Cricket: Harmison and Trescothick flay Bangladesh

CHESTER-LE-STREET, England - Strike bowler Steve Harmison took five wickets and Marcus Trescothick rampaged to 151 as England went into overdrive against Bangladesh on the opening day of the second and final cricket test.

By close, the home side were on 269 for three from 48 overs, 165 in credit after bundling out the touring side for a miserable 104.

Trescothick, who played carefully on his way to his 12th test century before lashing out with a third fifty off 29 balls, put on 155 with Ian Bell (57 not out) at better than a run a ball.

The final session saw England blitz 223 in 35 overs. Michael Vaughan's men, with one eye on the imminent arrival of the Australians, looked in a hurry from the moment that their captain had won the toss at The Riverside.

Bangladesh, horribly outclassed in the first test, were hurried back to the pavilion in just 39.5 overs, with wicketkeeper Geraint Jones taking six catches, before the home side pressed hard on the accelerator in the final session.

Trescothick concentrated on the off side rope as he butchered 14 boundaries in a 117-ball hundred. After that, he celebrated by peppering the leg side with increasingly agricultural pulls and hoiks.

There was a six over long-on off spinner Mohammad Rafique to bring up the 200, then fast bowler Anwar Hossain was smeared for three fours in a row. Trescothick had hit two sixes and 21 fours before holing out in the deep.

Technically, it was a chanceless innings but only a generous umpiring decision had reprieved the left-hander on 86 against the same bowler.

Vaughan had helped set the tone after Andrew Strauss' early departure, breezing to 44 off 40 balls before opening bowler Mashrafe Mortaza cut one away off the pitch in the final session.

Vaughan put on 87 off 75 balls with Trescothick, suggesting England might be intent on winning inside two days in their final test outing before the Ashes.

Harmison's form in particular, however, will have caught the Australians' attention.

Bowling on a lively pitch helped his cause, as did playing at home. The Durham bowler's problems with homesickness are well documented.

But his five for 38 from 12.5 overs was based more on his rediscovery of an ideal length, missing in the first test and which he lost completely while on tour in South Africa at the turn of the year.

On Friday, however, the 6ft 4ins bowler pitched the ball up a foot further, leaving the batsmen fearful of going forward and worried about staying back. He also invited the batsmen to drive on a wicket offering seam movement in the morning and afternoon.

Nafees Iqbal accepted the invitation and his edge flew to Strauss who stretched right at third slip to make it 17 for one. Habibul Bashar accepted as well, carving Harmison for four via Bell's fingertips in the gully. Two balls later, Harmison rattled the base of his leg stump with a fine yorker.

By lunch Bangladesh were already tottering on 66 for five. Within 12 balls of the resumption, they had lost three more wickets, Harmison having Aftab Ahmed caught behind and Matthew Hoggard taking two wickets in three balls on his way to final figures of three for 24.

Graham Thorpe, playing his 100th test and the eighth England player to reach the mark, was presented with a commemorative bat before the start of play.

England won the first test by an innings and 261 runs. The Ashes begin on July 21.

- REUTERS