Coach Walsh still hopeful
Sports Reporter, Ctg
Bangladesh squandered a good chance to take a lead which was imperative given that they would chase the target in the fourth innings. On a pitch offering turn and variable bounce aplenty, chasing runs more than 200 is always tricky. England had already stretched the lead to 273 which looked unattainable at this stage.
In the middle were two Chris Woakes and Stuart Board with 11 and 10 runs respectively, demonstrating their batting skill in the late afternoon of day three. A masterful 85 runs knock of Ben Stokes apparently dragged Bangladesh back at a moment when Bangladesh sniffed a chance, leaving England meagre 62 for five, thanks to an enterprising bowling from Shakib Al Hasan.
Before Stokes defied the tricky pitch to play a fabulous innings, Shakib seemed to have amended the mistakes he had done earlier in the morning. A brainless shot at any sense. When team is expected him to gain a lead, Shakib threw away the wicket on the second ball of the day by trying to charge off-spinner Moeen Ali. He had missed the ball by a mile as he twirled into a slog over long-on. Even the facial expression of Jonny Bairstow behind the wicket clearly indicated he barely believed his fortune.
And England believed this was the shot that opened the game for them.
It was a bit of a shocking thing the second ball this morning. Obviously he was their last top-class batsman. Maybe he just thought that he was going to try and put the pressure on our spinners. Luckily the way Moeen bowled throughout the innings and the amount of spin that he was getting, it was always going to tough for him. It opened the door for us to finish them off quite chiefly, said Ben Stokes who at the end, remained the wrecker-in-chief for Bangladesh.
At the end he though grabbed five for 79 and briefly brought Bangladesh back in contention, a batsman Shakibs presence was needed.
It was disappointing. He came out today with big expectations. He knew he was the mainstay. He batted very well yesterday but it was a fresh day, when you start back over. Unfortunately he got out in the first over and that put a lot of pressure on the other batsmen, said Bangladeshs bowling coach Courtney Walsh but he expected that If he has to bat for us in the second innings, he will bat well again.
Walsh however still believed that the game is still open and if Bangladesh could take the rest of the two wickets of England early, they could sniff chance to wrap up a victory.
I think we have to first get the two wickets early tomorrow. The game is still open. Probably, England got about 20-30 runs more than what we would have liked, at this stage, he said.
I think the bowlers fought very well today. At one stage it was looking very, very good but they got a good partnership. This is what Test cricket is all about. Stokes played reasonably well, he had a good partnership with Bairstow. For me the game is still in the balance. We have to bat well second time around. Theres time in the game. It should be a result game.
Walsh urged the batsmen to be positive regardless of the target in the fourth innings.
We have to be positive. Play it as you see it. Put away the loose balls. If we can get two or three good partnerships, we are in with a good chance. The aim has to be to get them under 300. It is not going to be easy but the game is still wide open.
