Tamim halts England progress

Tamim Iqbal (right)
12 April 2012

Centurion Tamim Iqbal smashed England to all parts of Lord's as Bangladesh rattled up their all-time record opening stand on day four of the first npower Test.

Tamim (103) and Imrul Kayes (75) made a mockery of England hopes for a quick kill after they had enforced the follow-on, with their opponents 282 all out and still 223 behind.

The Bangladeshi left-handers, who had posted their country's previous best opening stand against England in the first innings, quickly demonstrated that was merely a 'sighter' as the tourists raced to 189 for two in only 43 overs off a chastened home attack.

By the time Tamim finally fell - caught at deep backward-square trying to hook Steve Finn for yet another boundary - he had hit 15 fours and two sixes from 100 balls.

Finn doubled up with Kayes' wicket too, Ian Bell snapping up a sharp catch off the face of the bat at short-leg to give the Middlesex seamer his second success for a solitary run in 14 balls, as England sought to restate their authority just before tea.

Tamim was crashing boundaries almost indiscriminately - as well as slog-sweeping Graeme Swann twice for six in one over that cost 17 - while Kayes operated in a slightly more minor key on his way to and beyond a maiden Test 50.

While Tamim continued to blaze away, Kayes slowed on the way to his 96-ball 50 - spending 16 deliveries on 49.

It was not much longer before Tamim was manically celebrating his hundred, after clubbing his final four over mid-on off a hapless Tim Bresnan.

James Anderson had earlier finished with four for 78 and Finn four for 100 - opening up the transitory illusion that England could push for an innings victory with a day to spare.

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