Tamim Iqbal celebrated his birthday with an explosive 85 as Bangladesh posted 330-8 on the opening day of the second and final Test against England yesterday.
The left-handed opener, who turned 21, put the England attack to the sword in a magnificent display of stroke play, smashing one six and 13 fours in his 71-ball knock. He completed his half-century off just 34 balls.
Mohammad Mahmudullah (59), skipper Shakib Al Hasan (49), Junaid Siddique (39) and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim (30) fell when looking well-set. Naeem Islam was unbeaten on 33 at the close.
PHOTO: AFP
England had to work hard for wickets, but still did not allow the hosts to build a big partnership on a batsman-friendly track, with spinners Graeme Swann (3-94) and James Tredwell (2-85) being the main wicket-takers.
Tamim looked set to achieve a rare feat of scoring a century in the opening session, before he was caught by wicketkeeper Matt Prior while attempting to sweep debutant Tredwell nine overs before the lunch break.
Only Australians Victor Trumper, Charles Macartney and Don Bradman, and Pakistan’s Majid Khan have scored a century in the opening session of a Test match.
Swann and Tredwell shared three wickets in the space of 48 runs to reduce the hosts to 167-4 in the afternoon, but Mahmudullah and Al Hasan steadied the innings with a 59-run stand for the fifth wicket.
The hosts were comfortably placed at 119-1 in the morning, before losing Tamim, debutant Jahurul Islam and Siddique.
Tamim, who offered two chances, added 53 for the first wicket with Imrul Kayes (12) and 66 for the next with Siddique. He was on 11 when he slashed paceman Tim Bresnan in the day’s second over, but Paul Collingwood failed to hold the ball after getting his hand to it at second slip.
Tamim was on 35 when let off again, this time skipper Alastair Cook dropping him at mid-on off paceman Stuart Broad.
The England fast bowler got a wicket in the same over, however, when he had Kayes superbly caught by Steven Finn.
Tamim greeted Swann with two fours in the bowler’s opening over, before smashing him for three boundaries and a six over long-on to complete his sixth half-century.
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