lovely wrists from Woakes, who cuts delicately through backward point for two – the sweeper coming round to prevent the boundary nicely. I don’t know if it’s just me but does it seem to be a thing with the modern batsman to have a propensity for playing wristy shots through the off side. Quite why Sabbir is still bowling is beyond me.
78th over: England 237-8 (Woakes 42, Rashid 41) Mushfiqur and Mahmadullah go up for an lbw appeal against Rashid, but Mehedi shows about as much interest as I have in Bon Iver: it was going down leg and I reckon bat was involved. Three singles nudge England further ahead and this partnership up to 93: England’s highest for the ninth wicket in Asia.
77th over: England 234-8 (Woakes 41, Rashid 39) Two singles from another fairly flat over, Rashid with a heave to midwicket and Woakes with a deft glance. This is suddenly looking easy for England’s tail.
More on that Woakes wicket courtesy of Cara Lewis, who has kindly, er, done my job and looked up the laws for me. Cheers for that. According to the laws, under “unfair play” it says:
“(i) Any delivery, other than a slow paced one, which passes or would have passed on the full above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease is to be deemed dangerous and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker.”
But, just as I paste that in, Atherton says that the playing conditions say it doesn’t matter whether or not it’s a slow or fast delivery and the playing conditions override the laws of the game.
I’m just trying to keep an eye on what happens, so I’ll defer to Atherton on this.
76th over: England 232-8 (Woakes 40, Rashid 38) Four to Rashid, who aims a big airy swipe at a wide, full delivery and sends a fine edge whizzing down to the third man boundary.
As for Woakes, the law according to Atherton says that it’s a no-ball if the ball would have passed the striker above waist height as he’s taking his normal stance on the popping crease. Sky’s ball-tracking shows that this would not have happened.
75th over: England 227-8 (Woakes 40, Rashid 33) This is a bit disappointing: Sabbir can normally be relied on for some dirty, filthy, grimy stuff that’s ripe for the batsman getting stuck into. This, though, is a perfectly respectable over that Woakes gets a couple from, top-edging a pre-meditaded sweep over the keeper and slips.
It looks like the decision to give Woakes not out with that no-ball a couple of overs ago was wrong. I’ll explain more in a moment because I’ve got to get this entry up and tell you what happened sharpish.
74th over: England 224-8 (Woakes 38, Rashid 32) A quick check confirms that that was the first no-ball called in this series. Despite this kind of thing. Rashid adds one to the score with a flick through midwicket.
This is the first ball from Sabbir. This wasn't given as a no ball #BanVeng pic.twitter.com/q0vVwpZg46
— Sim (@SimUKCricket) October 29, 2016
73rd over: England 223-8 (Woakes 38, Rashid 31) I’ll admit, I missed the rest of that over through laughing my backside off. No runs were scored from it, aside from the extra after that no-ball. Frankly England didn’t deserve it and Bangladesh deserved to be penalised more harshly.
Woakes gets away with one!
Oh Chris! Sabbir tosses down a ludicrously awful full-toss that’s begging to be spanked like the kind of enthusiast we’re not going to mention on this desk at the Guardian. Spank it Woakes does, only to pick out midwicket, who takes a nice catch. However the umpires check the height and decide that, at the point of impact, the ball was above waist-height and is thus a no-ball. What a terrible, terrible piece of cricket.
72nd over: England 222-8 (Woakes 38, Rashid 31) Refreshed, Mehedi returns to the attack, which makes a lot of sense what with him being, er, really good. “So what sort of lead should England be looking for here?” asks cocktail enthusiast Simon McMahon. “100? 150? A declaration at 350-9 to give the Bangladeshi openers a tricky half hour before close?” Given the way one ball from Mehedi keeps low and Woakes just manages to jab his bat down on it, I’d be cautious about thinking that too far ahead. A single to Rashid gives England a first-innings lead.
Well, two things I didn’t expect when I got up at 5am: 1) that the cricket had already started, and 2) that England would be on top midway through the day with the scores exactly level on 220. Do get in touch, email me here or tweet me here. This isn’t a bad observation from John Etheridge.
There's a strong case for saying Rashid bats better against spin in Test cricket than he bowls it
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) October 29, 2016
Morning. As if I’d be seen dead at a Bon Iver gig.
