England made to work for first Test win over Bangladesh
Graeme Swann took ten wickets as England beat Bangladesh by 181 runs in first Test in Chittagong
Tuesday, 16, Mar 2010 12:00
By Will Haine.
England took a 1-0 advantage over Bangladesh in their two-match Test series with a 181-run win in Chittagong, but struggled to break the stubborn resistance of the hosts' batsmen on the final day.
Junaid Siddique a heroic 106, while Mushfiqur Rahim (95) fell agonisingly short of his century as the pair further defied England for an entire session this morning.
But their 167-run stand was finally broken by Graeme Swann (5-127) shortly after lunch and England then quickly ran through the lower order - with Swann picking-up his first ten-wicket Test match haul.
England would have been aiming for a swift conclusion to proceedings on the fifth morning after Siddique and Rahim batted out the final session unscathed on day four - resuming on 191-5.
But another blisteringly hot day in Chittagong and an unforgiving pitch meant that they had to battle hard for their wickets. Siddique and Rahim repelled the England attack for the entire morning, with the former bringing up his century with two uncharacteristic boundaries in one Steve Finn over. Taking 262 balls to reach his milestone, it was patience personified by the 22-year-old as he reached a valiant maiden Test hundred.
The lunch interval then served to galvanise England, and Swann found the left-handed Siddique's edge just two overs after the break, with Paul Collingwood taking the low catch at slip. It was then left to Rahim to continue in his partner's stead, but he too was back in the pavilion six overs later. It was Swann again who provided the wicket for the tourists, but it was gifted to him after Rahim inexplicably danced down the track and missed the ball, which then cannoned into his stumps - dismissing him just five runs short of a deserved century.
At this point the tourists, if they had any doubt before, knew that match was theirs for the taking, and Stuart Broad (1-65) trapped Abdur Razzak lbw six balls later.
Naeem Islam (36) decided to take the attack to the England bowlers from then on in, and he was briefly supported by Shahadat Hossain before the latter edged a Tim Bresnan (3-63) delivery through to Matt Prior.
Islam continued to be positive as he used his feet to add a four off Swann to the three sixes he had already hit, but the England spinner sealed the match and his five-for when Islam skied to Michael Carberry at midwicket.
Swann's whirlwind England career continues as he becomes the first England off-spinner to take ten-wickets in a match on the sub-continent, and he has now taken the final wicket in each of England's last four Test victories.
Despite the convincing nature of the winning margin, Bangladesh can take heart for the way they batted so admirably after losing their fifth second innings wicket before tea on day four. But, regardless of their final day toils, England take the lead in the two match series - with the second and final Test beginning in Dhaka on Saturday.