BAN v ENG, 1st Test Day 4 Review: Both sides inch ever so closer to victory

At the end of the first BAN v ENG Test at Chittagong, there will be a few things that can be guaranteed. One of those would most certainly be a result. However, the inability to predict a winner at the end of the fourth day’s play is perhaps the reason why we love Test cricket.

The day quite clearly belonged to Bangladesh as they quickly snuffed out the brief England resistance as they soon found themselves chasing a target of 286. Stuart Broad’s run-out was the highlight in the first session’s play.

The Bangladesh batting began with the exact opposite of optimism following the fall of the important wicket of Tamim Iqbal. The southpaw was dismissed to the old trick deployed by the England skipper of starting the innings with spin. However, what came next was the simple fact that Gareth Batty was opening the bowling was evidence enough to back up the previous statement.

Imrul Kayes and Mominul Haque impressed with the bat for a while before Adil Rashid struck and removed the impressive Imrul Kayes. Gareth Batty was making the ball turn a country mile as Mominul Haq and Mahmudullah were dismissed soon after. However, with Taim Iqbal smashing an impressive and important 23 runs, it was clear that Bangladesh were not going to cave in without a fight.

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Wicketkeeper-batsman and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim then went ahead and began to impress with the bat. He began to stitch an important partnership with debutante Sabbir Rahman who was seemingly getting through his Test debut with relative ease.

The pendulum shifted back as it looked as though Bangladesh were clawing their way to victory. Sabbir smashed Moeen Ali to the fence in one over to signal the intent he had to take his side over the line to Alastair Cook who then took the executive decision to toss the ball to Stuart Broad, his makeshift pace leader in the absence of James Anderson.

However, the pendulum was to go back and forth shortly after the tea break as the victory now seemed to be in England’s favor. Gareth Batty, the old dog as far as England was concerned came on to dismiss the impressive Mushfiqur Rahim shortly after the tea break.

Then, the wickets began to tumble like a few packs of dominos. However, the fact of the matter remained despite the fall of the wickets as Sabbir Rahman remained unbeaten on 59, something that could potentially hold the key for Bangladesh’s win.

Brief Scores:

England, 1st innings: 293 all out

Bangladesh, 1st innings: 248 all out

England, 2nd innings: 240 all out

Bangladesh, 2nd innings: 253/8 (Sabbir Rahman 59*; G Batty 3/65)

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