Story Bangladesh: From Minnows to Tigers! (End of England tour)

[qpeedore]

*Sigh*

I guess I'm going to have to let this story quietly fade away...

 

[Gaurav_7]

Man, I just hope not. There's inactivity around here but, you don't let it get to you. I will try as much as I can to help you. Can you PM me what you're short of?

 

[Dipak]

I even offered you help in the GFX department (check your VM)

 

[Prats]

I guess I'm going to have to let this story quietly fade away...

Nooo dude

This is just amazingly going.

 

[qpeedore]

Okay, I'll continue.

I was having a down day at the time...but I feel energised now.

Dipak, check your VM. User, I know you were busy for a while. I assume you're okay now?

 

[Gaurav_7]

User, I know you were busy for a while. I assume you're okay now?

I can always do some graphics. Thing is, they might take some time if I am busy or I can give it you quickly otherwise.

 

[Dipak]

Dipak, check your VM.

Nope, I didn't get any VM from you.

 

[qpeedore]

Playing conditions Day 5

If Bangladesh are going to win this one, they will have to contend with a pitch that is perhaps just starting to show signs of life in it. The ball might turn a bit and there will be the odd one that keeps a little low, but it wont be easy for the bowlers at all.

Play Day 5

Bangladesh persisted with their attacking fields. Aziz bowled a great first over to show the home team that they meant business. At the other end, Sharif struck with the wicket of Beasley. England were 57 for 3 and they clearly would have to put thoughts of winning the match out of their mind.

Beasley got off the mark with a beautiful cover drive for four before pulling an attempted bouncer from Sharif for another four. But it was Aziz who struck with his wicket, bowling a great yorker that hit the batsman right on his boot in front of the stumps. No thoughts from the umpire, just a raised finger. 70 for 4.

Weaver had been the man who had defied Bangladesh both in the last Test and this one, and together with Best they looked like they would steer England out of trouble. But that was not to be as Aziz struck once again. Weaver was out edging to gully for 22 and England had lost half their side for 104.

Pietersen needed to stay in the middle for a very, very long time if England were to get anything out of the match. He curbed his aggressive intent and played a very patient innings. Defense was the name of the game and the Bangladeshi fielders looked like they were starting to get a little bit antsy. There were a couple of fumbles in the field and Saleh had to speak to a few of his men more than once.

Kevin Pietersen kept the big shots in check

A cool head was needed and if anyone possessed one, it was Shakib. He bowled well, looking for wickets and being encouraged whenever the batsmen took him on. He went for a few runs, but he seemed happy that they wanted to play a few shots. In his fifth over he went for a straight six from the bat of Best, but he did not mind. Two balls later he tempted Pietersen with a floated ball that was wider and Pietersen bit. He swung hard at it but got a thick bottom edge that bounced off of his thigh pad and went quickly to the keeper, who took a brilliant catch to give Shakib his first wicket of the innings.

With a few minutes to go until the lunch break, Best got to fifty but it probably would be fifty in a losing cause if Bangladesh continued to bowl the way they had been going. England went to lunch at 152 for 6, way adrift of winning the match and heading down the pathway of defeat.

A closeup of Andrew Strauss' concerned face at lunch

After lunch, Bangladesh continued to attack but Englands batsmen were resolute in their defense. Best chipped away for himself, perhaps deciding that he would at least get some runs in the process. He brought up his first ever Test century about 15 minutes before tea and was well applauded by his teammates in the pavilion.

Bangladesh needed a wicket. They even tried their proven partnership-breaker Tamim but he was unsuccessful. England went to tea without losing anything in the middle session. Some of the Bangladeshis looked disappointed. Saleh called his team together before they went inside and they went into a huddle for a few moments before dissolving and making their way to the pavilion.

They came out in the last session with 4 wickets to get to win the match. The new ball was 3 overs away and they no doubt would have been looking forward to it. England continued to defy them and the hope was clearly fading away on the faces of the fielders. By the time the new ball was due, Saleh himself took it and called Aziz, Sharif and Mahmud together. He spoke to them for a brief moment and then tossed the ball to Aziz.

But it was Sharif who struck. He had Broad edging to Nadimuddin and the celebrations from him were joyous. 7 wickets down now. 3 to go.

