DHAKA: The nation dreamt. Tigers led them to dream and tigers let the dream dashed.

The day dawned with Bangladesh dreaming for a historic first test match win over the mother country of Test Cricket. On the mystery wicket of Chittagong, the pendulum oscillated from end to end in rapid frequency. The might of English Lion almost succumbed to the ferocity of roaring Royal Bengal. Debutant Sabbir playing a defiant innings was standing between victory and defeat accompanied by two tail enders.

The target for the epic achievement was only 33 runs away. With a full days play left, Sabbir was expected to shield his less-fancied tail-ender partners farming the strikers. Perhaps his lack of experience of playing longer version cricket and enormous pressure of nerve made him forget a very important key strategy. Taijul was left unguarded as Sabbir took singles after second and third ball. Bangladesh was not required to hurry. 33 singles could win the match for them.

England pacers were looking for reverse swing aiming the legs. Taijul looked panicked trying some ambitious strokes. He was trapped LBW while Sabbir was stranded at the non-strikers end. Shafiul came and went shouldering arms to an incoming delivery pitching outside the off stump. Umpire Dharmasena applied his discretion in ruling him LBW as the batsman did not try playing stroke. Bangladesh lost the nail biting eventful test by 22 runs. Sabbir could not celebrate his unbeaten 64-run in his debut test for his lack of wisdom.

Over all, it was a great test match on a very tricky wicket. There was hardly anything to choose other than much greater experience of playing longer version cricket. If any staunchest of supporters would have been given choice they would have welcomed such outcome of the test for Bangladesh.

England is a far superior test side on paper and they played 15 matches over the last 15 months while Bangladesh played none. England came to play seven tests in the sub-continent -- two in Bangladesh and five in India -- fully prepared covering all bases. Heat and humidity worked against them. But, physically also they proved superior athletes.

Bangladesh head coach prior to the test had negative views about his charges capability of taking 20 wickets. Star all-rounder Shakib contested and later captain Mushfique joined the chorus. Bangladesh recruited Courtney Walsh, one of the finest bowlers ever to grace the cricket ground. Much lesser caliber Hathurusingha must not have the audacity of discouraging words prior to the commencement of the test.

Bangladesh bowlers with marvelous performances from debutant teenager Mehedi Hasan Miraj and brilliant Shakib made Hathuru digest his words. Bangladesh saw eye ball to eye ball with vastly superior England. Bangladeshi spinners rather exploited the condition much better than their England counterparts. Had Hathuru-influenced selection mess of BCB picked a pair of more penetrative pacers among Al-Amin, Shahid and Rubel Bangladesh could have performed much better.

Bangladesh reduced England to 5/106 due to the exceptional bowling of Miraz with the new ball turning and bouncing. A genuine pacer at this stage could have created greater pressure. But queered team selection disarmed the team. Bangladesh failed to hold on to the advantage. Experienced England rallied adding 187-run for the last five wickets. The quality and depth of English batting paid.

Bangladesh responded bravely. Tamim had shown his level of maturity and batted with unusual restraints. Mahmudullah, Mushfique and Shakib chipped in with useful scores. But Shakib, on the third morning, playing a very irresponsible stroke threw away the opportunity of achieving a very crucial and probable first innings lead. Ben Strokes bowling at pace and reversing earned a very important 45 runs first innings lead as Bangladesh collapsed from 5/221 to 248 all out.

Again Bangladesh made early inroads into England top order. This time Shakib dealt deadly blows. England, at one stage, was reeling at 5/62. Again ball lost turn and bounce as it grew older. Again absence of a genuine pacer let English batsmen off the hook. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow stitched together a match-winning 127-run sixth wicket partnerships.

Finally, Bangladesh could manage to bowl England out second time for 240-run. For the first time, Bangladesh managed to take 20 English wickets for not too much. Chasing a target of 286 on a very difficult wicket turning, bouncing and swinging (reverse and regular) was thought to be a tough ask. Bangladesh looked a bit panicky at the start. They looked hurrying. Tamim, Kayes, Mahmudullah lost hurrying their strokes. Mominul and Mushfique received unplayable deliveries. Mushfique and Sabbir brought Bangladesh back on track when Bangladesh started dreaming. But a late evening strike by aging Gareth Batty removing Mushfique swung the tide back in Englishmen favor. Still well settled Sabbir was there when match drifted to the fifth day. Bangladesh required scoring 33 for a historic win.

Dream got dashed for immaturity and inexperience. We are sure if Bangladesh again getsuch opportunity they won’t behave the way they did. Bangladesh went close to winning against Pakistan in Faisalabad, could have beaten Australia at Fatullah. Now again in Chittagong Sabbir could not deliver the dreams of the nation.

There is no less glory in loosing such a tantalizingly close match against major opposition. Bangladesh lost the match but won few milestones. Mehedi Hasan Miraz is a discovery. Tamim, Sabbir, Mushfique batted superbly. Shakib bowled with usual venom and bite getting his 15th five-for in a test innings and reaching his 150th test wicket. Bangladesh realized that test matches must be played with two genuine pacers for winning against major opposition.

Similar or better performance at Dhaka test must earn Bangladesh more test playing opportunities against major opposition. At the same time, BCB must concentrate more on local longer version quality cricket on true surface under good neutral umpiring. Selectors must not have broken backbones.

BDST: 1140 HRS, OCT 25, 2016
SR