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Bangladesh v England Day 5

Saturday, October 25 2003

Although Bangladesh had dominated the previous two days, their captain Khaled Mahmud was facing a tricky decision at the start of Day 5. Their overnight lead of 153 was useful but not enough to allow an immediate declaration. A final day target of over 200 would be challenging on a wicket where his spinners had already found substantial turn, but he also needed to give them time to bowl England out.
A negative option would have been to instruct his batsmen to bat on and secure a rare draw, given how comfortably the seventh wicket pair had played at the end of Day 4. But he would have known that there was a real chance of victory, and he must have hoped for 50 quick runs before having over five hours for his bowlers to secure this side’s place in history.

In the event, Hoggard and Harmison made the decision for him. They had clearly been tired the previous evening, but this morning they raced in and blew away the final four Bangladesh wickets for a paltry 10 runs. Harmison made the crucial first breakthrough, trapping Khaled Mahmud leg before for 18 and swiftly followed that by having Mohammad Rafique caught behind. Hoggard then removed Mashrafe Mortaza and Enamul Haque for the addition of a solitary run, and England were now in the driving seat.

They needed 164 to win. Still not a formality, especially if the openers went early, but less than they would have feared. But psychologically, the way they had brushed aside the Bangladesh lower order must have restored their confidence. Trescothick and Vaughan did much to calm any remaining nerves with an opening stand of 64. Unlike the first innings, Vaughan was the dominant partner and seemed to have regained much of his fluency. The stand ended when Trescothick was stumped off the bowling Mohammad Rafique for 27, trying something spectacular about half way down the wicket. Shortly afterwards, the same bowler trapped Butcher leg before for 8 to briefly raise the home side’s hopes, as England have already shown on this tour that they are quite capable of losing their last 8 wickets for less than the 78 still needed. However, Hussain lasted rather longer than he had done in the first innings before falling leg before for 17 and they were nearly there. Thorpe, of course, is a veteran of more than one successful run chase in the sub-continent, and he and Vaughan saw England home without further alarm. Vaughan must be hugely relieved, not only with the win, but also with his own contribution. His unbeaten 81 was a timely return to form which, as well as being crucial in the context of this match, sets him up nicely for the remainder of the winter.

In the end, it was fairly comfortable, although England’s players will be all too aware that it might have turned out differently. Their older supporters remembered a fixture in Sri Lanka 21 years previously. That was the home side’s first ever test match, and they gave England one almighty fright before going down by seven wickets. At the time, they weren’t taken seriously, but it wasn’t so very long before they were winning test matches and, eventually, the world cup. Bangladesh are still relatively weak, but in their last two tests they have worried England and come within one wicket of beating Pakistan. The days of patronising them are surely over.

Bangladesh 203 and 255
England 295 and 164 for 3

Posted by David