Bangladesh vs England: Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow rescue tourists to close day one on 258-7, having slumped to 21-3
Top-order struggle as the raging turner at Chittagong helps 18-year-old debutant Mehedi Hasan to snare five wickets
MOEEN ALI broke a bizarre kind of world record — being the subject of an astonishing FIVE review decisions.
The England batsman battled his way to a vital half-century on day one of the First Test against Bangladesh.
Call it luck, call it bad umpiring, but Moeen’s capacity for the Decision Review System smiling on him reached freakish proportions.
There was certainly a lot of waiting around as it was the most DRS calls for any batsman in a single innings since its introduction to international matches in 2008.
Twice Bangladesh called for a review for leg before after Moeen had been given not out.
Twice, the original decision was upheld.
On three other occasions, Moeen referred to the third umpire after being given out and TV pictures gave him a hat-trick of reprieves.
Each time he got the dreaded digit from umpire Kumar Dharmasena, the ex-Sri Lankan spinner who once gave Moeen some useful bowling tips.
Ironically, Moeen would have been given OUT for just one as he aimed a sweep shot if Bangladesh had asked for a review.
Moeen, 29, said: “Rooty was at the other end and said I wasn’t out on two of them.
“On the third, I felt a little nick as I played the sweep. You have the reviews to take so it’s not luck.
“Myself and Kumar are normally pretty tight but we didn’t speak for a session. It was a tough pitch to umpire on. But what can I say? The guy gave me out three times!”
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Moeen’s 68, with help from Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes, allowed England to reach 258-7 by the close — this after they slumped to 21-3. But of greater significance was the trial by spin and draining heat.
It was a stark preview of what England can expect on their subcontinental odyssey — a thorough test of their technique and mental aptitude.
Next up they face the world No 1-ranked India for five Tests starting on November 9 — and it will only get more difficult. Bangladesh opened the bowling with an 18-year-old making his debut and Mehedi Hasan took 5-64.
Moeen admitted: “That was the hardest 60 I’ve ever made, they were dirty runs.
“It was a massive mental challenge especially with the reviews. I thought Bangladesh might open with a spinner but I didn’t think the ball was going to spin as much.” Debutant Ben Duckett looked edgy and was soon bowled by a ball that turned.
Skipper Alastair Cook, with just two days’ practice since flying back, somehow deflected an attempted sweep on to his stumps with his forearm.
Then Gary Ballance was lbw when TV pictures showed the ball touched his pad a split second before it hit his bat.
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