Bangladesh’s debutants teenage offspinner, Mehedi Hasan Miraj, claimed figures of 5 for 64 on his first day of international cricket, as England were forced to dig deep into their batting reserves in the first Test at Chittagong.
After stumbling to 21 for 3 in the first hour of the contest, England recovered their poise through the efforts of Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow, who rode their luck to compile a pair of half-centuries, and on a surface offering both turn and variable bounce in abundance, it is possible that, in reaching the close on 258 for 7, they are not too far short of a very competitive total.
With experienced Shakib Al Hasan excelling in his role as senior pro, and picking off two big wickets including the prize scalp of Alastair Cook, Bangladesh confirmed that the innings will be a huge exam for England.
Mehedi, a star of Bangladesh’s exploits in the recent Under-19 World Cup but a bowler with just 12 first-class appearances to his name before this match, had been named as one of three debutants in Bangladesh’s ranks, alongside the batsman Sabbir Rahman, and Kamrul Islam Rabbi.