71st over: England 220-8 (Woakes 37, Rashid 30) Sabbir Rahman, part-time leggie, comes on to bowl a couple of full tosses. However, Woakes and Rashid don’t get ahead of themselves and just putt some easy ones. A third single, off the back foot through cover from Rashid, brings England level. And with that, my stint comes to an end. Dan Lucas is here to take cover.
70th over: England 217-8 (Woakes 34, Rashid 28) Shakib, getting nothing from Rashid, goes over the wicket and is immediately worked to midwicket for three. England are winning this battle by some distance now...
69th over: England 214-8 (Woakes 36, Rashid 25) Just as Taijul Islam thinks he has the right pace, Woakes uses it to dab fine, again, for four. Finishes the over with a authoritative forward press and block.
A good time to wake up @Vitu_E. 2 hours ago I'd have been severely depressed, but we've saved this. What a beautiful thing Test cricket is.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) October 29, 2016
Good to have you with us, Guy. I feel like England’s second-innings salvo in the first Test coincided with a hangover you were recovering from. Nice to know that your alertness and England’s success is so intertwined.
Updated
68th over: England 210-8 (Woakes 32, Rashid 25) Shakib is trying to elicit a mistake from Rashid, but the leggie isn’t taking the bait. When the third delivery is tossed above his eye line, he simply steps out and drives it through extra cover for one. Woakes returns the strike with a cut to the man at deep point. England trail by just 10...
67th over: England 208-8 (Woakes 31, Rashid 24) Shuvagata’s stint is over, too. He’s replaced by Taijul Islam, who bowled very well this morning. Maybe the pitch has changed or these two are just very comfortable, but Taijul isn’t carrying the same threat with an older ball.
66th over: England 206-8 (Woakes 30, Rashid 23) Good delivery from Shakib spins sharply and beats Rashid on the outside edge and hits his pad in front of middle and leg. Unfortunately for him and Bangladesh, the ball landed in the footmarks outside leg stump.
65th over: England 205-8 (Woakes 29, Rashid 23) Unless he’s tired, no reason why Mehedi should not be bowling here. Shuvagata just not offering anywhere near the same threat and singles coming easily. The partnership has moved to 61...
@Vitu_E England have gone from 6/5 to 4/6 to win this in the last 15 minutes.
— Elliot Carr-Barnsley (@Elliot_CB) October 29, 2016
64th over: England 203-8 (Woakes 28, Rashid 22) As expected, Kamrul is hooked and is replaced by Shakib and, oh look, a maiden. Funny, that...
63rd over: England 203-8 (Woakes 28, Rashid 22) Another nice drive from Rashid brings two down to mid off.
62nd over: England 201-8 (Woakes 27, Rashid 20) Can’t imagine Kamrul is getting another over this match: that one has gone for 10 which, given the moment, is a staggering gamble that hasn’t paid off. Rashid shows off with a lovely drive on the up through extra cover. Then Woakes gets in on the act with a late cut for another boundary.
61st over: England 191-8 (Woakes 22, Rashid 16) I didn’t mention it before, but Shuvagata is operating around the wicket to the right-handers, who are more than happy to smother or play with whatever spin is there. When he does bowl on the off side, Woakes jabs him down the ground and, thanks to a mix-up on the fence, gets three.
60th over: England 188-8 (Woakes 20, Rashid 16) That man on the fly is in the game, though again, jus ground fielding as Rashid hooks haplessly behind square. “Unbelievable that Bangladesh are going to let this ninth wicket partnership go for over 50, at a time when they could have taken control of the test. They won’t win now and, based on the last hour, don’t deserve to. In fact, they might be behind by 9 a.m.” Tell us what you really think, Jon Ryan!
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59th over: England 185-8 (Woakes 18, Rashid 15) Another new bowler at the other end: off-spinner Shuvagata Hom, who has eight wickets and an average of 59 from seven Tests, comes into the attack. There’s nothing particularly tricky about him or his action. But, having looked like getting away with just one from the over, another four byes help England crawl towards parity.
