Bangladesh 229-6 against England

LONDON, May 29 (AFP) - Bangladesh were 229 for six in reply to England's first innings 505, a deficit of 276 and needing 77 more runs to avoid the follow-on, at tea on the third day of the first Test at Lord's here on Saturday.

Mushfiqur Rahim was 11 not out and Mahmudullah seven not out. Rain meant no play was possible before lunch, with 40 overs effectively lost from the day's scheduled minimum of 90.

This is the first of a two-Test series.

Meanwhile Bangladesh were 172 for two in reply to England's first innings 505, a deficit of 333 and needing 134 more runs to avoid the follow-on.

Junaid Siddique was 53 not out and Jahurul Islam 16 not out.

This is the first of a two-Test series.

Bangladesh fast bowler Shahadat Hossain took five wickets against England at Lord’s on Friday and then revealed he feared he might never play Test cricket after a desperate debut here five years ago.

As an 18-year-old, Shahadat had figures of no wickets for 101 runs in just 12 overs as England won by a crushing innings and 261 run margin inside three days at Lord’s in 2005.

But it was a different story on Friday with Shahadat becoming the first Bangladesh bowler to take five wickets in a Test innings against England, with a return of five for 98 in 28 overs.

By stumps on the second day Bangladesh — who’ve lost all six of their previous Tests against England — were 172 for two.

Junaid Siddique was 53 not out after openers Tamim Iqbal (55) and Imrul Kayes (43) made a fine start.

Bangladesh were still 333 behind an England first innings 505 featuring Jonathan Trott’s Test-best 226 and they needed a further 134 runs to avoid the follow-on. But their improvement was undeniable.

Bangladesh’s batsmen then backed up Shahadat’s good work although, as the paceman pointed out, they were facing a far less threatening pace attack than the 2005 class of Stephen Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff who went on that season to help England regain the Ashes from Australia.