TEST SERIES: ENGLAND vs BANGLADESH (2 Tests)

[stmookeyj]

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/123/m_fa91d9d1f5c243c69ff5306a7f8a3757.png

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/6/l_0eebd4a5d346496e991b47e1ebecc825.jpg VS http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/18/l_e8ce5752c9384e18bc4a05e540cd7acf.jpg


Test Cricket returns home so to speak, as England begin their preparations for their defence of The Ashes with a pair of tests against Bangladesh. The contest was close a few months earlier in the subcontinent, but in the unfamiliar conditions of England few are expecting the same type of contest we saw.


TEST SCHEDULE
1st TEST: Lord's, 27-31 May
2nd TEST: Old Trafford, 4-8 June
(A seperate ODI thread to come given Bangladesh are playing just about everyone in Europe)

The home team are using this series to experiment and to see just who is there to call upon should things go wrong with the main XI later on this year. There is a debut for Eoin Morgan in the middle order with Paul Collingwood given a spell, and 6 foot 7 quickie Steven Finn who made his debut in Bangladesh keeps his spot for the resting Stuart Broad. Tim Bresnan should edge out potential debutante Ajmal Shezad for the last bowling spot alongside Finn, Jimmy Anderson and Graham Swann. Andrew Strauss returns to captain after taking the earlier tour of Bangladesh off and resumes the captaincy.

Bangladesh have faced form concerns and injury on this tour. From the medical room skipper Shakib Al Hasan has recovered from chicken pox, and opener Tamin Iqbal will ignore a busted wrist given in his words "I'm really excited to play at Lord's in a Test match. It will be a dream come true and I really want to play, because I don't know when I'll get another chance." Again no Mashrafe Mortaza who seems as though he'll be nursed into playing in the colours for a while, but Mohammad Ashraful makes yet another return. It looks as though they'll have just Shakib in the front line spinners role.

As for their form, they've had 3 tour matches (how we'd kill for that) before the first test since their 20 over campaign went down the tube. Jahurul Islam scored a ton against Surrey which was drawn after Usman Afzaal (remember him? Another failed middle order England player) replied with 159 of his own to ensure a draw. Then came a 5 wicket loss to Essex where Ashraful followed up his 80 at The Oval with 58 and 61 at close to a run a ball, and a spanking at the hands of the Lions courtesy of Liam Plunkett and Ravi Bopara (who proved more useful with the ball in that game than he ever has with the bat against anyone). Alastair Cook also played for the Lions in that game and got a couple of starts without the big score.


LIKELY 1st TEST TEAMS

ENGLAND: Andrew STRAUSS (C), Alastair COOK, Jonathan TROTT, Kevin PIETERSEN, Ian BELL, Eoin MORGAN [DEBUT], Matt PRIOR, Tim BRESNAN, Graeme SWANN, James ANDERSON, Steven FINN (12th: Ajmal SHAHZAD)

BANGLADESH: TAMIN Iqbal, IMRUL Kayes, Junaid SIDDIQUE, JAHURUL Islam, Mohammad ASHRAFUL, SHAKIB Al Hasan (C), MAHMUDULLAH, MUSHFIQUR Rahim, RUBIUL Islam, RUBEL Hossain, SHAHADAT Hossain (Remainder of squad:Abdur RAZZAK, MAHBUBUL Alam, NAEEM Islam, SHAMSUR Rahman)


COVERAGE

Daily Highlights on FOX SPORTS 2 from about 3PM each day (They're showing the Windies vs South Africa instead)

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/116/l_dc27e512cacd49b1a39a1c644768d420.png You MAY/SHOULD (being an England home game) be able to hear the TMS Coverage from bbc.co.uk/sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/default.stm) and following the links.

[Spudregus_87]

Poms 4/362 at stumps on the first day

Trott 175*
Morgan 40*

Shahadat Hossain 17-2-66-1 (1nb, 1w)
Robiul Islam 14-2-80-0 (3nb)
Shakib Al Hasan 19-1-71-1
Rubel Hossain 16-0-74-1 (2nb, 4w)
Mahmudullah 23-3-59-1
Mohammad Ashraful 1-0-5-0

Great write-up stmookeyj :thumbsu:

[XFactor1979]

Bangladesh managed to bowl England out in the first innings and making a good fist of their first innings. Shahadat taking five for.

