Trott puts England on top

Bangladesh pace bowlers failed to capitalise on early morning condition giving England the upper hand as the hosts reached 362-4 at close on the opening day of the first Test at Lord’s on Thursday, reports NewAge.
Sakib al Hasan won a very crucial toss which helped the tourists to avoid batting in drizzle and allowed their bowlers to put England under some real pressure with early breakthroughs, but they wasted the chance despite a gift from umpire Ashoka de Silva.
England stamped their authority on the very first day with under-pressure batsman Jonathan Trott leading the way, eying his first double century having remained unbeaten on 175 off 270 balls with 17 fours.
It was almost raining when the game started and Sakib’s decision to bowl was also beyond any question. But what was questionable was the Bangladesh’s bowling that lacked the penetrating power even under favourable condition.
Sahahdat Hossain bowled a maiden over to begin the game and had soon opener Alastair Cook on his toes, but Tortt and Andrew Strauss faced hardly any challenge in putting England in command.
Cook was out in the fifth over in a ball that pitched on the line and struck his back foot and umpire Ashoka could not resist the temptation to raise his finger. Television replay suggested the ball was going high, but there is no review system in place in this series means Cook had to trudge back to the pavilion.
England soon regrouped with Strauss giving debutant Robiul Islam a Test lesson with a six and a four in his fourth over that prompted Sakib to introduce himself in 10th over of the morning.
Strauss, back in the side as the captain, who took 18 balls to get off the mark, never looked back before dragging a gentle delivery of Mahmudullah onto his stumps to be dismissed for 83.
By then he had put on 181 runs for the second wicket with Tortt, who was untroubled throughout the day. The place of the right-hander in England’s Test side was in jeopardy, so he had to do something special to stay in contention for the upcoming Ashes.
And the opener did exactly the same reaching his hundred in 133 balls with a cover boundary as England went for tea with 231 for three. Kevin Pietersen was the third batsman out off a superb delivery from Sakib shortly before the tea break.
Pietersen, who struggled a lot against left-arm spin in the preceding series in Bangladesh, again fell to one of his nemesis, making just 18 runs. This was a fitting reward for Sakib, who bowled so well only to see the batsmen showing too much respect to him and swooping on the others. His third spell before tea cost the Bangladesh skipper only three runs.
After the break, Rubel Hossain finally justified his inclusion ahead of Shafiul Islam whipping off the stumps of Ian Bell for 17, but a rock-solid Trott and debutant Eoin Morgan saw off the day for England without any further damage.
Morgan, who shared 104 in the unbroken fifth wicket partnership, was 40 not out at close

Courtesy of NewAge