Ravaged:

With the first Test Match interestingly poised after two days, the elements ravaged the third day’s play. Just 28.5 overs were possible, but they may have decided the outcome of only the second Test match between England and the newest Test nation Bangladesh at cricket’s headquarters.

Bangladesh began today’s play on 172 for 2 with high hopes after batting their way back into contention yesterday. They made just 65 runs at the cost of five wickets as rain and bad light took their toll. So was Bangladesh’s batting worse. Not according to James Anderson. “We didn’t give them the opportunities today,” he said. “We didn’t bowl well yesterday.” He looked forward to bowling with Steven Finn, who ought to enter Lord’s Honours Board tomorrow in his first Test here.

Poised:

England had dominated the first day on route to 505 all out led by Jonathan Trott’s 226 – the fifth highest individual score at Lord’s. England captain Andrew Strauss returned to form on his home ground with 83 as England looked to take the match out of Bangladesh’s reach.

But Trott was not the only player destined for an appearance on the Honours Board. The first time that Shahadat Hossain played at Lord’s in a Test Match it was his début five years ago and the then 19-year-old had a match to forget, taking 0 for 101 from twelve overs. He thought he would never play for his country again. His two performances at headquarters sum up his Test career, but despite inconsistency, he is their strike bowler.

Yesterday, the Lord’s crowd experienced the best of Hossain. Despite the threadbare attack and a reputation as a batting team, it was the bowler who made history for his nation – the first Bangladeshi to achieve a mention on the Honours Board – taking 5 for 98 from his 28 overs, although the first was fortunate. Alistair Cook was wrongly given out leg before wicket for 7 by umpire Asoka de Silva. Bangladesh battled back into the match with the bat too, trailing by 333 runs with eight wickets left.

The Elements:
Sadly rain wiped out the morning session and most of the afternoon too. The conditions suited England on the resumption at 3.30, as the ball swung around. Junaid Siddique added just five before he was caught behind by wicket-keeper Matt Prior trying to leave a short-pitched delivery by Finn – his first of the day to that batsman – alone. “We have to save the follow-on first,” Siddique said when asked if the draw was still possible. It will be a hard task with 70 needed and just three wickets remaining.

179 for 3 soon became 185 for 4 as umpire de Silva evened the score for Cook’s dismissal with Mohammed Ashraful wrongly given out lbw as well. Nevertheless, Finn benefited with his second wicket maiden of the innings as he eyed up the possibility of his own entry on the Honours Board in his first Test at his home ground – Finn plays for Middlesex.

If Ashraful was unlucky to be given out, Jahurul Islam can have no complaints. With two boundaries to his name, Islam tickled a James Anderson delivery to Prior. He departed for 20, leaving the top order dismissed for 191 and the follow-on a real possibility.

Anderson’s first spell of 5 overs was miserly, taking 1 for 6. He returned to end an entertaining cameo by Bangladeshi captain, Shakib al Hasan, who will become the first Bangladeshi international to play English county cricket after this mini tour. Al Hasan has been signed by Worcestershire.

He took ten balls to score his first boundary – an inside edge that narrowly missed his stumps. A flashing drive cleared the slips for his next. Mushfiqur Rahim’s first boundary was by contrast an elegant drive. Nevertheless, al Hasan fell before a late tea for 25, caught at first slip by Strauss despite juggling it. Anderson had his own wicket maiden.

It was 229 for 6 at tea – six runs after al Hasan’s dismissal. Rain gave way to bad light. Just over two overs were possible before the umpires offered the light to Rahim and Mahmudullah. They accepted and then returned within seven minutes. Finn took the new ball and beat Rahim, bowling him for 16. The light was offered to Mahmudullah before incoming batsman Hossain had reached the crease and accepted. That delay lasted seven minutes as well.

So what about the floodlights that could have assured playable light? Westminster Council decreed that they could only be used on twelve days, because of concern for local residents. They would be used later in the year, but what if they aren’t needed later?

Progress:
Bangladesh was the last nation to gain Test status ten years ago. They have only won three matches in that time – once against Zimbabwe and two against the West Indies in the Caribbean against a team weakened by self-inflicted wounds. Although Bangladesh was beaten 2-0 in the Spring by England, under-estimating this young team would be foolish.

They took the first Test into the fifth day and Junaid Siddique showed his class with a century, but the second Test was far more controversial. Without the referral system – missing for this series too – umpiring errors changed the course of the Dhaka Test Match. Matt Prior’s extra life cost the hosts fifty-three runs; Bell turned 81 into 139, but the most expensive error turned 5 into 91 for Tim Bresnan. Those decisions by umpires Rod Tucker and Tony Hill cost Bangladesh almost 200 runs – 197 to be precise.

It ruined that Test Match as those extra lives allowed England to take the match out of Bangladesh’s reach. They came to England looking to prove their credentials. A poor first day revealed their young side lacked bowling depth, but they fought back well led by Hossain. He may be inconsistent, but when he clicks he is impressive. His five wicket haul restricted England to 505 all out.

The prodigiously talented young batsman Tamim Iqbal – only the great Sachin Tendulkar got to 1000 runs in Test cricket at a younger age – excited the crowd with a half century, dismissed by a spectacular direct hit by Kevin Pietersen. Imrul Kayes batted well too before being surprised by Steven Finn into fending off a bouncer to a grateful Strauss for 43. He has yet to reach fifty in twelve matches, but Siddique looked poised for a big score – unbeaten on 53 overnight with eight boundaries.