DAY'S MOMENTS

THE ALI-DHARMASENA CONNECTION

The stats are not in yet, but it will be surprising if there were more umpire decision reviews taken than on the first day of the first Test yesterday. At the centre of it all was England batsman Moeen Ali. He had survived a review off Taijul Islam in the 24th over taken by a trigger-happy Mushfiqur Rahim. But then, in six balls either side of lunch officiated by Kumar Dharmasena, Ali was given out thrice and he successfully overturned the decision thrice, each time against Shakib Al Hasan.

Asked whether he would have a few words with the umpire, Ali said: "We are normally pretty tight, but we didn't speak for a session. It was a tough pitch to umpire, but what can I say? The guy gave me out three times!"

He did however say that the secret of his innings yesterday were the reviews.

DEBUTANT CRUELTY, AND KINDNESS

Mehedi Hasan Miraz was undoubtedly the star debutant of the day, but he also had a hand in making the day worse for a hostile fellow debutant and better for a friendly one. Ben Duckett, playing in England whites for the first time, was comprehensively castled by a peach from Miraz in the 10th over, earning himself his first wicket and meting out Duckett's first dismissal. He organised another first for a friendly when he induced an edge in the third over, which allowed Sabbir Rahman to take his first test catch.

THE REVIEW AND THE FALLOUT

Skipper and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim made an inspired decision to review a not-out call when Gary Ballance was pinned at the crease by an arm ball from Miraz. Apparently only he had detected that the ball brushed the pad just before it hit the bat. But, emboldened by the overturn he then proceeded to waste a further three reviews, some quite outlandish, on a day that saw the umpire being challenged seven times.