Even the rain that ended play early was dramatic. It absolutely belted it down in Dhaka but not before 13 wickets fell as Bangladesh gambled on a result pitch in the hope of salvaging a drawn series.
The result was non-stop action on the first day of the second Test as batting became a perilous past-time. Only Tamim Iqbal stood tall for a session and a half, stroking his eighth Test century, and third against England, before Bangladesh collapsed spectacularly. They slumped from 171 for one to 220 all out in under two hours after lunch with Moeen Ali taking five wickets and Ben Stokes two, the latter in an inspired spell which helped shift momentum towards England.
But the tourists' age-old failings against the turning ball reappeared as the top order were knocked over in the 12 overs bowled before the heavy grey clouds that had lingered all day turned nasty. Alastair Cook, Ben Duckett and the hapless Gary Ballance fell to Bangladesh's spinners bowling with the new ball, leaving Joe Root and Moeen to try to piece together a fightback with England 50 for three and Bangladesh's total starting to look workable, especially if the pitch deteriorates.
"It is so tough for them guys to face the new ball against accurate spinners but guys are going to have to work on their game-plans because India will probably do the same thing," said Moeen.
England have been 21 for three, 28 for three and 42 for three in the Tests played so far this winter. The steel in the lower middle order will buckle at some point under the strain of holding the rest up and they face real problems with the better bowlers waiting to take them on.
Cook has looked out of touch and is perhaps not judging length with his usual aplomb. He was out lbw going back to a ball skidding on, while Duckett tried to be aggressive, bunting his third ball down the ground for six, but was out two deliveries later caught behind playing a timid leg glance. Ballance struggled against the off-spinner Mehedi Hasan spinning the ball away from him and it was only a matter of time before he edged one and was snaffled behind.
Bangladesh bowled better with the new ball in England's first innings in Chittagong and Mehedi delivered some bad balls this time, but he did enough to take two wickets, while Shakib Al Hasan used his nous on this ground.
As England tried to survive, how Cook must have envied his opposite number, Mushfiqur Rahim, for having spinners who can bowl in tandem. So far this tour has confirmed the weaknesses apparent in the England squad before they left home. Their spin bowlers have not been up to it and Adil Rashid and Zafar Ansari could not bowl consistently for long enough, causing Cook to look panic stricken as Bangladesh rattled along after losing an early wicket.
The home side batted like Australia, targeting England's spinners and trying to hammer them out of the attack. Ansari conceded 36 from his six overs, Moeen was also on the end of some early punishment, while Rashid was picked off at nearly 41/2 runs an over. Tamim took 20 deliveries to get off the mark but once he found his range and realised the harder ball was skidding on nicely to the bat, he started to play in one-day mode. His fifty came off 60 balls and with Mominul Haque batting beautifully at the other end, England were having a terrible morning.
Cook only had one way to turn and that was to Stokes. Immediately Bangladesh paid him respect and the flow of runs was turned off. Stokes pushed the batsmen back with his pace and crunched Tamim in the ribs with a short ball. His first five overs cost just six runs and England had found a way back.
Tamim reached his hundred with two lofted drives for four off Moeen and his partnership with Mominul eased to 170 but he then padded up to Moeen and was lbw.
Cook now had a working bowling combination as Stokes reversed the ball and Moeen bowled dots. The Bangladesh batsmen soon folded. Mohammad Mahmudullah dangled his bat and was caught at slip, Mushfiqur was walloped on the head by Stokes, then was soon knocked over, caught at leg slip off Moeen in the next over.
Sabbir Rahman wafted lazily at Stokes as panic swept through Bangladesh's batting. Chris Woakes then cleaned up with two wickets while Moeen did the rest. Mehedi Hasan was out lbw sweeping as England reviewed another decision by Kumar Dharmasena, who had another tough day with three of his calls scrubbed out by technology. Last man Kamrul Islam Rabbi was smartly caught by Root at slip to give Moeen only his second five-wicket haul in Tests.
"We talked at lunch about showing character and not folding," said Moeen. "It is a long winter and we are going to have session like that. We always feel against Bangladesh if you get them three or four down you have the chance to roll them. Stokesy bowled fantastically well and he is becoming one of the best all-rounders in the world."