Chittagong : Ben Stokes took the last two Bangladesh wickets in three balls as England won a thrilling first cricket Test by 22 runs in Chittagong on Monday, depriving their hosts of an historic victory.
Bangladesh, needing 33 runs for what would have been their first win over England in nine attempts, added 10 runs to their overnight total and were all out for 263 after 20 minutes of play. Sabbir Rahman, the overnight half-centurion, was left stranded on 64 as the allrounder Stokes dismissed the other two batsmen in his second over.
Stokes had Taijul Islam lbw for 16 following a successful review after umpire Kumar Dharmasena initially turned down a muted appeal.
Two balls later it was the turn for Bangladesh to ask for a review as Dharmasena declared the number 11 batsman Shafiul Islam out lbw for a duck.
The replay again came to England’s favour as Hawk-Eye indicated that the ball was hitting off stump, meaning the umpire’s initial decision stood.
It brought an end to a thrilling battle between the two teams in a match dominated by spin.
Stokes was named man of the match for taking six wickets in the two innings and also scoring 85 in England’s second innings.
The second and final cricket Test will start in Dhaka on October 28 before England then head to India for a five-Test tour.
England first innings
All out: 293
B’desh first innings
All out: 248
England 2nd innings
All out: 240
B’desh second innings
T Iqbal c Ballance b Ali………………..9
I Kayes c Root b Rashid……………..43
M Haque lbw b Batty………………..27
Mahmudullah lbw b Batty…………17
Shakib c Bairstow b Ali……………..24
Mushfiqur c Ballance b Batty……..39
S Rahman not out…………………….64
M Hasan lbw b Broad………………….1
K Islam c Ballance Broad……………..0
T Islam lbw b Stokes…………………16
S Islam lbw b Stokes…………………..0
Extras: (b9, lb13, w1)………………23
Total: (All out)………………………263
Bowling: Batty 17-3-65-3, Ali 14-2-60-2, Woakes 7-3-10-0, Rashid 17-2-55-1, Broad 15-4-31-2, Stokes 11.3-3-20-2.
