Shakib - We fought very hard

Mushfiqur and Siddique prosper with the bat in Chittagong

Last updated: 16th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Shakib - We fought very hard

Shakib: Thinking positive

We are still improving, but we have much more discipline than the side we once were.

Shakib Al Hasan
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Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan felt there were plenty of positives to take out of the first Test defeat to England.

The hosts were eventually beaten by 181 runs in Chittagong having been set a world record score of 513 to win the series opener.

However there were still reasons to be cheerful for the Tigers, most notably in the performance of Junaid Siddique, who hit his maiden Test ton, and Mushfiqur Rahim with the bat.

The duo shared a sixth-wicket stand of 167 that frustrated the tourists for two sessions, something that Shakib feels is a good sign for the future.

Fought hard

"We fought very hard in the second innings and in the first innings Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah all scored half-centuries," he said.

"Previously we have only seen one of our batsmen perform at a time. Now we have more than one batsman scoring runs, which is a positive thing.

"I think after the first innings we showed better character.

"We bowled in the right areas, our batsmen tried to leave the ball when it was in the danger zone and played well against the half-volleys and short balls.

"We are still improving, but we have much more discipline than the side we once were.

"On the first morning Jamie (Siddons, head coach) told our batsman to concentrate on making hundreds and now we know we can do that."

Mushfiqur was bowled by spinner Graeme Swann, who finished with a 10-wicket haul, for 95 in the second innings having made 79 first time around.

Partnership

The wicketkeeper-batsman felt that a draw was not out of Bangladesh's reach had he and Siddique stuck together for another hour on day five.

"They took the new ball early in the morning and after one hour we could see they were a bit down because they didn't get any wickets," he said.

"If we could have played together for one more hour after lunch, it would have been easier, but we couldn't do that.

"I don't think their bowlers coped that well with the heat but they get some wickets because they can move the ball both ways as they showed.

"Hopefully we will do it next time."