Stuart Broad's wicket brought some hope to the Bangladeshis

However, the batsman who was walking to the crease was Onions, who had defied the Bangladeshi bowling attack for hours in the first innings and had scored a valuable half-century for his team. He was confident as he came out and took his guard. Saleh, Shakib, and Sharif all had a long conference at the side of the pitch. Aziz even ran up from third man to offer a word or two. The commentators disagreed with the tactics. They wanted Sharif to have his mind clear and just run in and bowl fast. They had runs, and if he went for a few, so what?

They seemed to be right. While he was accurate to the new man, there was no real evidence that Onions would be in trouble. Even a couple of shorter balls did not bother him too much. He just dropped his hands and swayed out of the way. At the other end, Best was almost a wall with the way he let nothing breach his defenses.

Bangladesh were running out of options, and running out of time. The number of overs gradually diminished and by the time the last over came around, the confidence was almost gone from the fielding team. Sharif was the man entrusted with the ball. There were six balls, and anything could happen for Bangladesh.

Onions took his guard again. He showed no signs of nervousness. But with the penultimate ball of the day, Sharif struck to remove him LBW. Too little, too late, and Saleh decided to offer handshakes instead of waiting for Anderson to come out and take strike.

**********************************************
England v Bangladesh
2nd Test Match - 14 May 2013
**********************************************

England - 2nd Innings
----------------------------------------------
A Cook          lbw b Mahmud              0
A Strauss       c Nadimuddin b Sharif     38
N Beasley       lbw b Sharif              14
A Keen          c Saleh b Aziz            5
C Best          not out                   131
A Weaver        c Mahmud b Aziz           22
K Pietersen     c Nadimuddin b Al Hasan   15
S Broad         c Nadimuddin b Sharif     36
G Onions        lbw b Sharif              17
J Anderson                                
R Sidebottom    
----------------------------------------------
Extras: (nb8,lb2)                         10
TOTAL: (8 wkts, 107.5 overs)              288

**********************************************

                O       M       R       W
----------------------------------------------
D Mahmud        28      6       88      1
M Sharif        31.5    6       90      4
T Aziz          24      9       49      2
S Al Hasan      22      7       54      1
T Iqbal         2       1       5       0
----------------------------------------------
Fall of Wickets:
1-0  2-51  3-57  4-70  5-104  
6-142  7-248  8-288  

**********************************************
Match Drawn
**********************************************

End of England innings 288/8, Best 131*, Sharif 4-90
Match drawn

It was a draw that perhaps should have gone Bangladesh's way, but they would be sharing the trophy and even that result was significant given their fledgling history in international cricket. They had taken England all the way in both matches and had drawn both games.

Saleh echoed those thoughts in his interview at the post-match ceremony. He knew that maybe they did not have the sort of strength and depth of bowling to dismiss top teams on a consistent basis, but the series showed that they could at least hold their own against a side that was, in theory, much stronger than them. He says that the team would be on a high even with two draws and they should look to take that momentum into the ODI series.

Strauss is a man of mixed emotions, but he says that England got away with a draw when the result could easily have gone Bangladesh's way. He credits the lower order, especially Onions, for their resistance. The trophy would be shared, but that in no way would mean that they had lost any credit in his mind.

Tamim is the man of the match, for his double centuries. Hitting a century in each innings is a rare feat, he says, and it puts him in the company of some of the game's greatest legends. He hopes that he can keep that sort of form up, because his team needs him to be at his best in order to contribute to the result. He understands how vital he is to the team, and he knows that if he gets going, then the rest of the batting lineup can play without pressure.

The coverage fades away as Strauss and Saleh pose with a hand each on the trophy. They shake hands and say a few words to each other. Then, in a sporting gesture, they call their teams together and all men stand behind their captains as they both raise the trophy.

 

[Prats]

Finally a update. Loved reading this.

Keep going Qpee!

 

[Fenil]

England's score is pretty average. Best being only batsman to score good in the innings.
Sharif picking up 4 wickets!

Glad to see an update.

 

[qpeedore]

Been way too long, hasn't it? Almost 3 months...wow.

I still haven't got the graphics part of this thing sorted out yet, but should I continue or not?

Again I ask the question, does good writing outweigh good graphics?

 

[timchrist984]

Yes, easily!

 

[Umair7]

You Should Continue I Love This Story

 

[Dipak]

Please continue this mate!

 

[Fenil]

Of course you should. There's no reason to discontinue it.