Mahmud: 'Beating a batter is quite a good feeling'

After four five-wicket hauls in four other countries, many Bangladesh fans awaited Hasan Mahmud picking up a five-for at home. It came in the Sylhet Test, where he took 6 for 86 to trigger a West Indies batting collapse on the second day.

Mahmud said taking a five-for at home was special, particularly in conditions where lateral movement exists for probably the first hour of play before disappearing. A fast bowler in situations like these has only a limited time to strike.

"It is a very special occasion to take a five-wicket haul at home," Mahmud said at the post-day press conference where Bangladesh are trailing West Indies by 268 runs. "I am glad that I could take this opportunity. In any case, taking a five-wicket haul in Tests is already a special feeling. I always try to contribute to the team's efforts by giving my best. The condition in Sylhet is helpful for fast bowlers for the first one or two hours of play.

"During this time, there is seam movement, swing available. But ultimately it flattens after those two hours. It becomes very batting friendly. We keep communicating our plans, processes. I try to keep things simple. I am always striving for more such hauls."

Mahmud has taken his first five Test five-fors in five different venues - Rawalpindi, Chennai, Darwin, Abu Dhabi and now Sylhet. He is also the second Bangladesh pacer to take a six-wicket haul at home, after Shahadat Hossain's six-for against South Africa in 2008.

Mahmud has shown that he can swing the ball exaggeratedly when conditions suit him, but beyond that, he has the ability to set up batters with subtle changes in line and length. This played a part in Kavem Hodge and Amir Jangoo leaving balls that ended up hitting their off stumps.

"We usually try to keep the batter guessing how we are going to bowl the six deliveries in an over," Mahmud said. "The wicket-taking delivery comes through a different planning. Sometimes the batter thinks it will be a fuller length delivery, for instance, but they don't think out of the box. The wicket though comes when you can execute that plan properly.

"Beating a batter is quite a good feeling. We have separate plans for the new and old ball. We try to bowl fuller with the new ball, to make the batter play more deliveries. We try to hit the top of the off stump. It can often bring the wicketkeeper and slips into play. When the ball gets older, we shorten the length, thinking of being more economical. Maybe we don't attack that much with the old ball. We try to bowl a lot of dot balls in partnerships."

Mahmud also became the first Bangladesh seamer to get someone out stumped. "The batter [Joshua Bishop] was stepping out of the crease to play his shots. Shanto bhai told me that if the keeper is up to the stumps, it might prevent his movement. I agreed immediately. It was a good execution of a plan."

Given his success in various conditions, does Mahmud do anything different based on where he's playing? "I don't plan anything specifically for any condition. I try to execute my bowling plan by being repetitive. I listen to what the team needs at that time, so I try to deliver that," he said.

Mahmud said he benefited from his stint with Kent in the English county circuit earlier this year. "I found the conditions in Kent and Australia similar. It made it easier to adjust to Australia after playing in England. That was the major help. Otherwise it is obviously different types of cricket, domestic and international."

Coming back to the Sylhet Test, where Bangladesh are 88 for 3 in response to West Indies' 356, Mahmud said, "If Mushfiq bhai and Hridoy bhai can continue with their partnership, we can reach their score. I am hopeful that we can even take a lead. It is a good wicket. There isn't much for spinners or fast bowlers, apart from the new ball or in the first couple of hours."