However, England is playing with a weakened second-string team. This won't be the team they will be playing with against Australia in the Ashes later on this year.

[Bugz]

Second string? They are missing all of 2 first choice players.

[XFactor1979]

Second string? They are missing all of 2 first choice players.

Even so, one gets the impression some of the English players aren't going to be firing on all cylinders because it is Bangladesh

I strongly doubt Finn is going to be a walk up start for the Ashes test series. He won't even be named to go Downunder.

A pattern to detect, unlike the Australian test team who usually play their best team at all times, visiting teams choose squads on the basis of how they will perform in Australian conditions.
Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell struggle in Australia with the bat because the Australian pitches aren't suited to their style and technique of batting.
With the ball: James Anderson and Stuart Broad are not going to get any wickets because they are English swing bowlers, you need to be a seamer to be successful in Australian conditions

[damochandler]

pieterson failed again.that has too be a concerne

[Grimwood]

I strongly doubt Finn is going to be a walk up start for the Ashes test series. He won't even be named to go Downunder.

He will definitely be on the tour. England want to the option of playing another tall bowler alongside Stuart Broad.

Stuart Broad.. wickets... swing bowler... Australian conditions

Stuart Broad is at his best when he's getting the ball to seam around from just short of a good length.

[ubolt]

Bangladesh collapse again!

All out for 282 after being 178/2

Finn bowled very well for his 4/

Anderson also taking 4/

[jonesy86]

Bangas started 2nd innings well

0/155

still about 70 runs behind

[Notorious_29]

Stumps day 4. Bangas 105 runs ahead. 5/328.

Would love to see them push out a draw.

[Ruck Machine]

Looks like the Bangers have discovered something special in Tamim ... he will be the first great Banger!!

[Doodlesweaver]

Looks like the Bangers have discovered something special in Tamim ... he will be the first great Banger!!

He has done very well, but they have batsmen who can play, the problem is their bowling is not at all strong.

Finn is running himself into the Ashes here. He's taken 9 wickets in this match.

Sure it's in helpful conditions (the Deshis really have not been helped by the conditions at all whereas the English bowlers have lapped up this dank grey rubbish), but he may end up with a tenfer at this rate.

[XFactor1979]

England will still win, but this is a very meritorious performance by Bangladesh at Lords.

It is under the watchful eye of coach Jamie Siddons that Bangladesh have unearthed some world class players. It was thought that they weren't going to be as good after Dav Whatmore left (also responsible for Sri Lanka becoming a cricketing force)

Siddons began with 11 spots to fill, but he has found Tamim, Mushfiqur, Shakib, Mahmudulah, Shahadat, Siddique

[Grimwood]

Watching England bowl at OT is like watching a bunch of three year olds on a suger rush.

Instead of hitting a solid line and length they're trying to bounce the opposition out, bowl jaffas from round the wicket and throwing in the odd yorker. Usually in the same over.

[Cousin Jed]

Looks like they have found a decent one in Iqbal. Now they just need to find 6 other batsmen.

[Bomber Bears]

Was about to say, have the Bangers finally found a potential world class player?

[alfy!]

Who is this Finn guy who just got 5 wickets for the Poms? 21 years old, seems promising.

[raff23]

Was about to say, have the Bangers finally found a potential world class player?
i think they have 2, the captain al hasan is a top quality all rounder, iqbal is still only young but is a great talent which he has shown the last 2 tests. If they can get 3 or 4 more players to improve themselves and get ashraful somewhere near the form he produced spasmodically about 3 to 4 years ago, than they will become much harder to beat.

[SouthSwans]

Looks like they have found a decent one in Iqbal. Now they just need to find 6 other batsmen.
Shakib's good.

The problem is all the Bangladeshis are so short, it's understandable why Steven Finn has troubled them so much, being a 6'8 monster getting huge bounce to guys who are Brent Harvey's height.

I don't think he'll be as successful down here, although I think he'll get the better of Hughes if they both play.