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| Shakib Al Hasan battled for 144. Courtesy AFP |
The Globe Trotter reviews the first two days of action from Dhaka between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Bangladesh are trying to salvage some dignity from the first test, Pakistan are looking to put the nail in the coffin.
Day 1
I love how Bangladesh have a huge cricket following that never wavers. It’s great to see a small Test nation have so much support. Well, the small but very vocal crowd had plenty to cheer about on day 1 after former captain Shakib Al Hasan made an unbeaten 108, and number 3 Shahriar Nafees made 97, although he was undone by a very good short ball that he gloved to the keeper. After opening bowler Aizaz Cheema had reduced the Tigers to 4/43, Shakib and Nafees, then the former and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim got Bangladesh to a very respectable total of 5/234, on a wicket that was playing a touch slow.
Day 2
After Shakib and Rahim had almost got Bangladesh to lunch, blunting the Pakistani attack, until there was a mix up between the two trying to run a single, and a direct hit brought the end to a hard fought 144 from Al Hasan. Two wickets then fell on 305 when Rahim left, and Pakistan had the chance to knock over the tail quickly. 332 was their end total, spinner Saeed Ajmal and Umar Gul finishing Bangladesh about half an hour before tea, and Bangladesh had lost their last 5 wickets for 33 runs.
Mohammed Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar are two batman who complement each other well for Pakistan, and got their team off to a good start against Sri Lanka is their last test series. Umar especially looked very confident and untroubled. Hafeez though has had a very good calendar year, but fell to seamer Nazmul Hossain got his first Test wicket in 7 years! He hadn’t played a Test since 2004, but has been a member of the ODI side for some time. Shakib was getting huge turn when number 3 Azhar Ali came in, surviving a confident LBW shout when he shouldered arms, and off spinner Mahmudullah didn’t let the batsman get away, but just like you can’t rely on your TV remote batteries working all year without change, the Bangladesh seamers can’t bowl 6 balls in the same spot, and Umar and Ali got to the close 1/87, still 251 behind, but with a usually stable middle order, they will fancy their chances.
The Globe Trotter,
I love this!
ReplyDeleteShakib Al Hasan is all class, it is a shame that he doesn't have many guys around him that could support him.
ReplyDeleteI can see Pakistan making a 450+ score here, batting them out of the game oncemore.