England 496 (Bell 138, Bresnan 91, Shakib 4-124) & 209 for 1 (Cook 109) beat Bangladesh 419 (Tamim 85, Swann 4-114) & 285 (Shakib 96, Tredwell 4-84) by 9 wickets
Day One
The first day of the second test in Dhaka was a strangely disappointing affair as both England and Bangladesh struggled to get a strangle hold on the match. The hosts failed to capitalise on a flat, lifeless wicket, whilst England were never able to maintain pressure on the Bangladeshi batsman, and quickly ran out of ideas as to how to contain a certain Tamim Iqbal who's reputation as a no-holds-barred opening batsman has sky-rocketed in the last few months. His 85 from 71 balls propelled the Tiger's to 119 for 1 before an attempted sweep off debutant James Tredwell appeared to clip Tamim's glove en route to a grateful Matt Prior behind the stumps, replays showed it may well have only glanced his forearm but thankfully for England the decision stood.
Debutant James Tredwell was fortunate to end
Tamim Iqbal's domineering knock
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After a scorching start Bangladesh began to totter as the ever-reliant Graeme Swann trapped Jahurul Islam in front LBW leaving Shakib's men delicately poised on 122 for 3. But the tourists were unable to take advantage and wickets became less frequent throughout the afternoon session, Junaid Siddique constructing a useful 39, whilst the versatile Mahmudullah passed his half-century with ease only to be undone by Stephen Fin in the first ball of his spell. The captain Shakib Al-Hasan fell one short of a half-century of his own and Mushfiqur Rahim the Bangladeshi wicket-keeper dug in with Naeem Islam for 30 off 83 balls, but having shown such promise in the first test it was a shame to see the little man not launch some sort of counter-attack whilst the pitch was at its best.
Ultimately it was the hosts inability to convert decent chances into big substantial innings that haunted them throughout the days play. So often blown away at the top level, almost all of Bangladesh's batsman got their eye in only to loose concentration and throw their wicket away. Equally England only really found momentum in the final session having never been able to effectively pressurise the opposition in the field. Cook seemingly unwilling to take a risks and instead happy to move through the motions opting for defensive fields when England were in need of a breakthrough, rather than chancing his arm. All things said a gritty final session saw Cook's men restrict Bangladesh to 330 for 8 overnight, and considering Tamim's fireworks and the dire state of the pitch England would have no doubt been satisfied with their days work.
Day Two
Day two was in fact shaded by Bangladesh, who resuming on 330 for 8 were finally bowled out for an admirable 419 thanks to half-centuries from Naeem Islam and Shafiul Islam. The two Islams shared a stand of 74 as England's bowlers failed to get into their stride early on, the two batsmen proving useful foils for one another as Shafiul threw caution to the wind, whilst the more experienced Naeem kept the English fielders on their toes rotating the strike and frustrating the tourists. Unsurprisingly Shafiul was the man to fall first shortly after registering his maiden Test match 50, but the toil continued for Cook as a 31-run tenth wicket partnership between Naeem and Rubel Hossain saw Bangladesh pass 400. However with the pitch still flat and true Bangladesh would still have to work extremely hard to dislodge England's top order who had already enjoyed milking their bowlers for big runs only a week before in Chittagong.
A wagging Bangladeshi tail left the likes of Steven Finn
with their heads in their hands for much of the morning
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As it turned out the Tigers soon found themselves in a tidy position thanks to some indifferent English batting and determined bowling by the likes of Rassak and Hussain. After a fluid 21 it was Cook who was first back into the changing rooms oddly deciding to slop-sweep Abdur Razzak only for the England skipper to pick out Imrul Kayes at midwicket. With KP at the crease Shakib opted to use both of his left-arm spinners in tandem hoping to once again undo England's foremost stroke-maker. For a while Pietersen was equal to the task and he soon past 5,000 Test runs, but following a succession of maidens and marginal decisions that went the batsman's way he was undone by his old nemesis. Yes it was Shakib's left arm tweakers that induced a leading edge from England's No.3 and Kayes bagged his second catch of the match at short cover. When Paul Collingwood succumbed to the reverse swing of Hossain Bangladesh were firmly in control and the tourists were in real trouble at 107 for 3.
A dogged unbeaten 64 from Jonathan Trott ensured that English blushes were not quite as rosy and at stumps England had managed to grind their way to 171 for 3. The day though remained to Bangladesh who comfortably passed 400 to amass an unlikely first innings total of 419, and then carried their momentum into the field exercising their plans well and not allowing England to score as freely as they had done before.
Moreover Cook's inexperience as captain was finally beginning to show as he chopped and changed in search of what he considered the 'inevitable' final two wickets. But with the likes of Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan, and Graham Gooch overseeing the progress of the new-look England team, Cook has unrivalled access to some of England cricket's steeliest characters.
Day Three
Following a timid display by England on day two, Cook and his men were aiming to finally stamp their authority on a game that had yet to serve as an inspiring advertisement for Test match cricket. Early signs though were not encouraging. Jonathan Trott unfortunate to be, but ultimately dismissed in only the third over of the day by Shakib Al Hasan who had the forearm of England's gritty opening batsman to thank for the removal of Trott's off-stump. Consequently England were left in a fragile state and their hopes of a 2-0 whitewash well and truly in the balance.
