Bangladesh v England: Ben Stokes inspires 22-run win
- From the section Cricket
| First Test, Chittagong (day five) |
| England 293 & 240: Stokes 85, Shakib 5-85 |
| Bangladesh 248 & 263: Sabbir 64*, Batty 3-65 |
| England won by 22 runs |
| Scorecard |
England rescued a 22-run victory on the final morning of an intriguing first Test in Chittagong as man of the match Ben Stokes took the final two wickets.
Bangladesh began the day needing 33 to beat England for the first time in a Test match, with two wickets remaining.
They calmly added 10 runs before Taijul Islam was given out lbw after a review.
Two balls later Stokes removed last man Shafiul Islam, who was given out lbw and failed to overturn it on review as Bangladesh were dismissed for 263.
Going into the game, the Tigers had won just seven of their 93 Tests, beating only Zimbabwe and an under-strength West Indies.
They have another opportunity in the second and final Test of the series, which begins in Dhaka on Friday.
Reprieved by review
In a match featuring a record 26 decisions reviewed, it was perhaps inevitable that the end came with trial by television.
England's first wicket was a less-than-confident appeal, but they had two new referrals at their disposal after the 80-over mark in the innings and were slipping closer to defeat.
Taijul shuffled across his stumps trying to turn one to leg and it flew off the pad for what would have been valuable leg byes, but England gambled on a review, which suggested the ball would have just straightened enough to hit the top of leg stump.
The match ended two balls later as last man Shafiul was hit on the pad outside the line of off stump, which would ordinarily be not out if the umpires were satisfied the batsman had made an attempt to play the ball.
But umpire Kumar Dharmasena deemed that no shot was played, although others might have argued it was more likely to be the limited technique of a number 11 batsman being beaten for pace by a reverse-swinging delivery approaching 90mph.
Although Shafiul called for a review, third umpire S Ravi backed his on-field colleague and the decision stood.
Stokes the hero again for England
It was also fitting that the final wicket should have been taken by Stokes, who was unsurprisingly handed the man-of-the-match award.
The all-rounder took four late wickets in Bangladesh's first innings, followed by 85 with the bat in England's second, and he was chosen to partner Stuart Broad in an all-seam attack on the final morning.
Stokes tested Taijul with a bouncer that the tailender gloved over wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow for four.
But full deliveries accounted for the last two batsmen in a final day chapter which lasted only 3.3 overs, the denouement to a fantastic match that fluctuated throughout.
What they said
England captain Alastair Cook: "It was a really good Test match - I didn't think that we'd be here on day five looking at that wicket.
"In one way it's sad that there has to be a loser because it was such a tight game. Credit to both sides.
"I'm really happy that we showed the character to hold our nerve towards the end and the quality we have, certainly in our seamers with reverse swing, I was confident we'd make enough chances."
Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim: "Probably it was not in our favour, 33 runs and two wickets, but the boys put in so much effort over the last five day. After 15 months [Bangladesh's previous Test was against South Africa in July 2015], I'm really proud.
"Our boys fought it out which is really impressive and hopefully we'll do the same in the next match."
Analysis - 'Stokes has matured as a cricketer'
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew:
It's easy to come here as a quick bowler, bowl a few overs and expect the spinners to get on with it.
But quality seam bowling, with some reverse swing, has a role to play out here.
Former England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent on BBC Test Match Special:
Stokes got the ball reversing in about the 60th over in the first innings. But he kept running in hard with pace, and that has aided him in getting those wickets.
This is going against his natural instincts as he wants to hit the pitch as a bowler and get after the ball as a batsman - he's matured as a cricketer.
Stat of the day
This was the 53rd Test in Bangladesh and the first time all 40 wickets have fallen.
