DHAKA: Team tigers glorified Bangladesh once again. Mushfique squad with an epic test match win at its den Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka over strong England loudly announced its presence in world cricket.

Bangladesh added another feather in its crown. 9th ranked Bangladesh playing its first test series after one and a half year won a test and drew the series against 4th ranked England. With a little bit of luck and more commitment from players Bangladesh could even the first test and the series. However, the 1-1 series draw was no mean achievement.

The head coach of team tigers before the start of the series thought his team cannot take 20 test wickets in a match. He forgot a person called Courtney Walsh started inspiring Bangladeshi bowlers. How brilliantly the boys disproved head coach assessment!

First test win over the mother country of cricket England. Winning big by 108 runs margin getting all 10 wickets in a single session. A teenage sensation displayed magical spells of spin bowling in three of his first two tests and winning man of series award. Yes, Mehedi Hasan Miraz set up a new record of getting 19 test wickets in his first two tests.

Bengal Tigers tamed English Lions. Bangladesh beat England for the first time in the second of two test matches series within three days. It was unbelievable, it was astonishing and it was an epic historic win. Chasing 273 runs for victory and being 100/0 at tea on the third afternoon England dramatically collapsed by the end of match getting all out for 164.

Teenager Mehedi Miraz playing only his second test (12/159) and ace Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib (5/90) wreaked havoc in English camp. England lost all 10 wickets in one session as Bangladesh went on squaring the series 1-1. England narrowly won the hot contested first test in Chittagong earlier. Bangladesh glorified. Mehedi Miraz won the player of the match and player of the series honor.

It was 8th test win by Bangladesh and the first against a higher ranked test team. The earlier seven wins were against lowly Zimbabwe and weakened West Indies team. Bangladesh went very close to winning against Pakistan at Faisalabad and against mighty Australia at Fatullah, Narayanganj.

Debutant Mehedi Miraz taking 19 wickets in his first two tests entered the cricket history being the highest wicket taker in the 129-year test cricket history. He also joined the elite group of eight test cricketers of becoming player of series on debut. Others of the elite club are Rohit Sharma (India), James Pattinson (Australia), Vernon Philander (South Africa), RA Aswin (India), Ajanta Mendis (Sri Lanka), Stuart Clark (Australia), Jacques Rudolph (South Africa) and Sourav Ganguly (India).

Brief Scorecard

Bangladesh:  220 (Tamim Iqbal 104, Mominul Huq 66, MM Ali 5/57, Chris Woakes 3/30, Ben Stokes 2/13) and 296 (Imrul Kayes 78, Mahmudullah 47, Shakib Al Hasan 41, Tamim Iqbal 40, Adil Rashid 4/52, Ben Stokes 3/52)

England 244 (JERoot 56, CR Woakes 46, Adil Rashid 44*, Mehedi Miraz 6/82, Taijul Islam 3/65) and 166 (AN Cook 59, Ben Duckett 56, Mehedi Miraz 6/77, Shakib Al Hasan 4/49)
 

Bangladesh was licking the wounds after narrowly losing the first test in Chittagong. The nature of the Dhaka wicket appeared almost similar. Heavy overnight rain almost threatened the prospect of the timely start of the test. But fortunately, rain left early letting the well drained ground dry in time for the start. 

Bangladesh made one change replacing injured Shafiul with yet another spinner all-rounder Shuvagata Hom although many suggested for the inclusion of a genuine pacer for exploiting reverse swing off the older ball on roughened up surface.

Lady luck smiled with Mushfique. Bangladesh opted to bat. Before any one could hardly settle Imrul was sent back by Woakes with the scorecard showing 1/1. This brought in little bird Mominul pairing with his greater Chittagong compatriot Tamim. The pair produced an excellent flowery partnership of 170 where both matched stroke for stoke.

