Cricket: England complete Bangladesh humiliation

LONDON - England put the finishing touches to Bangladesh's Lord's misery as they swept up their last five wickets to seal an innings and 261-run victory on the third morning of the first test on Saturday.

Bangladesh, struggling to compete from the toss onwards and who had conceded a 420-run first-innings deficit after being steamrollered for 108 on the opening day, resumed on 90 for five, clinging to the hope of putting on some sort of show in defeat.

Fast bowlers Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison, however, shared three wickets in the first nine balls of the day to end that day dream. England were held up by Khaled Mashud's 44 before wrapping up the innings for 159 half an hour before lunch.

Simon Jones ended with three wickets for 29 and all rounder Andrew Flintoff three for 44.

England's win was their 13th in 17 tests, set against one defeat. For Bangladesh, playing at Lord's for the first time, it was their 32nd defeat in 36 starts.

Ultimately, the match was little more than a gentle leg-stretch for England.

The selectors will have learnt little before the real business starts against Australia in July, although they will have been heartened by Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick's centuries during an England innings of 528 for three declared, Hoggard and Jones' sharpness and the team's general ruthlessness.

They certainly learnt nothing about Gareth Batty. Brought in for the injured Ashley Giles, the spinner did not bowl a single ball, bat or take a catch.

For Bangladesh, there were only problems.

The spectators at Lord's had been promised a full refund if less than 10 overs were bowled in the day and must, as that stage, have been expecting their money back.

But former captain and current wicketkeeper Mashud, showing the judgement his team mates had lacked, mixed defence and attack at number seven to put on 58, Bangladesh's best stand of the match, with Anwar, the pair earning big cheers from England fans hungry for more cricket.

The second and final test in Durham starts on Friday.

- REUTERS