Chittagong, May 21:

Bangladesh tailenders Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain defied India’s bowlers with career-best knocks to steer the hosts to safety in the first Test. The ninth-wicket pair saved Bangladesh from follow-on with a crucial stand of 77 runs.

Bangladesh, who were reduced to 149-8 at one stage and needed a further 39 runs to save the follow-on, went on to make 238 in reply to India’s first innings total of 387-8 declared.

India were 44-2 in their second knock at stumps, an overall lead of 193 runs with eight wickets in hand going into the final day’s play at the Ruhul Amin stadium.

Mortaza hit a brilliant 79 with seven boundaries and three sixes before he was last man out. Hossain struck 31 and partnered Mortaza in a face-saving stand.

The fired-up Hossain then handed opener Wasim Jaffer a second successive duck in the match and also removed Indian captain Rahul Dravid to leave the tourists precariously placed at 6-2. But Sachin Tendulkar (24 not out) and Dinesh Karthick (15 not out) saw out the day in fading light with a draw looming large in the rain-curtailed match.

India’s two young seamers, Rudra Pratap Singh and Vikram Rajvir Singh, claimed three wickets each and debutant off-spinner Ramesh Powar took two.

Ealier, India, who resumed at Saturday’s score of 384-6, lost two wickets for three runs before Dravid declared 11 minutes after the start. Mortaza was his team’s chief wicket-taker with 4-97, while Hossain took 3-76.

Pakistan win series

Abu Dhabi: Salman Butt and Yasir Hameed hit half centuries and Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 98 runs to claim the three-match Warid Cup series. Pakistan posted imposing 313/9 in 50 overs, and then dismissed Sri Lanka for 215 in 39.5 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

Butt and Hameed sparked Pakistan with an entertaining 98-run stand for the second wicket. Butt led with an 81-ball 74 studded with 11 fours, while Hameed hit 50 off 53 deliveries. Malinga Bandara had the two caught and bowled to finish with 3-56 off his 10 overs. Skipper Mahela Jayawardene led Sri Lanka with 61 off 69 balls, including six fours and a six. — AP