Our plan was to save follow on: Mortaza

At 149 for 8, it all seemed over for Bangladesh and it seemed India could eke out an improbable victory in the first Test at Chittagong on Monday, but enter Mashrafe Mortaza and the whole script changed.

The Bangladesh fast bowler smashed career best 79, inclusive of seven boundaries and three sixes, to help his team avoid the follow on.

"Our plan was to try and save the follow on first and then play ball by ball," Mortaza said after the day's play.

His 77-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Shahadat Hossain was instrumental in helping Bangladesh come up with a spirited resistance and thwart any chances they harboured of registering a victory.

"Rajib [Shahadat Hossain] gave me confidence. He said we can save the follow on. Infact, he was more confident than me and we both believed we could do it. It was very good partnership. We encouraged each other constantly during our partnership," Mortaza said.

The 23-year-old said when coming out to the middle after the tea break, coach Dav Whatmore had asked him to save the follow on, and he did not let his coach down.

"When I was coming out of the dressing room after tea, he said 'make a fifty and save the team from follow-on'," Mortaza said.

Mortaza, who registered his maiden half-century in Tests, said he could have gone on to score a century, but the wicket of Hossain made it difficult.

"No, the main thing is that the team has recovered from the situation it was in. There was a chance for me to score a hundred, but after Hossain got out, the fielders went back and it was difficult. When Hossain was there I told him u can make a 50 and I will try to score a hundred. When he got out, things were a bit difficult," he said.

Meanwhile, his partner at the other end, 20-year-old Hossain also said he was happy to make a contribution with the bat.

"I mostly concentrate on my bowling as I am a bowler first, but at times you also have to contribute with the bat as we had to do today," Hossain said.

Though Mortaza is quite capable with the bat, he said his only focus is to improve on his bowling.

"Actually as of now I want to concentrate more on bowling. I think the time has not come for that, I have to improve my bowling further. However, I will try to work on my batting and hope to contribute as and when the team needs. In the nets also I try to bat well and concentrate well. I look to give support to the team in batting as much as I can," he said.

Bangladesh's fighting spirit worked in the match and it was evident in the Mortaza-Hossain partnership.

"When we came together we needed 38-39 runs to avoid the follow on. So we had resolved that whether we succeed or not, we won't give in without a fight," he said.