Bangladesh struggles after bright start

On a day when the light played truant, Bangladesh struggled at 59 for three in reply to India’s 243 in the first Test in progress at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium here on Monday. After openers Tamim Iqbal (31) and Imrul Kayes (23) shared a 53-run partnership, Indianspearhead Zaheer Khan (two for 32) and Ishant Sharma (one for 14) prised open the Bangladesh top-order when bad light forced suspension of play here on the second day.

Earlier, after fog and bad light delayed the start of the second day by 90 minutes, India’s hopes rested on Sachin Tendulkar, who notched his 44th Test century – an unbeaten 105 (166b, 11x4, 2x6) – to help his team inch closer towards 250. The tail however failed to wag whileBangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Shahadat Hossain bagged five wickets each.

The scores

India – 1st innings: Gautam Gambhir c Mushfiqur b Shahadat 23 (44b, 3x4), Virender Sehwag c Tamim b Shakib 52 (51b, 9x4), Rahul Dravid b Shahadat 4 (10b, 1x4), Sachin Tendulkar (not out) 105 (166b, 11x4, 2x6), V.V.S. Laxman st Rahim b Shakib 7 (30b), Yuvraj Singh c Rubel bShakib 12 (31b, 1x6), Dinesh Karthik c Raquibul b Shahadat 0 (3b), Amit Mishra lbw b Shahadat 14 (41b, 1x4), Zaheer Khan c Raquibul b Shakib 11 (18b, 2x4), Ishant Sharma c Mushfiqur b Shahadat 1 (24b), S.Sreesanth c Imrul Kayes b Shakib 1. Extras (b-1, lb-6, w-1, nb-5): 13.

Total (all out in 70.5 overs): 243.

Fall of wickets: 1-79 (Sehwag), 2-79 (Gambhir), 3-85 (Dravid), 4-107 (Laxman), 5-149 (Yuvraj), 6-150 (Karthik), 7-182 (Mishra), 8-209 (Zaheer), 9-230 (Ishant), 10-243 (Sreesanth). Bangladesh bowling: Shafiul 9-1-41-0, Shahadat 18-2-71-5, Rubel 10-0-40-0, Shakib 29.5-10-62-5, Mahmudullah 3-0-17-0, Ashraful 1-0-5-0.

Bangladesh - 1st innings: Tamim Iqbal b Zaheer 31 (45b, 6x4), Imrul Kayes lbw b Zaheer 23 (46b, 5x4), Shahriar Nafees c Laxman b Ishant 4 (3b, 1x4), Md. Ashraful (batting) 0 (5b), Raqibul Hasan (batting) 1 (3b). Extras: 0. Total (for three wkts., in 17 overs): 59.

Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Imrul), 2-58 (Shahriar), 3-58 (Tamim).

India bowling: Zaheer 9-1-32-2, Sreesanth 3-0-13-0, Ishant 5-1-14-1.