Bangladesh’s Shafiul Islam returned to international cricket with two wickets after England threatened to run riot on the first morning of the second Test at Old Trafford yesterday.
At lunch, England, who won the toss, were 92 for three, with Kevin Pietersen 22 not out and Ian Bell unbeaten on 5.
The hosts were in cruise control mode at 44 without loss until 20-year-old pace bowler Shafiul, in only his fifth Test and the first since facing England in Dhaka in March, took two wickets for four runs in seven balls to get rid of Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott.
Then left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, like Shafiul recalled after Bangladesh dropped pace bowlers Rubel Hossain and Robiul Islam from the team that lost the first of this two-Test series by eight wickets at Lord’s, struck first ball when he had opener Alastair Cook (29), pushing half forward, caught at slip by Junaid Siddique.
Shafiul gave the Tigers — who’ve won just three of their 67 Tests — the control they wanted with an opening spell of two for 18 in nine overs.
By contrast Shahadat Hossain, who took five first-innings wickets at Lord’s, conceded 26 runs in his first four overs.
England captain Strauss, carrying on from Lord’s, where the left-handed opener made two 80s, struck several crisp boundaries off the grunting Shahadat, but Shafiul, living up to coach Jamie Siddons’ prediction that he would “bowl good areas and be consistent,” dragged Bangladesh back into the match.
Left-hander Strauss, having made 21 featuring four fours, edged a good length ball from the paceman to Imrul Kayes at second slip.
Forty-four for one became 48 for two when Shafiul bowled Trott, who made 226 at Lord’s, for just 3 with a well-executed off-cutter.
England gave a Test debut to Ajmal Shahzad after Tim Bresnan, the Yorkshire paceman’s county colleague, was ruled out with a foot injury.
All the Bangladesh players wore black armbands as a mark of respect for the more than 100 people killed yesterday after fire swept through an apartment block in Dhaka.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care