It was up to Ian Bell to breath some life into England's innings, and it was a typically classy 138 that guided the tourists to a slender lead at the close of play. What was most fascinating about Bell's knock was that as he recorded his 10th Test hundred it was the first time he had past three-figures without a team-mate doing so before in an innings. No longer the accomplice Bell became his team's anchor and managed to inspire the likes of Matt Prior (62) and Tim Bresnan who finished the day unbeaten on 72 to avoid any England blushes. No doubt there will be sterner tests ahead for Bell this year, not least this winter, but it still remains a telling statistic, and may well be a sign that Bell is ready to take on the responsibility of putting together match winning scores in the middle overs in the hope of cementing a spot in England's Ashes squad and beyond.
Mushfiqur Rahim shakes the hand of Ian Bell after a majestic ton on Day Three
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Aside from Belly's heroics luck remained in the batsmen's side with decisions regularly going against Bangladesh and it was not long before Shakib was dragging himself around the field, a feeling of dejection that soon spread to the rest of the hapless Tigers and even the Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons. Siddon's frustration was understandable and he lost his cool or more than one occassion, firstly charging into the umpire's room, and later when an LBW appeal against Bell was turned down, he was seen gesticulating at the boundary edge. Whilst one could sympathise which Siddons's frustration it was hard to see that at such a crucial stage in the Test match that a writhing coach on the sidelines was to going to provide Shakib's men with much-needed inspiration.
However, England's lead remains slender and if the Bangladeshi bowling has proved anything it is that their are few demons in this pitch.With the dangerous Tamim Iqbal eager to clear the ropes from ball one, Cook will have to remain patient and be more canny with his field placements with Graeme Swann and James Tredwell likely to be rolling poles for much of day four as England look to capitalise on a dogged days work with the willow in hand.
Day Four
Continued determination with the bat and an impressive outing with the ball saw England take charge on the fourth day in Dhaka. Resuming on 440 for 8 Bresnan and Tredwell shared a useful ninth-wicket partnership of 47 before the latter fell for 91 trying to loft Abdur Razzaq back over his head, only to be undone by some sharp turn on a wearing surface. The uncharacteristic 'dance' down the wicket from the Yorkshireman though seemed to spark the tourists into life, and a brace of boundaries by Tredwell off Shakib, who amassed a titanic 66 overs in England's second innings, propelled his side to 496 all out.
Tim Bresnan fell agonisingly short of a maiden Test century
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As expected Cook quickly 'turned' to his spinners and Tredwell was unfortunate not to have Tamim back in the shed early on. The enterprising opener was given all of three lives, first Prior unable to gobble up a fairly straightforward edge behind the stumps, Tredwell himself was then guilty of fumbling a caught and bowled opportunity with Tamim on 26, and it was not before another catch had gone wanting that Swann finally removed Bangladesh's wonderkid, slashing the offspinner to Stuart Broad at point.
Despite missed opportunities England continued to ride their luck. Imrul Kayes bowled after the ball ricocheted off his thigh pad and onto the stumps, and soon after Junaid had got quietly into his stride he somehow managed to cut a Tredwell delivery straight onto the Cook's boot only for the ball to loop back to spinner who gratefully took the most peculiar of caught and bowled.
Bresnan's career best batting figures did little to compromise his bowling, the bustling seamer managed to swing the ball both ways with ease, and it was not long before he snuffed out the talented Mahmadullah taking a thin inside edge as Bangladesh slipped to 130 for 4. A slip soon became a slide thanks to a peach from Graeme Swann completely deceiving Jahurul with dip and grip managing to dart his offspin untouched between bat and pad.
130 for 4 became 156 for 5 and not long after 169 for 6, with only a further three runs added before the bails were removed. Bangladesh's inability to move up through the gears, either getting bogged down in first or skipping directly to fifth, cost them dearly and their immaturity in the longer format was evident. Ploys that have seen Bangladesh become a competitive force in One Day International cricket will never prove fruitful in Test cricket, and this will be a lesson that Shakib's army of youthful cricketers will have to learn before too long.
Day Five
England maintained there one-hundred percent record over Bangladesh with a seemingly comfortable victory over the test minnows in the second and final test in Dhaka. The two captains provided the main talking points throughout the final days play that saw England cross the line, albeit amongst another spirited Bangladesh batting performance.
Having tottered to 172 for 6 yesterday much, in fact almost everything rested on the shoulders of the Tiger's captain Shakib Al Hasan, and he did not disappoint. As his team-mates crashed around him Shakib very nearly guided his team to safety. The birthday boy combined well-timed flourishes with dogged defence and almost put his side on the brink of an upset as he looked to take as much time out of the game as possible. Tragically one shot away from a majestic ton he lost his cool and ran down the wicket to Tredwell attempting an enormous swipe only to hit thin air and be stumped for 96. The manner of his dismissal was typical of Bangladesh's cricket this series, and the naivety that they continue to play with despite possessing raw talent that many well established Test nations would envy.
Alastair Cook finished as the leading run scorer in a victorious series for England
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Plaudits must remain with England though, and after a sketchy series in charge, Alastair Cook ensured that there was little doubt as to his calibre as his country's gritty first choice opening batsman. He finished as the leading run scorer in the series with a career-best 173 in Chittagong, and his unbeaten 109 on the first day in Dhaka ensured that England's victory in the end at least appeared comfortable. A dejected bowling display by the likes of Shaiful Islam and Abdul Razzak gifted the tourists an easy start, and Pietersen joined forces with his captain crafting a sumptuous 74 not out to see England cruise to a nine-wicket victory and a 2-0 series whitewash.