58th over: England 180-8 (Woakes 17, Rashid 15) A seamer! My sweet fingers! For the first time in the innings, Bangladesh decide to see what seam can offer. Kamurl Islam Rabbi, who bowled a very good spell of reverse-swing in the second innings of the first Test, comes into the attack. There’s a bit of shape into the right-handers, but perfectly manageable. There’s a fielder out for the hook and he comes in to play as Woakes flips one around the corner for a single.
57th over: England 176-8 (Woakes 16, Rashid 12) Another two, to the Ingerlund, and it looks like Bangladesh might be turning to pace for the first time in this innings. “Don’t know much about their queueing habits,” says John Starbuck, “but you obviously have in mind Volkskunstgroep Reuzegom.” You read my mind, John.
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56th over: England 174-8 (Woakes 15, Rashid 11) Another two from the over – one from an overthrow – keeps England going. “The only person worse than Bangladesh at finishing off an opponent is Hillary Clinton,” writes John Ryan, as the ninth wicket moves to 30. “This is the cricketing equivalent of not knowing how and when to close your email server.” Make Bangladesh Great Again.
55th over: England 172-8 (Woakes 14, Rashid 10) I’ve been informed by Will Macpherson – award-winning, of these pages, rugger father – that Rocket is actually the name of an online banking facility in Bangladesh, for those that were wondering. Two from the over.
54th over: England 170-8 (Woakes 13, Rashid 9) Both right-handers exchange singles as Taijul looks to find that pace which caused a lot of problems this morning. Zaph Mann on email wonders if a 50-over approach would help England’s top order. It certainly didn’t do Bangladesh any harm, he also points out. For me, that’s why Ben Duckett played ahead of Haseeb Hameed. Only issue is that Duckett’s been a tad tentative (understandably so).
53rd over: England 168-8 (Woakes 12, Rashid 8) Back underway after lunch. I’ll be with you for the next hour before Dan Lucas takes over to tell you all about some obscure Belgian folk band who once waited in line for tickets to Bon Iver. Rashid flicks a single to get underway before Woakes waves his bat in Mushfiqur’s face to allow a ball to sneak through for four byes.
“If Bangladesh let England get over 200 they deserve to lose the game,” writes John Ryan. “Good teams - not even great ones - know how to twist the knife and seize the opportune moments to turn games in their favour. This is a chance to see if Bangladesh are moving on up, or just all talk.” Harsh but fair, John. Bangladesh hold all the aces right now and only some shambolic decisions from them (see: yesterday) will allow England to get anywhere near that.
It’s too early to weave this in naturally, so please forgive me – but if you haven’t already watched People Just Do Nothing, you really should change that...
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Another email in the interval, this time from John Starbuck: “Watching the ITV4 highlights last night (be warned, folks, they don’t always broadcast 7-8 pm; it was 6-7pm because of some darts match) I saw that it was billed as the Rocket Test Series. Any idea what this refers to? It presumably isn’t the ice-lolly (‘suckers’ in the East Midlands) introduced in the 1950s-60s, or the Rocketman serial at Saturday kids’ pictures, and I can’t see anyone seriously advocating a salad leaf or the supposedly first rock ‘n’ roll 45, so what could it be?” I *think* Rocket, the series sponsor, relates to the paddle steamer boats that offer trips through the various rivers of Bangladesh.
Ian Copestake emails in: “Just to reassure me, but wickets don’t actually improve do they these days? If not then Bangladesh might struggle to add ten runs to their eventual lead. Leaving England a massive 40 to win.” I like you’re thinking, Ian. They don’t improve, per se, but if the pitch dulls, then fewer balls will rear up and batsmen can just focus on consistent low bounce. Ergo, Bangladesh win by 10.
Easy to lament England’s display but it has been very difficult out there. Taijul Islam has been turning the ball at pace, while Mehedi Hasan has benefitted from some variable bounce. I’m off to refuel. Back with you in a bit.
LUNCH – England trail by 57
52nd over: England 163-8 (Woakes 12, Rashid 7) Cracking shot from Woakes, as he rocks back and powers one through backward point, beating the fielder in the ring and the one patrolling the fence. It’s the first time today that anyone has had any joy in that region. And that’s that for the two-and-a-half-hour morning session. England have scored 113 for the loss of five middle order wickets.
