Sports Reporter :
Debutante Mehedi Hasan Miraz took five wickets to restrict England to 258 for the loss of seven wickets on the first day of the first Test match between hosts Bangladesh and touring England at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Friday.
Miraz finished his opening day spell as 33-6-64-5. Shakib Al Hasan gave him a good support bagging two wickets for 46 runs.
England faced an early debacle as they lost their three wickets for 21 runs.
Mehedi Hasan Miraz gave his team early breakthrough as opener BM Duckett (14) was cleanly bowled out by the right-arm spinner when England’s score was 18 for the loss of one wicket.
Then Shakib Al Hasan cleanly bowled out Alastair Cook (4), the other opener just after two deliveries when England’s score was 18 for the loss of two wickets.
Mehedi Hasan Miraz struck again as second-down GS Ballance (10) was trapped leg before the wicket by the debutante when England’s total was 21 for the loss of three wickets.
After dismissal of Balance, JE Root and Moeen Ali fought back adding together 62 runs for the fourth wicket partnership before Root was caught by Sabbir Rahman off Mehedi Hasan Miraz when the visitors’ total was 83 for the loss of four wickets.
Root hit 40 from 49 deliveries featuring five fours.
Shakib Al Hasan cleanly bowled out BA Stokes (18) when England’s score was 106 for the loss of five wickets.
Then Moeen Ali and JM Bairstow built another notable partnership. They put on together 88 runs for the sixth wicket stand before Moeen Ali was caught behind by wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim off Mehedi Hasan Miraz when England’s total was 194 for the loss of six wickets.
Moeen Ali top-scored with 68. He hit eight fours and a sixer in his painstaking 170-ball knock.
Then Bairstow and CR Woakes made another worthy partnership. They contributed 43 runs for the seventh wicket partnership before Bairstow was cleanly bowled out by Miraz when the visitor’s total was 237 for the loss of seven wickets.
Bairstow notched up a sedate 52. He hit eight fours in his 126-ball knock.
CR Woakes remained not out with 36, while Adil Rashid remained unbeaten with 5.
