Bell's unbeaten fifty gives England advantage by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Old Trafford, Manchester
Scorecard:	England v Bangladesh
Player:	IR Bell, KP Pietersen
Event:	Bangladesh in British Isles 2010

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DateLine: 4th June 2010

 

Bangladesh continued to put up the fight that they displayed in the previous a Test as at one stage they had the English side on the floor. Had it not been for the brilliant innings from Pietersen and a classy one from Bell things would have been bleak for the hosts. At the end of a curtailed day's play England posted 275 for the loss of 5 wickets.

 

Strauss won the toss and elected to bat first on a track that looked like batting paradise. The Bangladeshi seamers, Shahadat Hossain and Shafiul Islam, did not offer any loose offerings to the openers as the duo hit the right areas consistently. The English openers had to manufacture shots to get the scoreboard moving and that was fraught with risk. Shafiul Islam finally got rid of Strauss as he had the English skipper caught at slips of an off-cutter and the bowler repeated his off-cutter once again as he cleaned up Trott to leave England reeling at 48 for 2. When Cook was caught at slips the English innings was in the danger of losing their momentum.

 

Pietersen once again showed that he was in the form of his life as he dismantled the Bangladeshi bowlers with some brilliant stroke-play. As long as Pietersen was at the crease the runs came in at a steady pace and that put the pressure back on the Bangladeshi team. Pietersen threatened to post his maiden century against Bangladesh but his sojourn at the crease was cut short when he was stumped of Shakib al Hasan. Morgan sparkled briefly and once again looked good in the white flannels a brilliant catch from Jahurul Islam at gully cut short his innings.

 

Bell and Prior then steadied the rocking ship with a 52 run partnership before bad light brought an end to the day's play.