51st over: England 158-8 (Woakes 8, Rashid 6) Change of bowling: Mehedi Hasan replaced by Shakib Al Hasan. He’s not getting as much bite off the pitch as fellow left-armer Taijul. Woakes, sure enough that he won’t skid one on, leaves comfortably outside off stump.
50th over: England 158-8 (Woakes 8, Rashid 6) Quality from Woakes, who goes forward and dabs a ball around the corner for the first boundary in 53 balls. The key was the length of the stride, which turned Taijul’s full delivery into a full toss .
49th over: England 153-8 (Woakes 3, Rashid 6) Rashid seems happier to face Mehedi but is nearly undone by a ball that skids on. The ball bounces out of Mushfiqur’s gloves and onto the stumps, with Rashid out of his crease... but the bails don’t budge! Incredible.
Well worth a listen during the lunch interval
The @englandcricket team spent time finding out about work being done in Bangladesh to help victims of abuse. We'll hear more at lunch. pic.twitter.com/8EpAJa41Ta
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) October 29, 2016
48th over: England 151-8 (Woakes 2, Rashid 5) Rashid tries to wrist one into next week and nearly swings himself off his feat as the ball blows him a kiss as it fizzes through to Mushfiqur. He goes again for an attacking shot and drives uppishly to the man set back at three-quarters mid off for a single.
47th over: England 150-8 (Woakes 2, Rashid 4) That’s both reviews used up by Bangladesh. Not that they should need them to make light work of England’s lower order. Mehedi, bored of the big turning off spinners, bowls a leggie that pitches short and allows Rashid to push into extra cover for one.
NOT OUT!
No bat and the ball shown to be too high on impact for the projected path to be hitting the stumps.
REVIEW...
Extra bounce and turn from Mehedi has Rashid hanging back and pushing his hands at a delivery that moves into him. The ball squirts out to slip who takes the catch. Doesn’t look like there was bat involved so a chance they’re looking for the LBW, too...
46th over: England 149-8 (Rashid 3, Woakes 2) Taijul’s quicker ball nearly does for Woakes, as the right-hander goes back to play a back of a length delivery, but nearly drags on as it scuttles off the surface. He also manages to finger of S Ravi, who has to retract his decision after giving him out caught behind.
If England don't lose this Test then the bowlers will have done something remarkable - again
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) October 29, 2016
REVIEW... NOT OUT
Umpire S Ravi raises his finger as Taijul rips one through to Rahim, presumably, off the edge. However, Woakes reviews and the replays show clear daylight between bat and ball, with nothing accompanying the pitches on Ultra Edge.
45th over: England 149-8 (Woakes 2, Rashid 3) Some poor fielding from Imrul Kayes, who reacts late to a shot in his direction, sees Adil Rashid survive a risky run that should have ended in his demise. Kayes, late on the ball, was also wayward with his throw.
44th over: England 146-8 (Woakes 1, Rashid 2) An excellent 56 from 122 balls from Joe Root. Adil Rashid replaces him and hits his first ball over extra cover for two, like it’s not even a thing. Outrageous from #Rashenius.
@Vitu_E Never thought I'd enjoy a Bangladesh test series so much. Especially with 5am starts!
— Dwight Johnson (@Deej146) October 29, 2016
This, really. Bangladesh are a much-improved side but even I didn’t anticipate such a closely fought series.
WICKET! Root LBW Taijul 56 (England 144-8)
Doesn’t matter how well you’re playing – you’d be lucky not to get out to a ball that not only goes straight on in a world of turners, but doesn’t bounce much either. Root is livid as his fine stand comes to an end.
43rd over: England 144-7 (Root 56, Woakes 1) Woakes off the mark with a push off the front foot and tuck into midwicket. A single around the corner gives Root the strike for the next over, as Bangladesh rue allowing him to manoeuvre the ball so easily.
Spinners to take 5-for in 1st inns of each of his first 2 Tests:
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) October 29, 2016
Clarrie Grimmett, Nick Cook & Mehedi Hasan
42nd over: England 142-7 (Root 55, Woakes 0) Root continues on his way, cutting behind point for a couple. Woakes is the man at the other end. Strange that he comes in lower than Ansari. In fact, to go by their respective stats, Ansari should probably be batting at number 10.
