Home  »     »   Final day of first Test won’t last long, but will be tense


| 23.10.2016

England’s tour of Bangladesh continues to produce thrilling cricket, as the first Test moved into the final day teetering on the brink of a positive result for both teams.

The tourists will resume day five needing just two wickets for victory, but in the knowledge that they have just 33 runs to play with as the hosts eye a triumph of their own.

Despite the delicate balance of the match, England remain favourites to win at a price of 4/9, while Bangladesh can be backed at 7/4.

After being bowled out for 240 in their second innings, Alastair Cook’s men set about taking the 10 wickets needed by opening with two spin bowlers on the fourth day.

Gareth Batty and Moeen Ali took the new ball and it was the latter who struck an early blow, having first-innings star Tamim Iqbal caught at short leg in the 10th over.

Spin played a heavy part in England’s work, as Batty, Ali and Adil Rashid bowled plenty of overs between them, and took six of the eight wickets to fall.

The other two went to leader of the attack Stuart Broad, who produced a burst of action that he has become famous for to take two quick scalps and leave his side within touching distance of success.

Debutant Sabbir Rahman is the hosts’ hero and remains not out on 59. He is the first Bangladeshi player to score a fifty in the fourth innings of a Test-match debut, and the chances of the hosts knocking off the runs required sit squarely on his shoulders.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing



Matt Wiggins
