CHITTAGONG,(Bangladesh), Oct 31: Paceman Richard Johnson wrecked Bangladesh with a five-wicket haul as England took command of the second cricket Test at the M.A. Aziz Stadium here on Friday.
The tourists, enjoying a huge 174-run lead on the first innings following Johnson’s burst, were 293-5 in their second knock at close of the third day’s play, an overall lead of 467 runs.
Former captain Nasser Hussain was England’s batting star with a strokeful 95, while Graeme Thorpe made 54 and Mark Butcher contributed 42.
England are expected to declare first thing on Saturday morning to give their bowlers two full days to bowl out Bangladesh and seal a 2-0 sweep in the series.
Bangladesh were tormented in the morning session by Johnson, who finished with 5-49, his second five-wicket haul in only his second Test.
The 28-year-old Somerset bowler had taken 6-33 on debut against Zimbabwe earlier this year.
Johnson ran through the lower order as Bangladesh, replying to England’s 326, were shot out for 152 in their first innings after starting the day at 93-4.
The fast bowler, who was forced to cancel his honeymoon after being called up for the tour, said the sacrifice had not gone waste.
Johnson, who had dismissed opener Javed Omar on Thursday, began the collapse by having Rajin Saleh caught behind by wicket-keeper Chris Read.
Former captain Khaled Mashud and his successor Khaled Mahmud were both caught at gully by substitute Paul Collingwood, while Mashrafe Mortaza was bowled.
Debutant seamer Martin Saggers supported Johnson with the wickets of all-rounder Mushfiqur Rahman and last man Enamul Haq.
When England batted again, Mark Butcher struck form with six boundaries in his attractive knock. Butcher opened the innings in place of Marcus Trescothick, who injured his left thumb while fielding on Thursday and came into bat at the fall of the fifth wicket.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique dismissed Butcher for the third time in four innings when he had him caught behind by Mashud.
Michael Vaughan was shaping well with 25 against his name when he was run out after a misunderstanding in mid-pitch with his predecessor Hussain.
Hussain missed his century by five runs when he gave a tame return catch to Rafique, who also trapped Thorpe leg-before to finish with 3-105 from 29 overs.
Read boosted England’s total with an unbeaten 38.
Bangladesh suffered a blow when Mortaza, who claimed 4-60 in the first innings, was ruled out for the rest of the match and the upcoming one-day series with a knee injury.
Scoreboard
England (1st innings): 326 (N.Hussain 76, M.Trescothick 60, R.Clarke 55, M.Vaughan 54; Mashrafe Mortaza 4-60)
Bangladesh (1st innings) (overnight 93 for four)
Hannan Sarkar lbw b Clarke 28
Javed Omar c Vaughan b Johnson 2
Habibul Bashar c Butcher b Hoggard 18
Rajin Saleh c Read b Johnson 32
Alok Kapali c Buther b Clarke 0
Mushfiqur Rahman c Read b Saggers 28
Khaled Mashud c sub b Johnson 0
Khaled Mahmud c sub b Johnson 15
Mohammad Rafique not out 12
Mashrafe Mortaza b Johnson 1
Enamul Haque Jnr c Hoggard b Saggers 9
Extras (lb-1 nb-5) 7
Total (all out, 62.1 overs) 152
Fall of wkts: 1-6 2-44 3-61 4-63 5-107 6-110 7-126 8-138 9-139
Bowling: M.Hoggard 20-3-64-1 (nb-5), R.Johnson 21-6-49-5, R.Clarke 7-4-7-2, M.Saggers 12.1-4-29-2, A.Giles 2-1-2-0.
England (2nd innings)
M.Butcher c K, Mashud b M. Rafique 42
M.Vaughan run out 25
N.Hussain c and b M. Rafique 95
G.Thorpe lbw b M. Rafique 54
C.Read not out 38
R.Clarke lbw Enamul Haque Jnr 27
M.Trescothick not out 1
Extras (b-4 nb-6 w-1) 11
Total (for five wickets, 67 overs) 293
To bat: A.Giles, R.Johnson, M.Saggers, M.Hoggard
Fall of wkts: 1-66 2-70 3-208 4-231 5-290
Bowling (to date): Mashrafe Mortaza 4-0-23-0 (nb-1), Mushfiqur Rahman 5-0-41-0 (nb-2), Mohammad Rafique 29-3-106-3 (nb-3), Khaled Mahmud 14-3-64-0 (w-1), Enamul Haque Jnr 14-5-40-1, Rajin Saleh 1-0-15-0—AFP/Reuters