Chittagong, March 13: Alastair Cook registered a new career-best but missed out on the chance of a double century on the second morning at Chittagong although his departure for 173 caused England few problems.
Paul Collingwood moved effortlessly to 86 at the lunch break alongside Ian Bell who barely broke sweat as he ended the session on 37 and England were eyeing a total around 600.
Bangladesh’s bowling was better than the first day, particularly during the first hour, but that is hardly a ringing endorsement. The irony was that one of worst deliveries of the morning, a slow long hop from Mahmudullah, ended Cook’s seven-hour stay when the England captain mistimed his pull straight back to the bowler.
Cook had ticked past his previous best of 160 against West Indies, at Chester-le-Street, last year but wasn’t quite as secure as he had been on the opening day. Rubel Hossain caused a couple of nervous moments as he nipped one past the outside edge – although anything other than a faint edge would have gone unrewarded as Shakib Al Hasan had dispensed with his slips – and was also unlucky not to earn an lbw verdict when Cook had 165.
However, two sweetly-timed straight drives suggested Cook was settling in to extend his innings into the real massive hundred, or “daddy” as his mentor Graham Gooch calls them, and could barely drag himself off after slapping back Mahmudullah’s gift. England score precious few double tons – the last was by Kevin Pietersen in 2007 – and there have only been seven since Gooch’s 333 against India in 1990.
Collingwood had been able to kick-start his innings against some tired bowling yesterday evening and moved to his half century from 76 balls which included a trademark lofted flick over deep midwicket for six. Mostly, though, he was content to deal in working the ball around against defensive fields with Bangladesh having long-since given up the pretence of trying to bowl England out.
It meant as comfortable start to an innings that Bell can have enjoyed in Test cricket but he announced a positive intent by skipping down the pitch and lofting Mahmudullah for four. He added an elegant brace later in the session – a deft cut and a flowing cover drive – as England accelerated again following a period of consolation. Now it’s just a question of how many runs Cook wants before letting his bowlers loose.
——-Agencies