Tamim leads Bangladesh’s reply at tea

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DHAKA - Tamin Iqbal scored a fluent half-century as Bangladesh reached

118 for one at tea against India on the third day of the second cricket Test here Tuesday.

Bangladesh trail by 193 runs after India declared their first innings at 544 for eight at lunch.

The hosts gave a strong reply through Tamim (79) and Junaid Siddique (31), who shared an unbeaten 99-run stand, after Imrul Kayes (5) was dismissed by Zaheer Khan.

Bangladesh scored at a brisk pace in the second session. Opener Tamim played an attacking game and brought up his 50 off just 49 balls with seven fours. Tamim’s 87-ball innings had 10 fours.

While Tamim played his strokes freely, Siddique was calm at the other end rotating the strike.

Siddique took 72 balls for his 31 that came with three fours.

Earlier, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni struck a half century as India declared their first innings at 544 for eight, with a lead of 311 runs.

Dhoni scored 89 off 167 deliveries with the help of nine fours and two sixes. He was dismissed off the last ball before lunch, stumped off part-timer Raqibul Hasan.

Sachin Tendulkar (143) and Rahul Dravid (111) had scored centuries Monday and Dhoni carried on Tuesday to bat Bangladesh out of the match.

Resuming at 459 for five, India added 85 runs in 30.1 overs in the morning session.

India lost Zaheer Khan for a duck when he pulled a short delivery from pacer Shafiul Islam (3-86) straight to Shahadat Hossain at the fine leg boundary.

Dhoni then stepped up the attack and came down the track to hit Shakib straight down the ground for a six. He struck Shahadat Hossain for two successive fours.

Dhoni got good support from Ishant Sharma (13) and the duo added 51 runs for the seventh wicket.

After Ishant was dismissed by Mohammad Ashraful, Dhoni and Pragyan Ojha (1) scored 26 runs.