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England battle back as Mehedi stars on debut
- Updated: October 20, 2016
England 258 for 7 (Moeen 68, Bairstow 52, Mehedi 5-64) v BangladeshScorecard and ball-by-ball details
Bangladesh’s teenage offspinner, Mehedi Hasan, claimed figures of 5 for 64 on his first day of international cricket, as England were forced to dig deep into their batting reserves in the first Test at Chittagong. After stumbling to 21 for 3 in the first hour of the contest, England recovered their poise through the efforts of Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow, who rode their luck to compile a pair of half-centuries, and on a surface offering both turn and variable bounce in abundance, it is possible that, in reaching the close on 258 for 7, they are not too far short of a very competitive total.
Nevertheless, through the efforts of the 18-year-old Mehedi, who was handed the new ball in a strong show of faith and wheeled his way through 33 overs in a formidable day’s work, Bangladesh gave a strong indication that their recent upsurge in limited-overs cricket will be replicated in the longest form, notwithstanding the fact that this was their first day’s Test cricket in more than 14 months.
With Shakib Al Hasan excelling in his role as senior pro, and picking off two big wickets including the prize scalp of Alastair Cook, Bangladesh confirmed that this leg of England’s winter will be a challenge in its own right – never mind a harbinger of trials by spin to come later this winter, with Ravi Ashwin and India awaiting for five Tests in six weeks from next month.
But, if there had been any temptation to dismiss these opening contests as a warm-up act for the main event, then today’s exploits were a timely reminder to focus on the here and now.
Mehedi, a star of Bangladesh’s exploits in the recent Under-19 World Cup but a bowler with just 12 first-class appearances to his name before this match, had been named as one of three debutants in Bangladesh’s ranks, alongside the batsman Sabbir Rahman, and Kamrul Islam Rabbi, a quick bowler. Bowling with purpose and purchase, he was thrown the ball for the second over of the match and responded to the responsibility with three wickets in his first 11 overs of international cricket.
First in his sights was his fellow newcomer, Ben Duckett – Cook’s ninth opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss four years ago – whose form in last week’s ODI series, as well as a strong showing in England’s …
