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Mahmud defends fielding first

RABEED IMAM from Chittagong
Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud defended his decision of fielding first in the second Test against England that began yesterday.
The tourists lost only four wickets throughout the day but Mahmud said that there was something in the pitch for the pace bowlers to exploit in the morning.
"I thought there was some moisture early on. But unfortunately we didn't get the breakthrough we were hoping for with the new ball in the first session. That happens in Test cricket and England really batted
very well. But I was happy with the way we came back after lunch" said Mahmud after the first day.
England lost four wickets for ten runs at one stage in the post lunch session.
The skipper was asked why he didn't consider playing a specialist seamer to support firebrand Mashrafee bin-Mortuza by sacrificing one of the two left-arm spinners, especially since he himself had suggested ahead of the game that the wicket might not turn that much.
"Well, Mushfiqur Rahman bowled very well with the new ball in hand in the last game. So I didn't think it was necessary as we already had three pace bowlers in the side
including myself. Regarding the spinners, when I looked at the wicket today, it appeared as if it might start taking some turn from the third day onwards. So we stuck to the same combination," said Mahmud.
The spin duo of Mohammad Rafique and Enamul Haque combined to bowl 41 overs in the day but while Rafique got some purchase out of the pitch, Enamul was hit out of the attack by Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan. The 18-year-old, after his promising start in Dhaka, conceded 66 runs from his 14 overs. The skipper found some swing and bowled a very tight line (18-8-29-1) but Mushfiq didn't make an impact.
Still, Mahmud hoped that the bowlers would continue restricting the runs like they did in the final session and put pressure on the tourists from the start of the second day.
"We allowed them something like 49 runs in the last 28 overs of the day. If we can maintain the same consistency tomorrow, I am hopeful oflimiting the England score," said Mahmud adding that he didn't expect batting to get too difficult on this track as the game wore on.
England's unlikely hero on the day was all-rounder Rikki Clarke who led the recovery with his first Test half-
century after the tourists had slumped to 134 for four.
Clarke was fined half his match fee after using abusive language against Bangladesh's Mushfiq during the first Test in Dhaka but said he had put it behind him.
"As far as I am concerned, that is gone. There was obviously a lesson learnt. But I'm now focusing on playing cricket for England," said Clarke.
The Surrey cricketer was very impressed with the pitch at Chittagong and said he felt more at home on it.
"It is similar to English wickets. It's a true pitch with a consistent bounce. It doesn't get skiddy andlowlike Dhaka," said Clarke.