Jonathan Trott ground out England's first Test double-century in almost exactly three years as the hosts post 505 all out in their first innings. In reply Bangladesh have responded well making it to tea at 67 for no wicket with Tammin Iqbal (42 not out) and Imrul Kayes (22 not out) scoring quickly. England went from 456 for six at lunch to 505 all out with Shahadat Hossain (five for 98) becoming the first Bangladeshi on the famous Lord's honours board. Trott's chanceless tour de force has occupied almost eight hours since he came to the crease at seven for one yesterday. His 226 is unlikely to be considered among the prettiest of the 14 Test double-centuries on this ground, but no one could deny its value to England Only one other batsman has managed a half-century in this first npower Test ? and although perhaps no thing of obvious beauty, Trott's innings contained barely a false shot as he drilled himself throughout in the art of self-discipline.
Whether his near-endless crease-scratching can be termed obsessive or compulsive is perhaps a moot point, but that is the Warwickshire batsman's method of training his mind to the task ? and his team could be nothing but grateful. After the loss of Eoin Morgan and then Matt Prior in the first hour today, Trott finally reached a milestone last achieved among England batsmen by Kevin Pietersen at Headingley against the West Indies in 2007 when he controlled a trademark short-armed pull for two off Rubel Hossain. It had taken him 318 balls, with 18 often perfectly timed and placed fours between the artisan singles, twos and expert leaves.
The Bangladesh seamers, Shahadat Hossain in particular, gave England a much more testing time than yesterday. Debutant Morgan fell in the third over of the day, six short of his 50 and after a stand of 112, when he followed some Shahadat swing down the slope and was neatly caught behind by a diving Mushfiqur Rahim. Imrul Kayes was back on the field having been hit on the helmet by a Morgan pull last night but Bangladesh's other opener, Tamim Iqbal, had to go off when he hurt his already injured wrist as he dived to try to stop a Prior four on the midwicket boundary.
If Trott was to ever get out it seemed his running, rather than his low-risk shots on a typically reliable Lord's surface, was his most vulnerable suit. But it was Prior (16) who was to pay for a misunderstanding with his senior partner when he set off for a second run for Trott into the off-side only to be sent back and stranded when an accurate throw came in from substitute fielder Shamsur Rahman. The England innings subsided quickly after lunch, the last four wickets going down for 42 runs in six overs as Shahadat gained perhaps overdue reward for his improved efforts. He altered the angle by going round the wicket, and struck two big blows instantly. Tim Bresnan sparred a catch into the slips, and then Trott guided some width off the back foot straight to gully for an anti-climactic end to his vigil. Some breezy strokeplay followed from Graeme Swann and James Anderson before the latter was last out, bowled driving at Shahadat to spark animated celebrations from the seamer. * PA
