Shakib Al Hasan bagged five wickets on a day he claimed his 150th Test scalp, but a 85-run innings from Ben Stokes leaves Bangladesh worried at the close of third day of the first Test.
The visitors ended the day with 228 for 8, meaning they already have a 273-run lead and the hosts need to stage one of their best Test performances to stand a chance of winning in Chittagong.
Shakib, slammed for his dismissial in the second ball of the day, took little time to make amends when England came to bat for their second innings.
After Mehedi Hasan Miraz sent Alastair Cook (12) back to the pavillion with the score on 26, Shakib struck in consecutive overs to remove Joe Root (0) and Ben Duckett (14) and England were soon down to 28 for 3.
The wicket of Root was a landmark one for Shakib, who became the first Bangladeshi to have bagged 150 Test wickets.
Taijul Islam then sent Gary Ballance (9) home before Shakib got first innings’ highest scorer Mooen Ali caught behind, leaving English 62 for 5.
Up stepped Stokes, who was also successful with the ball earlier on the day, as he and Jonny Bairstow staged a comeback.
The duo added 127 runs in the sixth wicket, before Bairstow (47) was bowled by Kamrul Islam Rabbi, as the debutant bagged his maiden Test wicket.
Stokes, who made 85 with six fours and three sixes, soon joined Bairstow in the dressing room as Shakib pinned him leg before the wicket.
Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad will begin the fourth day with a view to extending the lead, needless to say.
Earlier in the morning, Stokes struck three times in quick succession as Bangladesh could only manage 27 runs to second day’s 221, being all out for a sorry 248.
Shakib won’t like to watch how he gave away his wicket, the left-handed getting stumped in his effort to whack a Moeen Ali delivery that was only the second ball of the day.
And that brought about the team’s downfall, the lower order failing to offer any meaningful resistance.
Stokes had four scalps to his name while Moeen had three and Adil Rashid two.
