Cook century steers England home

Captain makes 109 not out as England wrap up Test series with nine-wicket win in Dhaka.

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Cook said Bangladesh had made England work [AFP]

Alastair Cook cracked an unbeaten century to lead England to a nine-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the second Test as the tourists wrapped up a 2-0 series win.

Set a target of 209 in little less than two sessions, skipper Cook scored 109 as England cruised to victory with more than 30 minutes of play left on the fifth and final day.

Cook, who faced 155 balls and blasted 11 fours in recording his 12th Test century, put on 167 runs with Kevin Pietersen’s 74 not out for the second wicket after fellow opener Jonathan Trott was controversially given run out for 19 by the third umpire.

“It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of credit to Bangladesh to the way they’ve made us work, especially the last 10 days, but it’s a very satisfying feeling,” Cook said on Wednesday.

“We didn’t mind them playing a few shots, we were happy to sacrifice a few runs for wickets, instead of having to prise them out.

“Once we got a good start, and kept wickets in hand, towards the end we could chase anything down.”

Off-spinner James Tredwell claimed three of Bangladesh’s last four wickets to help England bowl out the hosts for 285 runs in their second innings in the first over of the afternoon session.

Four short

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan was the last man out, falling four runs short of his century when he charged down the pitch to a Tredwell delivery but failed to make contact and was stumped by Matt Prior.

Day five scorecard

Bangladesh first innings 419 all out
England first innings 496 all out

Bangladesh second innings (o/n 172-6)
T Iqbal c Finn b Swann 52
I Kayes b Broad 4
Z Siddique c and b Tredwell 34
J Islam b Swann 43
Mahmudullah c Prior b Bresnan 6
S Hasan st Prior b Tredwell 96
M Rahim b Broad 3
S Islam c Trott b Tredwell 28
N Islam c Pietersen b Tredwell 3
A Razzak lbw b Finn 8
R Hossain not out 0
Extras 8
Total (all out; 102 overs) 285
Fow 1-23 2-86 3-110 4-130 5-156 6-169 7-232 8-258 9-275 10-285

England second innings

A Cook not out 109
J Trott run out 19
K Pietersen not out 74
Extras 7
Total (for 1; 44 overs) 209
Fow 1-42

Shakib, who made 49 and 96 runs in two innings and also claimed 4-124 with the ball, could take comfort from being named man of the match.

“Maybe tiredness got the better of us because we played five hard days of cricket in Chittagong in hot weather and we fielded almost 10 hours in this Test match. After that it has been difficult for us,” said Shakib.

“But still we showed we can bat a bit longer. I think 285 in the third innings is not a bad score. But we should have scored 50 more runs, it would have been great.”

England off-spinner Graeme Swann took man of the series honours for his 16 wickets that included a maiden 10-wicket haul in the opening Test in Chittagong last week which England won by 181 runs.

Bangladesh began the fifth day on 172-6 and appeared to be heading towards safety with nightwatchman Shafiul Islam assisting Shakib nicely until Tredwell broke their stubborn 63-run seventh-wicket partnership.

Trott took a simple catch at deep midwicket off Tredwell in the second over after the new ball was taken to dismiss Shafiul for 28.

Bangladesh then suffered a body blow when their last recognised batsman Naeem Islam gifted Tredwell his second wicket of the morning, sweeping needlessly to be caught by Pietersen at mid on for three.

Debutant paceman Steven Finn took the final wicket of the session when he trapped Abdur Razzak lbw for eight in the final scheduled over of the morning.

Source: Reuters