Unlucky thirteen strikes again for Ansari- 13 off his first over in Test cricket and now out for 13 in his first Test innings. #BanvEng
— Phil Long (@onebillionrs) October 29, 2016
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41st over: England 140-7 (Root 53) A boundary for Ansari. By no means comfortable or pretty, but he’ll take it: pushing away from his body and just getting his edge past slip. Another, this time wider of slip, gets him two. He’s gone soon enough, though, giving Mehedi Hasan his second five-wicket haul in only his second Test – the first Bangladesh to achieve that feat.
WICKET! Ansari c b Mehedi 13 (England 140-7)
Brilliant bowling and, crucially, brilliant captaincy from Mushfiqur Rahim. After Ansari edges a couple of deliveries wide of slip, a second slip is put in. Mehedi bowls a quicker delivery that grips and again finds the edge, Shuvagata Hom takes an excellent catch, diving right across first slip.
40th over: England 132-6 (Root 52, Ansari 6) Ansari at his doughty best, absorbing dot balls and picking up the odd single.
39th over: England 131-6 (Root 52, Ansari 5) Single each to Root and Ansari. The latter has achieved this “notable” feat...
Ansari's already faced the third most balls of an English batsman this innings...
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) October 29, 2016
Root reaches fifty (104 balls; 4 fours)
38th over: England 129-6 (Root 51, Ansari 4) A brace into the leg side and Joe Root has his 23rd half-century and a first against Bangladesh. He owes England a score on this tour and looks on his way to getting it. Remember, he was dropped on 17...
37th over: England 126-6 (Root 48, Ansari 4) A muted appeal for a catch at bat-pad starts the over, but Ansari ignores the hoots and defends solidly for the rest of the over. Hand on heart, it doesn’t look like we’ll get another partnership similar to Root and Bairstow’s, but there’s a chance that pairs down the line could match their 99 deliveries, if not the 45 runs.
36th over: England 126-6 (Root 48, Ansari 4) A boundary! Taijul serves up a quick, juicy full bunger and Root clubs is through midwicket for four. The first to the fence for 109 balls and 65 minutes. Joe Root then expertly wastes a few precious seconds by fixing his glove. What a pro.
35th over: England 120-6 (Root 43, Ansari 3) Good tip and run to midwicket gets Ansari out of the firing line, as Mehedi sniffs a second Test five-for. And another, as Root returns the strike.
34th over: England 116-6 (Root 42, Ansari 1) Two more edges – the second onto pad and ballooning over the head of Mushfiqur – and Ansari gets himself off strike. Root takes the reins and sees out the over.
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33rd over: England 115-6 (Root 42, Zafar 1) Poor from Bairstow, who was playing across the line as he was moving back. Zafar Ansari comes out for his first bat in England whites. Background: he’s got a solid technique and can bat for long periods. He spent a bit of time as an opener for Surrey – a problem position for them at the time – though it’s not something he particularly enjoys. His first Test run is an outside edge that just misses the glove of Mushiqur Rahim and deflects off his pad beyond the slips.
WICKET! Bairstow LBW Mehedi 24 (England 114-6)
Well done, Sara. Mehedi, returning to the attack, traps Bairstow in front first ball. It’s the easiest decision to be made and even Dharmasena makes no mistake.
32nd over: England 114-5 (Root 42, Bairstow 24) Fairly comfortable so far for both batsmen, as the fifty partnership and lunch approaches.
You seem a bit lonely, @Vitu_E. But what can one tweet withoug jinxing anyhting? #BANvENG
— Sara Torvalds (@SaraxCricket) October 29, 2016
Much prefer your reasoning, Sara, rather than my internal thoughts that I’m in the corner as the person at the OBO do that no one wants to dance with.
31st over: England Root 42, Bairstow 23) A couple of poor deliveries from Shakib don’t bring boundaries but do allow Bairstow and then Root to hit into the deep of the off and leg side, respectively.
30th over: England 109-5 (Root 39, Bairstow 22) Softly, softly, Rooty, singly.
29th over: England 108-5 (Root 38, Bairstow 22) A contrast to the previous over – Bairstow gets a full toss from Shakib that he bunts through midwicket for a couple. First runs for a while for him on the front foot.
