RESULT
1st Test, Chattogram, October 20 - 24, 2016, England tour of Bangladesh
293 & 240
(T:286) 248 & 263

England won by 22 runs

Player Of The Match
4/26, 85 & 2/20
ben-stokes
New
BAN 2nd Innings
Full commentary

10.50am: So, Cook's pace gambit paid off, England stretched the game out into the final day and, as Miller's report puts it, Ben Stokes broke Bangladesh hearts. It was a spinner who broke the game open, though, as Gareth Batty's ripper to Mushfiqur Rahim allowed England to believe again, just as it was slipping away. The last five wickets fell for 36 runs, as Broad and Stokes bent their backs as well as the old, reversing ball. The trick for Bangladesh is in using this performance to their advantage... Having not played a Test in 15 months, they matched a team that has designs being ranked at the top. It's easy to overlook in the cold light of another defeat but, with three debutants on board (two of whom had sensational games), they put up a tremendous fight. That's the lesson they must take to Dhaka, where the second Test will begin on Friday - make sure it's in the diary and set your alarms.

We'll give the final word to Pradeep: "In this match both teams won some sessions but Stokes won 2 days (3rd and 5th). Even though 5th completed within 10 overs he is the reason to remember it ;) :)" And remember it we certainly shall. It was Stokes' Test, it was the DRS Test, it was a flippin' great Test. Thanks for being part of it, join us again for more thrills and spills (fingers crossed) in a few days' time. Cheerio!

10.35am: Presentations time, starting with Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim: "Probably it was not in our favour, 33 runs and two wickets, but the boys put in so much effort over the last five day, after 15 months, I'm really proud. They scored 240 in the second innings, if we'd managed to get 290 in our first innings, it would have brought it [the target] down. Our boys fought it out which is really impressive and hopefully we'll do the same in the next match. Sabbir has been outstanding in the last one-and-a-half years. I thought it was a good track, it was spinning but not unplayable. Hopefully we can come up with some good plans. If you want to play in the subcontinent, it should be that way and we have some good spinners."

England captain Alastair Cook: "It was a really good Test match, to think we were here on day five with that wicket. It was such a tight game, so credit to both sides. I'm glad we held our nerve, the quality we have in our attack, we got it reversing. We also had the option of the new ball, which we could use with the spinners. It would have been a gamble but it was quite hard to bat against the new ball. It was a great match and we want to thanks our loyal 10-15 supporters up there. [Stokes?] Not just ball in hand but the way he batted, he balances the side. Those cricketers don't come around very often and he's got an enormous heart as well. A seriously good cricketer. [Spinners performed?] Part of a seven-Test odyssey, I thought we did okay. They'll do well for the experience - they bowled some absolute jaffas as well. You are tested in so many different ways, that's why I keep saying how good Test cricket is."

The match-winner, Ben Stokes, is named Man of the Match: "We knew it would be either myself, Broady, or Woakesy to bowl, the amount it was reverse-swinging, but we had he option of the new ball as well. [Subcontinental challenge?] Started off pretty well but we have a long way to go from here, hopefully want to perform on a more consistent basis. I've had to adapt, with men around the bat, just make sure you don't give your wicket away and still play your shots. [Tough conditions] It's all in the training we do, making sure when we get out on the field that our bodies are used to the conditions."

10.25pm: It went Chitty Chitty Bang Bang after all, putting England 1-0 up in the series! With the 25th and 26th reviews of this remarkable match, Bangladesh have been cruelly denied once again. Their narrowest defeat by runs came after they took 20 wickets against one of the top-six nations for the first time - a hugely valiant effort but it leaves them with nothing but 'what if's in the mind and an empty feeling in the stomach. No surprise that Stokes finished it off, he put in a brilliant performance, the difference between the two teams; but spare a thought for Sabbir Rahman, stranded at the end. I hope someone remembered to play Flintoff and put an arm around the shoulder.

