The Test Updates

Second Slipis doing the Test Updates in the light-hearted looks of things but Bangladesh would've won the Test match had it not been those fielding mistakes and batting collapses...

Shakib Al Hasan added to his 144 with 6/82. Courtesy AFP

You know when the TV is on, but the connection breaks off and it says “we will try to return to normal programming as soon as possible”....? Well, normal programming resumed at Mirpur today, after 3 pretty even days of Test cricket. In short, Bangladesh batsman played some poor strokes, and finished 18 runs behind Pakistan’s 470 all out. Despite Shakib Al Hasan becoming the first Bangladeshi man to take a 5-fer and a ton in the same Test, he can’t do everything.Bangladesh 338 and 114 for 5 trail Pakistan 470 (Taufeeq 130, Misbah 70, Azhar 57, Akmal 53, Shakib 6-82) by 18 runs

Following on from that previous statement, it seemed like captain Mushfiqur Rahim thought Shakib could do everything, bowling him a lengthy 23 over spell. That’s right, 23 overs straight. Add to that, left arm spinner Elias Sunny bowling unchanged through the whole morning session, you get the feeling that it was a spinner friendly track after the new ball weared off! The day started well for the Tigers, Younis Khan (who looks like he has aged 5 years in 3 days) edging behind to Elias Sunny in the second over of the day. Many thought, including my good self- thought Pakistan would put Bangladesh to the sword and try to put them on the back foot and score quickly. This didn’t happen however, Misbah-Ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq batting cautiously, only 3 runs in the first 7 overs of their partnership. Although to Misbah’s credit, when the spinners were getting hold of things, he tried paddle sweeps, moving around the crease, reverse sweeps to up the tempo. Misbah is a very efficient ODI batsman, showing it in that passage of play. But his strength became his weakness, as he top edged a conventional sweep, and perished to the ever economical Shakib.

Bangladesh proceeded to drop three more catches, making the tally 6 for the innings. It hurt them. After Shafiq fell to a close LBW, Adnan Akmal (yes, another bloody Akmal!) and Abdur Rehmann upped the scoring, the Pakistan keeper very much the anchor to the more aggressive tail ender. Akmal brought up his 50, but couldn’t stop Superman Shakib mopping up the tail, finishing with 6-92 off 40 overs.

Bangladesh’s batting was poor, a real let down when they really needed some grit. Downhill skier Tamim Iqbal thought he had walked out to a T20, and smashed 5 fours in 19 balls before Umar Gul bowled a good bouncer, hit his helmet and went to 1^st slip. He was given out. Iqbal pointed at his helmet, rubbed it, took it off and looked at it, all before he left his crease. It will surely cost him 50% of his match fee. Nafees was gone next ball, LBW to Gul who was getting the ball to nip around. There was no hat-trick, but opener Nazimuddin failed to pick a slider from left armer Abdur Rehmann, and alarm bells were ringing. Mahmudullah for some strange reason thought it was a good idea to chase a ball that would be given a wide in ODI and T20 cricket, and lobbed a catch to point. Collective groans from the Bangladesh dressing room echoed around the ground. Then possibly the final nail in the coffin, Superman Shakib guided one to gully off Aziaz Cheema. 5/114 and trouble. What can they muster tomorrow? I’m just hoping my TV connection doesn’t break when it’s on.....