28th over: England 105-5 (Root 37, Bairstow 20) Outrageous last delivery of this over. Bairstow played the previous five deliveries off the pitch and on the back foot soundly enough, But, a touch infuriated, Taijul really sears one down – I could have sworn I heard the revs through the stump mic – and gets one to move off middle and leg to beat Bairstow comprehensively outside off stump. England’s twirlers need to take note: pace on the ball is king.
27th over: England 105-5 (Root 37, Bairstow 20) Proper old school nudging and nurdling from Bairstow and Root. Bairstow in particular has got some success by monitoring the line of the ball and getting right behind it to deflect around the corner for singles. Root, meanwhile, is milking his forward press.
26th over: England 100-5 (Root 34, Bairstow 18) Cover on the fence means that Bairstow can’t get value for a cut shot, but it does take England to 100. Despite the wickets, they have been going at just under four-an-over. Root tries to drive expansively but middles nothing but air as Taijul really rips this one past the outside edge. If England don’t lose another wicket in this session then it will be through luck rather than judgement.
25th over: England 99-5 (Root 34, Bairstow 17) Ridiculous decision to use up one of your DRS calls on a hunch when so many decisions have been proved comprehensively wrong on this tour. Horror review, there, from Mushfiqur, though not the worst Root has been the subject of...
NOT OUT
Right out of the middle of the bat. Shakib, who had the best view after the standing umpire, didn’t react at all. Bangladesh burn a review.
REVIEW...
What looks to be a simple push back to the bowler from Root draws screams of an appeal from behind the stumps. Mushfiqur is convinced there’s pad first and opts for the review...
24th over: England 97-5 (Root 33, Bairstow 16) Productive over, five from it. Root and Bairstow nippy between the wickets. It’s like watching a cuckoo clock hooked up to a car battery. Not sure who Mr Sunshine is.
23rd over: England 92-5 (Root 31, Bairstow 13) Smart move from Mushfiqur Rahim. Given the success that Taijul Islam is having, he replaces the right-arm orthodox spin of Mehedi Hasan with Shakib Al Hasan, his left-arm equivalent. It almost pays dividends straight away: Bairstow skips down the crease to play across the line to midwicket and sends a leading edge in the air but just short of backward point.
22nd over: England 91-5 (Root 31, Bairstow 13) Bairstow using his feet to get down to Taijul Islam, who responds with a few sharp deliveries to ensure the keeper-bat can’t get any elevation on his shots. As a result, JB readjusts to bat the ball away, eventually getting a single with a thick inside edge that beats bat pad. Andrew McGlashan, always good for a stat, has unearthed this gem:
England's top-order doldrums (stats from Jan 1, 2016 for top 5). Only WI, SL, Zim have lower avg https://t.co/3byrWFlKTr #BANvENG
— Andrew McGlashan (@andymcg_cricket) October 29, 2016
21st over: England 88-5 (Root 29, Bairstow 12) Now the ball is bouncing low. Luckily for Bairstow, as he rocks back to pierce the off side, the line is outside off stump, so bouncy knees allow him to get down and cut.
20th over: England 84-5 (Root 28, Bairstow 9) Paddle dink from Bairstow gets him three runs inside fine leg. It was a delicate shot: Bairstow offering up the face of the bat like it had an array of soft cheeses on it, only to flip it at the last moment sending brie and camembert over his shoulder.
19th over: England 79-5 (Root 27, Bairstow 5) That’s more like it. Watchful, patient yet still picking up singles here and there. For every unplayable delivery is a naff long hop or full toss. Put those away and avoid getting out to the former, yeah? Simple game, fellas...
18th over: England 76-5 (Root 26, Bairstow 3) Taijul started pretty poorly but he is really doing a number on Root. Really showing the value in having bowlers that turn the ball away from batsmen.
17th over: England 75-5 (Root 26, Bairstow 2) Probably the ugliest boundary Joe Root has ever pilfered. Mehedi, around the wicket to the right-handers, turns one down the leg side. Root pulls but under-edges between the keeper and leg slip for four. It’s not pretty, but they all count.