Eusha: "I must say I couldn't comprehend the rationale behind trusting the tail-enders too much with the strike. Sabbir unfortunately did not show a lot of responsibility on this short morning." It worked for him last night, to be fair - and given that they needed 48 when the eighth wicket fell, he got them pretty darn close

"DRS decide the match!!" Indeed it did, Miad. Fittingly

Here's ramki: "Is it possible to tell how many decsions of Dharmasena were reversed?" It is, if you look through the day notes at the bottom of the scorecard... but I'm going to save Kumar's blushes by not listing them here

81.3
W
Stokes to Shafiul, OUT

props forward, hit on the front pad, Dharmasena gives it! He's decided that Shafiul was not playing a shot and although he reviews, for the umpteenth time in the match, the odds are not in the batsman's favour now... Struck outside the line but ball-tracker has it hitting off, umpire's call, Shafiul is a goner and England have snatched a famous 22-run win! Stokes is indeed the man for England, he's got a pretty decent script-writer, this lad

Shafiul Islam lbw b Stokes 0 (2b 0x4 0x6 4m) SR: 0
81.2
Stokes to Shafiul, no run

sliding down the leg side, flick and a miss

Remember that the new lbw protocols came in this month - and they were probably decisive in this case! Yep, it seems that decision would not have been overturned previously

81.1
W
Stokes to Taijul, OUT

on the stumps, flicks the pad playing across the line, loops past the diving Bairstow... Stokes wanted the lbw and England have reviewed (they were topped up at 80 overs remember). Looked a bit speculative to me but here we go... Past the inside edge, struck in line, Hawk-Eye has it hitting leg stump! England are ecstatic, I thought they had gambled but Stokes just had a feeling it was adjacent and Taijul has to go! In this match of reviews, another dramatic reversal!

Taijul Islam lbw b Stokes 16 (33b 2x4 0x6 42m) SR: 48.48

"Anyone else thinking of 2005 Ashes here? Will Sabbir end up being BD's Brett Lee?" I suspect plenty have assumed that particular position, Manu

end of over 812 runs
BAN: 263/8CRR: 3.24 
Taijul Islam16 (32b 2x4)
Sabbir Rahman64 (102b 3x4 2x6)
Stuart Broad 15-4-31-2
Ben Stokes 11-2-20-0
80.6
1
Broad to Taijul, 1 run

pitched up and flicked confidently off the pads, there's a run there, though it keeps Taijul on strike

"I can feel the tension all the way from Australia!" shivers Daniel

80.5
Broad to Taijul, no run

full and slightly wide of the stumps, 143kph/89mph from Broad, straining for the yorker... Taijul blocks, calm as you like

80.4
Broad to Taijul, no run

round the wicket, angled in towards middle and leg, closes the face and squirts it to backward square

80.3
1
Broad to Sabbir, 1 run

fullish on off stump, tapped into the covers and again they take one

80.2
Broad to Sabbir, no run

good length around fourth stump, comes forward to block

Here's Govinda Kapoor: "I think the pressure is on Bangladesh as they are here to prove. They want to taste victory. England just want them to choke." Sabbir looks like a man who knows where the throttle is, all right

Just a slip in for the doughty debutant

80.1
Broad to Sabbir, no run

whirs in and puts the ball on a length, Sabbir blocks

The new ball is available... But England are keeping that up their sleeve for now. Broad into the 11th over of a spell that began on the fourth evening

end of over 805 runs
BAN: 261/8CRR: 3.26 
Taijul Islam15 (29b 2x4)
Sabbir Rahman63 (99b 3x4 2x6)
Ben Stokes 11-2-20-0
Stuart Broad 14-4-29-2
79.6
Stokes to Taijul, no run

slung down outside off and Taijul has a little flirt with this, fails to connect

"Hope this is worth giving up another hour in bed," yawns Richard Bedwell. "Happy with either result as both teams can be proud of themselves"

79.5
Stokes to Taijul, no run

good length in the channel, not close enough to make Taijul play

79.4
Stokes to Taijul, no run

speared down the leg side, swish and a miss as YJB sprawls to collect

Tremendous noise around the ground, though it looks like about 100 people are in...

79.3
4
Stokes to Taijul, FOUR runs

goes for the bumper, Taijul swings across the line - and gloves it over the keeper for four! The target comes ever closer, he was beaten for pace but just got enough on it to take the ball to the boundary!

