Mahmudullah ton before tea headlines Bangladesh’s dominance

Mahmudullah's approach to his third Test century may have slowed down Bangladesh but at least he ensured they were still batting till tea on the second day. He took 30 balls to move from 90 to 100, often relying on Taijul Islam to return him the strike, but it was probably the right approach after their helter-skelter first session, reports ESPNcricinfo. 

The home side were 471 for 8 at the day's second interval, with Mahmudullah having added 36 runs off 84 balls during the session, which helped Bangladesh dig in after the loss of Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz early in the session.

The Liton-Mahmudullah seventh-wicket stand maintained Shakib's initial thrust, adding 92 runs in 21.2 overs. But it ended when Liton missed a reverse-sweep against part-timer Kraigg Brathwaite soon after the lunch interval. Shakib and Mahmudullah had earlier added 111 runs for the sixth wicket, 42 of which came at a rate of 6.46 in the second morning.

Liton's dismissal on 54 off 62 balls, with eight fours and a six, was followed by Mehidy being given caught-behind, upon a review, off Jomel Warrican.

Mahmudullah and Taijul added 55 runs off 19.1 overs, with Taijul hitting three fours in his unbeaten 26 off 50 balls.

It was Shakib's burst of boundaries in the first 30 minutes of the second morning that flipped Bangladesh's batting style from their cautious approach on the first day. He punched Kemar Roach through cover before hammering Roston Chase for three swept fours in a row. He used power in the first two before using deft touch for the third.

Mahmudullah struggled at the other end though, surviving three close calls in a short span of time. Shimron Hetmyer's grab at slip, off Roach, couldn't be ascertained in replays when he was on 32, and there were two lbw reviews that were also turned down.

Mahmudullah responded by blasting Roach over cover once, but the fast bowler had something to cheer about when he had Shakib caught at gully after making 80. Five of his six boundaries during his 139-ball stay came in the first 6.5 overs of the second morning.

Liton then took toll of a tiring attack, driving Shermon Lewis serenely through mid-on before sweeping Jomel Warrican for two fours in one over. He pulled Devendra Bishoo for two fours too, while also finding another four off Lewis through point. Towards the end of the session, he lifted Chase over long-on for a six and then carved him past extra-cover to reach his fifty.

Bangladesh had batted much differently on the first day, as Shadman Islam impressed with a steady 76 spanning three hours and 40 minutes. The day had ended with Shakib and Mahmudullah batting out the final 23.3 overs which didn't involve a single risky shot.