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Bangladesh v England, 1st Test Day Three: Five Things We Learned

Bangladesh v England, 1st Test Day Three: Five Things We Learned

England seize the initiative to lead Bangladesh by 273 runs in their second innings. Here’s what we learned from a compelling third day in Chittagong…

MAN OF THE DAY – Ben Stokes (4-26 & 85)

Only great allrounders – the truly great ones – have days like this. And what makes them truly great is how often these days come about. Now, that is not to say Stokes is a great allrounder (yet). But today he put on the sort of performance that very few in the game are capable of. In the space of six overs this morning, he took three for nine, bowling Bangladesh out for 248 to give England a first innings lead of 45, finding movement and pace off a pitch that had rewarded no other seamer. Then, with England struggling on 46-4, with the match hanging in the balance, he produced his finest Test innings to not only take England to safety but ensure they finished the day with a sizeable, surely match-winning lead of 273.

OFF BALLANCE

First, let’s talk about the dismissal. With a leg slip in, Gary Ballance got down and almost apologetically paddle swept the ball straight into his hands. Without wanting to extrapolate too much from one dismissal, it spoke of a batsman who didn’t know where his next score of note was coming from. Since returning to the Test side, Ballance averages 22.77 and it is hard to see what exactly has changed in his game to merit re-selection. Admittedly, it is easy to be wise after the event and, as mentioned on day one, his selection in this Test is understandable. But, all things considered, he should not keep his place for the second Test in Dhaka.

JONNY TOO GOOD

The renaissance of Jonny Bairstow has been a joy to behold. Where he was once a talented yet frenetic presence at the crease, he has adopted the quiet calmness of a man at ease with the world and his place in it. In his innings of 47, he not only combined superbly with Stokes for 127, at close to four an over, he also set a new record for the most Test runs scored by a wicketkeeper in a calendar year. The previous record holder was former England head coach Andy Flower, who scored 1,045 runs for Zimbabwe in 2000.

ZERO TO HERO

But has the damage been done? After one ball of the day’s play, Shakib Al Hasan charged a good delivery from Moeen Ali and missed it by a country mile to be stumped. In that moment, any hopes Bangladesh had of a lead, or even parity, trudged back to the changing room with him. He tried to make up for it in the field, bowling almost unchanged throughout the England second innings, ending the day with his 15th Test five-wicket haul. However, by then, Bangladesh were already well behind. For a senior player to do what he did was a travesty and make yet be the error that undoes his side.

WHAT NEXT

Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad looked comfortable dealing with the spinners, who by that stage must have been desperate for a drink and a rub-down. Refreshed, they will pose a greater threat tomorrow, but Broad and Woakes should be in no rush to push England’s lead to 300 and beyond. With only Gareth Batty left to bat, there is enough, with a bit of luck, to add another 70. For all England’s excellence, it does seem that this pitch isn’t totally a minefield. It is also worth noting that Bangladesh have only won one Test when chasing a total. That came in 2014, when they chased down 101 against Zimbabwe for the loss of seven wickets.