S. Dipak Ragav
Chennai
Opener Shadman Islam slammed a patient 89 (194b, 9x4), and pacer L. Vignesh scalped three wickets to ensure honours were shared between Bangladesh XI and Tamil Nadu XI on the first day of the four-day match here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.
Electing to bat, Bangladesh XI ended the day on 230 for five with skipper Mohammad Mithun unbeaten on 74 (128b, 5x4s, 4x6s).
On a slow pitch, the TN pacers Vignesh and Gowtham Thamarai Kannan kept things tight in the first hour of the day with the former removing opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy, leg-before.
Islam was joined by Mohammad Saif Hasan and the duo added 85-runs for the second wicket stand with the visitors taking a cautious approach till lunch, scoring at just two runs per over.
The left-handed Islam, who has played 13 Tests, started his innings with a crisply timed cover drive off Gowtham and played some nicely timed shorts down the ground.
Post lunch, Vignesh struck twice in one over to bring TN back into the game. He first had Hasan bowled with the batter playing on while attempting to leave the ball before having Mominul Haque Showrab caught at slip.
Skipper Mohammad Mithun came out and put the pressure back on the home side by finding quick boundaries against the pacers. Mithun and Islam added 105 runs for the fourth wicket.
In the final session, Islam and Mithun were far more aggressive with the latter going after the spinners hitting four sixes in quick time.
Just when Islam looked good for a century, he chipped left-arm spinner, S. Ajith Ram, to the short mid-on fielder, falling 11 runs short.
The scores:
Bangladesh XI 230/5 in 84 overs (Shadman Islam 89, Mohammad Saif Hasan 38, Mohammad Mithun 74 batting, L. Vignesh 3/37) vs Tamil Nadu XI. Toss: Bangladesh XI.
