Bangladesh v England 1st Test tips: Tourists to maintain 100 per cent record

Top scores of 60 and 59 in Tour warm-up matches saw Duckett retire unbeaten twice ahead of the Test opener. That is surely enough to have caught the selectors’ eyes.

As mentioned above, England boast a 100 per cent record against Bangladesh, so in for a penny in for a pound. Back potential debutant Duckett to be best touring batsman in the first innings and the visitors for victory in a terrific 13/2 wincast.

If you’re not as convinced by Duckett’s claims as we are, then there’s always the customary alternative Coral offer in Joe Root at an enhanced 9/2. Perhaps the rest for the One Day Internationals has freshened him up.

Steven Finn odds to be best England bowler

While we can expect to see plenty of spin in Trevor Bayliss’ attack, it would be unwise to ignore Middlesex paceman Steven Finn odds and his fine form from previous Test encounters with Bangladesh.

Boasting 15 wickets, including twice recording a five-for, when the Asians toured England in 2010, such pace may be a profitable and different weapon to the predictable leg and off-break onslaught.

If involved, Finn is certainly one to side with as top England bowler for the first innings at 7/2.

Punters may feel that spin bowling is a sounder investment, though Adil Rashid seems a little conservative at 5/2 to be best with the ball.

Left-armer Zafar Ansari caught the eye in one of the warm-ups with figures of 4-68, so might be a more attractive alternative at 9/2 should he be selected.

Tamim Iqbal bets to be best Bangladesh batsman

Home team opener Tamim Iqbal never looked like doing much damage during the One Day series, but Test cricket is clearly what he prefers if the stats are any indicator.

In three of the four innings played against England six years ago, he made two centuries and recorded a third score over 50. In total, Iqbal boasts seven hundreds and 18 half-centuries during his Test career to date.

Such form is very persuasive, and a batting average of almost 40 runs from 80 Test innings adds further appeal to a bet on Iqbal being best Bangladeshi batsman of the first innings at 7/2.

Shakib Al Hasan to be best Bangladesh bowler

When it comes to posing an all-round cricket threat, the hosts’ Al Hasan is widely considered among the best in the world.

One Day captain Mashrafe Mortaza acquitted himself well in this regard too, but he hasn’t received a Test cap since 2009!

That leaves Al Hasan, who averages 3.5 wickets per match in this form of the game, as the main danger to England.

Back the all-rounder to be top Bangladeshi bowler for the first innings, with Al Hasan a terrific 3/1 in that market.

England to establish a first innings lead

While conditions may be different to Bangladesh’s 2010 Tour of England when they were travelling, there is no getting away from the fact they were made to follow on in both Tests.

Bayliss’ boys are unlikely to show any less mercy now it’s them touring, and a tempting 2/7 price says England will hold a first innings lead.

Knowing exactly what to expect from the hosts’ attack, the tourists can afford to be less tempted when it comes to spin deliveries in Test cricket compared to the shorter form series already played.

Related

You’ll find more cricket content on our dedicated page.