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After two tense, attritional days of Test cricket, England finally grafted their way into what should be a winning position on the third day in Chittagong.
Alastair Cook’s bowling attack came out of the blocks firing, Moeen Ali setting the tone by dismissing the dangerous Shakib Al Hasan before Bangladesh could add to their overnight total.
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Three wickets from the excellent Ben Stokes ensured the hosts added just 27 runs before being dismissed for 248, 45 runs behind England’s first-innings effort.
The visitors got off to a nightmare start second time around, as Bangladesh’s trio of spinners – Shakib, who ended with five wickets, Mehedi Hasan and Taijul Islam – excelled on an increasingly spiteful surface.
However, Stokes and Jonny Bairstow, who came together with the score at a precarious 62-5, put together a game-changing 127-run partnership.
The pair departed in the evening session, but Trevor Bayliss’s side ground their way to 228-8 at the close – a precious lead of 273.
STAT OF THE DAY
England __have become the first team ever to __have a 6th wicket partnership of 50+ in 7 consecutive innings.https://t.co/fmUDCZ4xPQ#BANvENG pic.twitter.com/45XppLxf0v
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) October 22, 2016
Not only was Stokes and Bairstow’s defiant partnership potentially match-winning – it was also record-breaking.
When the pair’s stand passed 50 England became the first Test side to have their sixth-wicket partners pass the milestone in seven consecutive innings.
The stat highlights the lower middle-order solidity that has proved a key factor in the side’s resurgence under Bayliss, and the consistency of Stokes, Bairstow, Ali and Chris Woakes.
WHO HAD A GOOD DAY?
No contest: the undisputed player of the day was England’s talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes, who saved his side twice in two sessions.
First, a fine spell of reverse swing bowling helped to reduce Bangladesh from 221-5 overnight to 248 all out, the Durham paceman snaring the hosts’ last three wickets to end with stellar figures of 4-26.
Stokes then came to the crease with his side struggling at 46-4, which became 62-5 when Ali was dismissed.
Unperturbed, he batted not only with his usual counterattacking power, but also great maturity, pummelling three sixes and building the crucial partnership with Bairstow on his way to 85 – an innings worth double that in less trying conditions.
WHO HAD A SHOCKER?
Gary Ballance has passed 50 just once in his nine innings since returning to the side this summer, and will be desperate to make an impression ahead of the India tour.
Stifled by the Bangladesh spinners, he never convinced in England’s second innings, scratching around for 25 balls before sweeping Taijul Islam straight to leg slip on 9, after scoring just 1 first time around.
If he is selected for the second Test in Dhaka, he simply MUST score runs to preserve his place.
Spare a thought, also for the umpire Kumar Dharmasena, who earned himself this dubious honour…
Kumar Dharmasena has become the first umpire to have six decisions overturned on review in a match.https://t.co/fmUDCZ4xPQ#BANvENG pic.twitter.com/3LXXU6cH8U
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) October 22, 2016
LAY OF THE LAND
Before today, the Test remained in the balance – now, England are well and truly in the driving seat.
As Stokes and Bairstow piled on the runs in the evening session, Bangladesh looked an increasingly dejected side, the verve that defined their early second-innings bowling all but gone.
On a pitch offering such assistance to spinners (and England have three), anything over 200 would have proved an imposing fourth-innings target. The visitors’ current lead of 273 should therefore be comfortably beyond a side who have still only won seven of their 93 Tests.
However, Ali, Rashid and Gareth Batty will have to bowl with much more consistency than they managed in the first innings – the spin trio now carry the weight of expectation on their shoulders.
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