16th over: England 70-5 (Root 22, Bairstow 1) DROPPED! A life for Joe Root who, on 17, props forward to defend against Taijul Islam and slides an edge off the face that is put down by first slip, who was already moving to his right. Three runs gets Root to the sanctuary of the nonstriker’s end, allowing him to watch on as Stokes falls. England have lost five wickets and all of them left-handers. Root is joined by fellow right-handed Yorkshireman Jonny Bairstow.
WICKET! Stokes c Monimul b Tailjul 0 (England 69-5)
Some quick bounce off the surface and Ben Stokes gets a thick inside edge onto thigh pad to give bat-pad a simple catch, albeit one that has him diving forward and requiring confirmation from the TV umpire. Stokes, though, was walking off the moment ball fell in hand. Oh my.
15th over: England 64-4 (Root 17, Stokes 0) Quite impressive that Moeen Ali managed to misjudge that sweep on both line and length. Ben Stokes comes to the crease and is beaten by a couple of deliveries that turn, obviously, but also lift off a length. Stokes, watchful off the pitch, plays inside both. Bowler and batsman exchange a knowing look.
WICKET! Ali b Mehedi 10 (England 64-4)
Yeah OK, maybe that’s *too* positive, Mo... Mehedi floats a delivery up and Moeen goes to sweep, misses and has his off stump knocked back.
14th over: England 60-3 (Root 17, Ali 6) Taijul Islam comes on for his first bowl of the innings and, peculiarly, cover is set back. We know this because the first ball is hit uppishly through that region to allow Root an easy single to start the over. It was put to Moeen Ali last night that both he and Root may start slowly today, but he refuted that by saying that they are best served to embrace their natural aggression against spin. Eight come from this over of left-arm spin, albeit four through byes.
13th over: England 52-3 (Root 15, Ali 4) “An early morning for our UK viewers... if you’re with us.” We bloody are, Athers, grimacing with you as Moeen Ali manages to edge two of the three deliveries Mehedi Hasan sends down to end the 13th over, which started last night. He survives both.
Not sure if you caught it yesterday, but there was a nice segment with Rob Key and Ben Stokes about how the latter plays spin. It wasn’t particularly informative: Stokes, not of our world, was unable to really describe how he does what he does, presumably because our tiny little human minds would not be able to comprehend his ludicrousness. Fair.
@Vitu_E evening Vish, has there ever been a tour where all the discussion was on the next tour? Feels like all this is a dress rehearsal.
— Michael Avery (@mikeyjavery) October 29, 2016
Evening, Michael. It certainly has in the press, but I don’t get the impression that this is the case in the actual England bubble. It’s just such a nonsense schedule that England have to have one eye on what’s further ahead to ensure their squad lasts the course. There’s an eight-day gap between this and the first India Test, then there are five matches in six weeks. In terms of intensity on the field, doesn’t seem that anyone is saving themselves for future battles, unless Gary Ballance is playing possum...
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Morning all – Vithushan here (Vish is fine). Or is it technically still “evening”? Either way, what a savagely ungodly hour this is. I can’t even call back to a younger, bolshier time in my life when I might have known what this time of day feels like from the other side. Always been of the opinion that little good occurs after 3am. Right now, I stand by that. I thought I’d be able to wake up at a more humane hour to enjoy the last morning of British Summer Time (you’re welcome, forgetful OBOers). Alas, last night’s early finish due to rain has meant an early start today – 4:33am, bizarrely – in a bid to claw back some lost overs. As I step away in search of caffeine, ahead of the resumption of a key partnership between Moeen Ali and Joe “needs a big score” Root, let’s share an earworm – my alarm (crucially, a song I enjoy that is an easy enough listen not to jar every morning of every day):
Updated
Vithushan will be here soon. In the meantime, here’s a report from day one.
Bangladesh imploded on the opening day of the second Test as they lost nine wickets for 49 runs to fold to 220 all out and hand control to England in Dhaka, but the visitors lost three wickets before stumps as they failed to fully capitalise.
Moeen Ali led the charge after ending a 170-run stand between Tamim Iqbal and Mominul Haque, accounting for both batsmen, and he finished with five for 57 on a heavily cracked pitch offering plenty of turn.
Ben Stokes once again came to the fore after his star turn in the 22-run win in Chittagong with two for 13 from 11 overs, while Chris Woakes chipped in with three wickets as the tourists put themselves in the driving seat.
