Moeen helps England overcome spin woes

Oct 20, 2016 - 11:42 AM Moeen Ali survived five reviews as he and Jonny Bairstow helped England overcome their spin discomfort and post 7-258 on day one of the first test against Bangladesh on Thursday.

Bangladesh off-spinner Mehedi Hasan made a memorable Test debut, taking five wickets to torment the tourists who slumped to 5-106 after a top order collapse.

Moeen made 68 and featured in fifty-plus partnerships with Joe Root (40) and Bairstow (52) to rescue the tourists, who were 3-21 after the first hour in the match.

Chris Woakes was unbeaten on 36 at stumps with Adil Rashid (five) at the other end after an engrossing day.

In the most extraordinary passage of play either side of the lunch break, Moeen was adjudged lbw on three occasions, but every time the batsman got himself reinstated by successfully reviewing the decision.

The day otherwise belonged to Mehedi, who turns 19 on Tuesday.

He claimed his maiden Test wicket with a flighted delivery that bowled fellow Test debutant Ben Duckett for 14.

Encouraged by the breakthrough, Bangladesh opted for spin from both ends and the move paid immediate dividend with Shakib Al Hasan dismissing Alistair Cook for four with his second delivery.

Cook, who became the most-capped England test cricketer in his 134th appearance, went for a sweep only to drag the ball onto his stumps.

Gary Ballance (one) was trapped leg-before by Mehedi after a review.

Only Root looked comfortable against the spinners, hitting five crisp boundaries in his fluent knock before Mehedi dismissed him to end his 62-run stand with Moeen.

Shakib dismissed Ben Stokes for 18 with a dipping delivery that turned sharply to breach the batsman's defence and hit the top of the off-stump.

Mehedi finally ended Moeen's vigil when he induced an edge which Mushfiqur collected behind the stumps.

Source: AAP