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Johnson inspires England to victory

November 01, 2003 15:34 IST

Paceman Richard Johnson added four scalps to his first innings five-wicket haul as England crushed Bangladesh by 329 runs in the second and final Test on Saturday.

England, who declared on their overnight 293 for five to set Bangladesh a mammoth 468, bowled out the hosts for a paltry 138 in 37.1 overs, running through their batting lineup for the second time in the match.

It was the 25th loss for Bangladesh in 26 Tests since they got Test status three years ago as England clinched the series 2-0 following their seven-wicket win at Dhaka last week. Their only draw was against Zimbabwe in a rain-hit match in 2001.

The top-order collapsed as Hannan Sarkar (4), Habibul Bashar (21), Javed Omar (18), Mushfiqur Rahman (6), Rajin Saleh (9) and Alok Kapali (19) fell before lunch.

England completed the formalities an hour after the interval, getting rid of the last three batsmen with the injury Mashrafe Mortaza unable to bat.

Mortaza, who collapsed clutching his right knee during his fourth over on Friday, has been ruled out for five weeks.

It was the first time since 1978-79 that England, who had beaten Australia in the first Ashes Test at Sydney earlier this year, have won three consecutive Tests overseas.

The emphatic victory was retribution for Michael Vaughan's men, who were made to struggle in the first match.

"Dhaka was tougher," Vaughan said. "Our execution in this game was excellent. We put up runs on the board and seamers bowled superbly."

Man-of-the-match Johnson, who had picked up five wickets for 49 in the first innings to bundle out the hosts for 152, grabbed another four for 44.

BODY BLOWS

The 28-year-old from Somerset, playing only his second Test, had taken a debut six for 33 against Zimbabwe at Chester-le-Street earlier this year.

England's pacemen relied on short-pitch bowling, testing the batsmen with bouncers and body blows on a wicket offering pace and lateral movement to the seamers.

"Bangladesh were probably not used to batting with the ball bouncing so much," Johnson said. "After the first innings, we knew we could take wickets easily."

The ploy worked as Sarkar fell in only the second over, wicketkeeper Chris Read diving to his left for an excellent one-handed leg-side catch off Johnson.

Bashar, dropped on 13 by Graham Thorpe at second slip off paceman Matthew Hoggard, fell to a suicidal run out when an accurate throw from Martin Saggers at deep square-leg caught him out of his crease, mulling over a third run.

Rajin Saleh got a life on three, put down by Read while sweeping left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, but Javed Omar was caught behind next over, top-edging debutant Saggers.

Just when it seemed things could not get any worse for the home side, Mushfiqur Rahman was run out for six while going for a needless single to Michael Vaughan at cover.

Saleh, the first innings top-scorer, was caught by Read playing a loose drive against medium-pacer Rikki Clarke.

Alok Kapali hammered a four and a six in his 18-ball knock before he was caught at fine-leg where Saggers took a brilliant one-handed catch diving backwards.

Captain Khaled Mahmud top-scored with a brave but unorthodox 33, including a pulled four over Read's head.

The two teams will clash in a three-match one-day international series starting on November 7.

Scoreboard

England (1st innings): 326 (N.Hussain 76, M.Trescothick 60, R.Clarke 55, M.Vaughan 54; Mashrafe Mortaza 4-60)

Bangladesh (1st innings): 152 (R.Johnson 5-49)

England (2nd innings): 293-5 dec (N.Hussain 95, G.Thorpe 54; Mohammad Rafique 3-106)

Bangladesh (2nd innings):
Hannan Sarkar c Read b Johnson 4
Javed Omar c Read b Saggers 18
Habibul Bashar run out 21
Rajin Saleh c Read b Clarke 9
Mushfiqur Rahman run out 6
Alok Kapali c Saggers b Johnson 19
Khaled Mashud c Read b Johnson 15
Khaled Mahmud c Vaughan b Johnson 33
Mohammad Rafique c Read b Hoggard 0
Enamul Haque Jr not out 1
Mashrafe Mortaza absent hurt.

Extras: (b-4, lb-5, nb-2, w-1) 12

Total: (in 37.1 overs) 138

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-33, 3-51, 4-58, 5-70, 6-91, 7-108, 8-126, 9-138.

Bowling: Hoggard 12-3-37-1 (nb-2), Johnson 12.1-1-44-4 (w-1), Giles 5-1-11-0, Saggers 7-1-33-1, Clarke 1-0-4-1.

Result: England won by 329 runs

First Test: England won by seven wickets.

England win series 2-0.

Man of the match: Richard Johnson.

Man of the series: Matthew Hoggard.


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