79.2
1
Stokes to Sabbir, 1 run

back of a length in the corridor and Sabbir reaches to dab it through point, there were singles on offer... and he continues to trust his partner

Here's Gareth: "What a night, could you imagine? The English bowling attack would have had the opportunity to refocus and talk about their plans to these three final batters. Bangladesh would have had three players with more stress than the ocean depths, whilst the other 8 would have been sitting their ruing their wickets. Not to mention the umpiresl They'd be sweating bullets not wanting to make a foul up."

79.1
Stokes to Sabbir, no run

shortish at the body and tapped down into the leg side defensively

Pace from both ends it is, Ben Stokes the man. Can he be The Man for England once again in this match? Bangladesh have knocked off an 11th of their requirement already...

end of over 793 runs
BAN: 256/8CRR: 3.24 
Taijul Islam11 (25b 1x4)
Sabbir Rahman62 (97b 3x4 2x6)
Stuart Broad 14-4-29-2
Gareth Batty 17-3-65-3

"Can't concentrate on office today, sitting glued to cricinfo's scorecard, gosh, what a mental pressure for Bangladesh supporters!" yips Nayeem

78.6
Broad to Taijul, no run

back of a length, 135kph/83mph and straightening a touch, hint of reverse swing but it's solidly blocked on the back foot

78.5
Broad to Taijul, no run

round the wicket and angled down the leg side, Taijul pokes at it and misses

And it also brings Taijul Islam on strike for the first time today...

78.4
1
Broad to Sabbir, 1 run

flashed past the stumps! Another inside edge playing away from his body but it brings BD another precious run

78.3
2
Broad to Sabbir, 2 runs

up and running, just a little push but superbly timed between two men in the covers and they come back for two

78.2
Broad to Sabbir, no run

pitched up, Sabbir comes on to the front foot and steers towards mid-off

78.1
Broad to Sabbir, no run

starts on a good length outside off, Sabbir calmly watches it through to the keeper

Right, thanks to Miller for the build-up, this is Alan back in the comms seat... How long is this going to take? An hour? Thirty mins? Two balls...? Stuart Broad is the man given the ball by his captain, drawing on his heroics from last night. Sabbir waiting, Bangladesh waiting

9.50am Shafayet: "The whole nation of Bangladesh is waiting to see a history being made. Whatever happens today we are proud of this team..." So true. Have a read of George Dobell's scene-setter from last night. Bangladesh have won their quest for respect already, no matter what happens today. But, how massive would it be to claim a scalp of England's size? Reminiscent of that day in 1992-93 when Sri Lanka finally beat England at their own game. They didn't exactly look back after that, did they?

Oh, and while we're on the subject, now's as good a day as any to re-read this epic appreciation of Bangladesh's progress, by Mohammad Isam and Sid Monga. Isam, too, had several kind words to say about Mushfiqur's efforts yesterday. His twin innings of 48 and 39 in this Test could be recalled as two of the greatest non-half-century performances.

9.43am Dave: "Cook's reluctance to bowl spinners from both ends last night on a 4th day pitch in Asia highlights the lack of quality spin available to England…and is a major concern ahead of their tour to India too. Thoughts?" I thought it was fascinatingly revealing. And the absence of Zafar Ansari, a left-arm spinner who can turn the ball away from the right-handers, could be telling too. It's clear that Cook doesn't trust Adil Rashid to do that job for him (although he might have to ...) while there's a danger that, no matter how well the offies bowl at him, Sabbir will be able to hoick their offerings with the spin into the leg-side. Who'd be a skipper in these circumstances? Oh, and while we're at it, let's just have a moment of appreciation for Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar. They were a bit good on turning pitches, weren't they?

9.34am Good morning and welcome to Bangladesh's day of destiny. Thirty-three runs, two wickets. An entire day to get either, if needs be. Sabbir Rahman, Taijul Islam and, if needs be, Shafiul Islam have the hopes and dreams of a nation invested in their bats. England, meanwhile, have the new ball available in two overs' time and a massive dilemma for Alastair Cook to address. Does he stick to what he knows - the trusty seamers who will keep it tight and make Bangladesh grind for their runs and, maybe, choke on their lines. Or does he toss a new hard rock to his spin attack, and hope that they serve enough more hand grenades than pies.

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