The monkey is back

If the last ball of the first day was any indication of what was to follow the next day, then Bangladesh simply have refused to take note of that. And the impact was very painful, if not devastating, on the second day of the first Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna yesterday.

The Tigers were bowled out for 332, adding just 96 runs to their overnight total, a collapse that can be best described as the return of the monkey which apparently was off the Tigers' back a day before. With six wickets in hand and Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim at the wicket on the second morning it was expected that Bangladesh would build on their overnight total of 236. The batting discipline which was the demand of the hour went for a sabbatical against a Pakistan attack which was absolutely spot-on for a second successive day. And the moment Shakib, the prime culprit of throwing his wicket away, was smartly caught at leg-slip, edging a down-the-track lofted drive off left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar in the fourth over of the morning, the hopes of a big total suffered the first blow.

Debutant Soumya Sarkar (33) and Mushfiqur (32) put on 62 runs for the sixth wicket, with the young left-hander never looking assuring with his edgy approach, which was eventually ended with a miscued lofted shot that Asad Shafiq took spectacularly, running from cover to widish mid-off. Mushfiqur followed soon playing a half-hearted cut straight to his Pakistan counterpart Misbahul Haq. The Tigers went into lunch at 325-8 after Taijul was bowled round his leg by leg-spinner Yasir Shah.

Bangladesh's innings quickly folded after the lunch break.

It was then Pakistan's turn to assume the role of a predator against a wayward Bangladesh attack with Mohammad Hafeez leading the charge with an unbeaten 137 in an impressive total of 227-1 at stumps.

Before the start of the match Shakib said that he would definitely enjoy the battle of all-rounders with Hafeez. After the second day's play Hafeez not only has won the first salvo but also scored full ten marks against Shakib's zero.

After winning a review while on 15, the right-hander, who had earlier captured two wickets with his off-spin, raced to his 100 hitting successive boundaries off Rubel. It was his eight Test century and third against Bangladesh. He struck a dozen of fours and two sixes in his 179 ball knock.

Azhar Ali, who put on 177 runs for the unbroken second wicket with Hafeez after debutant opener Sami Aslam had departed for 20, chanced his arms twice for a patient 65 that contained a couple of fours and a six.

Skipper Mushfiqur was culprit of dropping him twice, first at 11 off Shakib then at 28 off debutant paceman Mohammad Shahid. The wicketkeeper not only spilled the second one, a healthy edge straight to him, but in the process injured the ring finger in his right hand. He left the field in extreme pain during the final drinks break and was not available for the final one hour of the day, with Imrul Kayed doing the proxy.

Vice-captain Tamim Iqbal led the Tigers in that final hour and it appeared he was hardly enjoying that role, using the part-time bowlers for five overs when it was expected that the best bowlers including Rubel would bowl for a wicket.