All-round Stokes puts England in control

Chittagong, October 22

Ben Stokes gave England a firm grip on the first Test with bat and ball before Shakib Al Hasan’s 5/79 revived Bangladesh hopes here today.

Stokes hit 85 runs in the second innings to steer England to 228/8 at stumps on the third day after his three-wicket burst earlier in the morning helped them dismiss Bangladesh for 248 runs. The visitors now lead their hosts by 273 runs, which could be handy on a pitch that offered spinners plenty of turn. Stokes appeared to have mastered the wicket with his counter-attacking innings, which came off 151 balls with six fours and three sixes.

Jonny Bairstow gave him a good company as the duo shared 127 for the sixth wicket to bail out England from a precarious 62/5 in the second innings.

Bairstow missed out on his  half-century, leaving the pitch for 47 after he was played on off Kamrul Islam. Shakib soon trapped Stokes in front to end his innings before he completed his 15th five-wicket haul with the scalp of Adil Rashid.

Brief scores: England: 293 and 228/8 (Stokes 85, Bairstow 47, Shakib 5/79); Bangladesh: 248 (Tamim 78,  Stokes 4/26). — Reuters