Another century for Tamim, in vain

MANCHESTER // Tamim Iqbal told his Bangladesh colleagues they must raise their standards after watching them take just a single session to waste his century at Old Trafford yesterday. Tamim and Imrul Kayes again combined to produce a large opening partnership but it proved in vain as England's bowlers - led by five wickets from Graeme Swann - dismissed the entire Bangladesh team in the final session. "Personally it was great to score a hundred but the team matters, we didn't play well after a solid start so I'm not happy," said Tamim, who also scored a scintillating century in the first Test, at Lord's.

"It was really bad. We knew that we had a perfect opportunity but threw it away. We are very young and need to learn from these mistakes." Kayes and Tamim scored 126 runs from the first 146 deliveries they faced. Tamim brought up his 50 by smashing Steven Finn for six, reaching the mark from just 43 balls. He had slowed down only marginally when he reached his century, with a boundary taking him to 101 from 100 balls.

England had a lacklustre bowling session in the afternoon, on a pitch that already seemed more suited to spinners at least a day before it would be expected to deteriorate sufficiently, but they took firm control after tea. Their key wicket was, of course, Tamim, who fell on 108. James Anderson tempted Tamim into edging the ball to Matt Prior, the wicketkeeper. Bangladesh then fell apart, losing all their remaining wickets and could bat again this morning if England enforce the follow-on.

Ian Bell and Prior had combined earlier in the day to ensure England set a respectable total. The penetration that Bangladesh's bowlers found on the opening day quickly dissipated as Bell brought up his 11th Test century. England were not without luck. Prior pulled a shot high towards Jahurul Islam at square leg and was fortunate the fielder was slow to react and allowed the ball to land just in front of him.

Bell was well bowled by Shakib al Hasan, who began to find some spin again towards lunch and pitched the ball in front of leg but uprooted Bell's off stump, to depart on 128. His partnership with Prior brought 153 runs, a record sixth-wicket pairing for England against Bangladesh. Prior had his mind set on a third Test century. Clearly prompted by the fear of running out of partners before he reached that mark he clipped the ball into the grateful hands of Jahurul to depart on 93.

Shakib proved to be Bangladesh's most successful bowler, claiming a five-figure haul two balls later when he dismissed Finn to end the innings on 419. England's opening bowlers, Anderson and Finn, did not cause great problems for Bangladesh in their first spell. Finn made the breakthrough in the 24th over when he tempted Kayes into a big swing that was caught by Ajmal Shahzad at fine leg. Neither Junaid Siddique nor Jahurul made much of a contribution, with Swann accounting for both before Anderson claimed the scalp of Tamim.

Bangladesh were on the back foot from the moment Tamim departed and Swann and Shahzad stepped up. Swann claimed five while Shahzad marked his first Test appearance with a late flurry of three wickets in four overs. @Email:lthornhill@thenational.ae