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England crush Bangladesh
Tony Lawrence
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May 28, 2005 18:30 IST

England [Images] put the finishing touches to Bangladesh's Lord's misery as they swept up their last five wickets to seal an innings and 261-run victory on the third morning of the first Test on Saturday.

Bangladesh, struggling to compete from the toss onwards and who had conceded a 420-run first-innings deficit after being steamrollered for 108 on the opening day, resumed on 90 for five, clinging to the hope of putting on some sort of show in defeat.

Fast bowlers Matthew Hoggard [Images] and Steve Harmison, however, shared three wickets in the first nine balls of the day to end that day dream. England were held up by Khaled Mashud's 44 before wrapping up the innings for 159 half an hour before lunch.

Simon Jones ended with three wickets for 29 and all rounder Andrew Flintoff [Images] three for 44.

England's win was their 13th in 17 Tests, set against one defeat. For Bangladesh, playing at Lord's for the first time, it was their 32nd defeat in 36 starts.

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Ultimately, the match was little more than a gentle leg-stretch for England.

The selectors will have learnt little before the real business starts against Australia in July, although they will have been heartened by Michael Vaughan [Images] and Marcus Trescothick's [Images] centuries during an England innings of 528 for three declared, Hoggard and Jones's sharpness and the team's general ruthlessness.

They certainly learnt nothing about Gareth Batty. Brought in for the injured Ashley Giles, the spinner did not bowl a single ball, bat or take a catch.

For Bangladesh, there were only problems. Aftab Ahmed personified one of the main ones.

EARLY BLOW

He has some fine shots but wants to play them whatever the ball and regardless of the situation. He is also vulnerable to fast, short-pitched bowling. Resuming on 26 not out and needing to knuckle down as the last specialist batsman, he did not see out the first over.

There was one sublime extra-cover drive for four, a dangerous push in the air for two just past short leg and a plumb lbw as Hoggard seamed one back in.

Mohammad Rafique came and went first ball, snicking Harmison behind, as did Mashrafe Mortaza [Images], who was bowled off his pads next delivery to make it 97 for eight.

Anwar Hossain somehow survived the hat-trick ball, a huge lbw appeal, with nine close fielders collected around him, then slashed the next ball through point to bring up the 100.

The spectators at Lord's had been promised a full refund if less than 10 overs were bowled in the day and must, as that stage, have been expecting their money back.

But former captain and current wicketkeeper Mashud, showing the judgement his team mates had lacked, mixed defence and attack at number seven to put on 58, Bangladesh's best stand of the match, with Anwar, the pair earning big cheers from England fans hungry for more cricket.

The second and final Test in Durham starts on Friday.

Scorecard:

Bangladesh 1st innings 108 (M. Hoggard 4-42)

England 1st innings 528 for 3 decl (M. Trescothick 194, M. Vaughan 120, A. Strauss 69, I. Bell 65no)

Bangladesh 2nd innings (Overnight: 90-5)
J. Omar c Thorpe b S. Jones 25
N. Iqbal c Flintoff b Hoggard 3
H. Bashar c Hoggard b S. Jones 16
A. Ahmed lbw b Hoggard 32
M. Ashraful c Harmison b Flintoff 2
M. Rahim c G. Jones b Flintoff 3
K. Mashud c Thorpe b Flintoff 44
M. Rafique c G. Jones b Harmison 0
M. Mortaza b Harmison 0
A. Hossain Munir c Trescothick b S. Jones 13
S. Hossain not out 2
Extras (b-1 lb-4 nb-14) 19
Total (all out, 39.5 overs) 159

Fall of wickets: 1-15 2-47 3-57 4-60 5-65 6-96 7-97 8-97 9-155 10-159

Bowling
Hoggard 9 - 1 - 42 - 2 (nb-7)
Harmison 10 - 0 - 39 - 2 (nb-5)
Flintoff 9.5 - 0 - 44 - 3 (nb-2)
S. Jones 11 - 3 - 29 - 3

Result: England won by an innings and 261 runs




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