Tamim Iqbal celebrates a superb hundred 4th day at Lords
So, we're through 4 days of Test Cricket at Lords and whilst England took the honours on the first day, there's no doubt that Bangladesh have overshadowed the hosts on days 2, 3 and 4. Jonathan Trott's 175* lit up the home of Cricket on Thursday, an innings that displayed remarkable resilience and positivity (a word that hasn't often been associated with a Trott innings) before he fell for a first-class best of 226 on Friday morning.
The South African-born Warwickshire batsman has had his doubters over the past 7 or 8 months, stemming from a disappointing tour of his home country after introducing himself to English fans with a match-winning 119 at the Oval against the old enemy. A Test series best of 69 and average of a smidge over 27 didn't do justice to the ability and technique that Trott undoubtedly possesses, and his place as an England 5-day player was under close scrutiny. He didn't fair much better in Bangladesh either, making a turgid, stodgy 64 in the Mirpur Test practically summing up the way he'd been playing. Prodding and nurdling was becoming the accustomed way for Trott, and there didn't seem to be a place in the side for such a player, particularly with Paul Collingwood aka 'brigadier block' in fine form and giving the selectors no reason to replace him. However, as is usually the case with England's selectors, they kept faith in an out-of-form batsman, and on this occasion it paid off.
Trott's 226 was one of the finer Test innings' that Lords had witnessed, and whilst there will always be those people who say 'it was only Bangladesh', the old adage of 'you can only score runs against the bowlers you play against' certainly comes into play here. 20 immaculate boundaries in nearly 6 hours at the crease underlines the mental capacity that Trott contains, and he's made himself a certainty for the Tests against Pakistan later this Summer.
Despite such a superb display of batsmanship however, I'm afraid the plaudits for this particular game will have to go to Tamim Iqbal, a left-hander in the mould of Chris Gayle, or closer to home Virender Sehwag. A first-innings 55 was nothing compared to his second stint of the match as he clobbered England's bowlers to all parts of the most famous ground in Cricket. James Anderson, a world-class swing bowler of great experience and expertise, was made to look distinctly second-rate against the quick hands and supernatural timing of Bangladesh's most exciting talent. In a team full of youngsters, Tamim has done remarkably well to stand out from the crowd, and his maturity and apparent disrespect for some of the best bowlers make him a priceless fortune that Bangladesh would be foolish to waste.
Having been asked to follow on after an under-par 282 in their first knock, Bangla hit back with an uncompromising 328-5 at the close of play on day four, with an England victory far from in the bag. Imrul Kayes showed great patience in his knock of 75, one half of a 185-run opening stand for the tourists, almost double their first innings effort. Junaid Siddique has also made it a match to remember with scores of 58 and 66* as he continues to resurrect an International career that didn't exactly set the world alight in its early stages. A contribution of 46 from Jahurul Islam has consolidated Bangladesh's position in the match, and gives them an excellent chance of saving a game they should have been well out of this time yesterday.
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