Eng-Bdesh: Hussain & Johnson
Saturday, November 1 2003
Nasser Hussain and Richard Johnson starred for England as they moved into a seemingly unassailable position on the third day of the second test against Bangladesh at Chittagong.
Bangladesh were bound to have at least one cataclysmic day in the series, and after seven spirited performances, it came today as England took the conclusions of the match and series beyond all reasonable doubt.
Resuming at 98-4, Johnson started bowling with menace and variety of length, utilising the back-of-a-length ball to great effect as first Rajin Saleh and then Paul Collingwood could do little more than help fiercely rising bouncers to Chris Read and sub fielder Collingwood (on for Rikki Clarke, holed up in the hotel with a nasty case of food poisoning). Skipper Khaled Mahmud all but averted the risk of following on with 15 including two hooked fours of Johnson, but he fell in the same fashion as his near-namesake, Collingwood again taking the catch.
All that remained was for debutant Martin Saggers to join the party and finish off the tail, Johnson gaining his 5-for, and becoming the first England bowler since left-arm spinner Nick Cook to take one in each of his first two tests, when Mashrafe Mortaza hoiked across the line and was clean bowled.
England's second knock proved far more fluid than the first. With Trescothick still nursing an injured thumb, Mark Butcher opened and hit a brisk 42 before Mohammad Rafique - now the leading wicket taker in the series - got him for the third time this series, cutting one that was much to close to him and snicking it to keeper Mashud. Vaughan (25) was then run out in farcical fashion by Nasser Hussain, who redeemed himself by hitting a 138-run third wicket stand with Graeme Thorpe, who made 54 himself. When Hussain fell five short of a deserved century (including 15 fours and a six), it was only down to a smart return catch from that man Rafique.
This only served to bring Clarke and Read together and they added 59 in 5.3 overs, before Clarke - who had dispatched his fifth ball of his 16-ball 27 for a towering straight six - was trapped LBW by Enamul Haque junior. Trescothick joined Read for the final two balls of the day and two saw it two close unbeaten on 1* and 38* respectively.
England take a 467-run lead into the final two days with five wickets remaining. Considering Bangladesh have never made more than 184 in the fourth innings, the smart money is on everything being wrapped up by stumps tomorrow.
England 326 (N Hussain 76, Mashrafe Mortaza 4/60)
Bangladesh 152 (RL Johnson 5/49)
England 293/5 (N Hussain 95, Mohammad Rafique 3/106)
England lead by 467 runs
Posted by Neil
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