Stokes leads England win over Bangladesh
Oct 24, 2016 - 7:32 AM Ben Stokes took two wickets in three balls on Monday to give England a nervous 22-run victory over Bangladesh on the last day of the first cricket Test.Bangladesh resumed on 8-253, needing 33 runs to win with two wickets in hand, and got through the first three overs of the morning, creeping 10 runs closer to victory.
But Stokes struck with the first ball of the fourth over, making a successful review for an lbw decision against Taijul Islam, who was deceived by reverse swing and failed to flick the ball off his pads.
Last man Shafiul Islam lasted only two balls and was out lbw not offering a shot.
"I was fairly confident this morning if I'm brutally honest," England captain Alastair Cook said.
"30 odd runs and two wickets... I thought we'd create the chances, the doubt was whether we were good enough to take those chances. They might be half chances. But I thought we'd create enough to win the game so I was fairly relaxed."
Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim had been pessimistic about his team's chances going into the final day.
"30 runs and two wickets is a difficult equation. The match was tilted towards them almost 90 per cent," Rahim said.
"If we would have won, we wouldn't become an extraordinary test side. But we ended up achieving much of what we had set ourselves."
It was a match-winning performance by Stokes, who made a crucial 85 in England's second innings that allowed the visitors to set Bangladesh a challenging run target.
He had figures of 2-20 in the second innings to add to his four wickets in the first.
"The guy is that X-factor cricketer which every side would love to have," Cook said of Stokes. "He balances our side, he gives us options, he allows us to play the extra seamer here or an extra spinner, which ever you look at it, and the one thing he has done over the last year is improve his method against spin."
Source: AAP
No one has shouted yet.
Be the first!
Be the first!
Related News
- England not waiting on Stokes for ODIs Dec 31
- Broad admits critics were right about him Dec 31
- Sydney no time for experimenting: Bairstow Dec 30
- England spinner Moeen at risk of Ashes axe Dec 30
- Root's Ashes conversion issues continue Dec 28
- Broad finds form to rip through Aussies Dec 27
- Curran fires back with maiden Test wicket Dec 26
- Curran to make England debut on Boxing Day Dec 25
- Anderson's pace depth comment divides camp Dec 24
- Tom Curran to debut for Poms on Boxing Day Dec 24
- Giles would have sent wayward English home Dec 24
- Bowlers to get little help from MCG pitch Dec 24