Mehedi, Kayes keep Bangladesh in the hunt

Mehedi Hasan's second six-wicket haul in as many matches followed by a strong batting effort gave Bangladesh the edge at the end of a see-saw second day of the second Test against England in Dhaka on Saturday (October 29).

At stumps, Bangladesh was 152 for 3 in its second innings, an overall lead of 128, with Imrul Kayes unbeaten on 59, having lost Mahmudullah off the last ball of the day. England had earlier posted 244 after Chris Woakes (46) and Adil Rashid (44*) added 99 runs for the ninth wicket to clinch a vital 24-run lead. Mehedi, the 19-year-old off-spinner, finished with 6 for 82.

Bangladesh began the day well when England resumed on 50 for in reply to its 220 all out, but the visitor seemed to have the momentum at the end of its innings, thanks to Woakes and Rashid's rearguard effort. It was staring at a sizeable deficit when Bangladesh's spinners reduced it to 144 for 8, despite Joe Root's fighting 56, but Woakes and Rashid gradually took it into the lead.

However, Bangladesh fought back again, this time with the bat. Tamim Iqbal, who scored 104 in the first innings, led the charge once again with a string of boundaries, with good support from Kayes.

The pair added 65 for the opening wicket before Zafar Ansari got the prized scalp of Tamim for his maiden Test wicket. Tamim was cramped for room and inside-edged to leg-slip to fall after another crucial knock worth 40.

Two balls later, Ben Stokes induced Mominul Haque, who scored 66 in the first innings, to nick to first slip, leaving Bangladesh 66 for 2.

Bangladesh would have had the first-innings collapse in mind – it went from 171 for 1 to 220 all out - but Kayes and Mahmudullah ensured that wouldn't happen again. Kayes, who played second fiddle when Tamim was going strong, gradually went past his half-century while Mahmudullah remained busy, stretching the lead past 100.

However, just when it seemed like Bangladesh would end strongly, Mahmudullah played an inexplicable swipe off the last ball of the day to be bowled. It ended the 86-run stand and opened up the match once again.

Earlier, resuming the day on 50 for 3, England found itself in deep trouble in the morning session before Root offered some resistance with 56 off 122 balls and Jonny Bairstow, who made 24, gave him some support in their 45-run sixth-wicket stand.

Mehedi drew first blood on the second day, bowling Moeen Ali for 10 in the third over. Taijul Islam then removed Stokes, the man of the match in the first Test, for a duck two overs later as Mominul took a diving catch at forward short-leg.

Root and Bairstow resurrected England from a wobbly 69 for 5 before Mehedi returned for his second spell of the day to strike with his first ball and end the partnership, trapping Bairstow leg before.

Mehedi completed his second five-for in as many Tests by forcing Ansari to edge to slip before Taijul provided Bangladesh with the huge breakthrough when he pinged Root on his back foot to expose England's tail.

Woakes and Rashid then showed great resilience before Bangladesh took the last two wickets in six balls with the second new ball.

Mehedi broke the partnership when he forced an edge from Woakes at slip and five balls later, Taijul, the left-arm spinner who claimed 3 for 65, wrapped up England's innings with the wicket of Steven Finn.