Tamim went on scoring his eighth test century his third against England. But as soon as he was removed through trapping in front by MM Ali an unbelievable collapse was triggered. Bangladesh lost the last nine wickets for 49 runs. Tamim and Mominul together scored 170 of the 220. There was no demon in the wicket yet MM Ali, Ben Stokes and Woakes halted what could be a sizable first innings of Bangladesh.

English reply encountered a sizzling Mehedi turning the ball square. England was soon reduced to 5/59. At this stage, Mehedi and Taijul were looking deadly. England looked pathetic at 144/8. Chris Waokes and Adil Rashid were in a rescue mission. However, the old ball suddenly was not turning and bouncing that much that made Mushfique a bit defensive. The absence of a genuine pacer was also missing.

The pair put on a fighting 99-run taking England in front before Taijul and Miraz combined against to put an end to English resistance. England got all out scoring 244. Woakes (46) and Rashid (44*) recovered England from a hopeless position. Bewildered Mushfique appeared lost for a while. True he was handicapped from the absence of a genuinely quick quality pacer but he could have continued with his front line spinners. Anyways, 24 runs lead was marginal.

Bangladesh looked supremely confident in their second innings. Tamim and Kayes laid a solid foundation of 65 before debutant spinner Ansari struck the first blow removing Tamim. Mominul failed to deliver. Kayes and Mahmudullah were advancing solidly in their steady 86 runs third wicket stand. When Bangladesh innings started looking Rosy Mahmudullah trying to score his fifty before the stumps were drawn for the second evening played down the wrong line to Ansari.

Bangladesh suddenly became 3/152 being 128 runs ahead on a tricky wicket. The test still looked wide open. Kayes and Shakib added a very useful 48 for the fourth wicket. Kayes after playing a very useful innings of 78 was trapped in front by Moeen. Wicket kept tumbling on the turning wicket of uneven bounce. After Shakib left none could make any significant contribution. Nevertheless, Bangladesh could reach 296 gaining a very useful 272 runs lead.

England started aggressively. Especially Ben Duckett looked adventurous. He was attacking Shakib not letting him settle. England went on scoring the first 100 runs without losing any wicket by tea of the third day. Bangladesh admirers looked anxious and panicked. No one possibly in their wildest dream could foresee what drama was going to be unfolded. 

Teenage Prodigy Mehedi struck the first blow cleaning dangerous looking Duckett. Immediately after that Mehedi’s able partner in destruction Shakib trapped Root. Panic set in England dressing room.

Mehedi and Shakib started teasing and tormenting English lions. Balance, Ali, Bairstow came and went. 100/0 suddenly became 127/5. Bangladeshi spinners started ruling. None other than Stokes could withstand the Tsunami that Mehedi and Shakib triggered.

Shakib in one magical over got three wickets in four deliveries decimating England to 9/161. In the meantime, Mehedi got his third five wickets haul in his fourth innings. He went on grabbing the last wicket as well, his 12th in the match, and unbelievable 19 in his first two tests.

Bangladesh won the first ever test against England playing 10 overall by 108 runs. England lost all 10 wickets in one session. It is very rare when England lost a test in three days. For the second test in succession, Mehedi Miraz won player of the match and deservedly won player of the series.

Miraz as Bangladesh’s U-19 captain won the player of the series award in the recently finished U-19 World Cup for his brilliant all-round performance. He is a very good batsman as well. But he usually bats much higher position at 4 or 5. In this series playing down the order exposed him to English seamers Stokes and Woakes’ swinging and seaming in helping condition. As his captain put forward we agree Miraz, a brilliant find for Bangladesh, will soon establish himself as a highly skilled all-rounder in all format for Bangladesh.

No praise would be enough for team tigers. ICC must now realize that Bangladesh deserves the right for playing more test matches. They are more than capable of winning tests against any team.

Congratulations to team tigers and Happy Birthday to icon Courtney Walsh. You could not ask for a better birth day gift from your charges.

BDST: 1047 HRS, OCT 31, 2016
SR