Finn supplies spark for rusty England

ENGLAND completed an eight-wicket victory with a session to spare over Bangladesh, an outcome that masked a struggle to prove their superiority in the first npower Test.

Steve Finn's nine wickets on his home debut and Jonathan Trott's first-innings double- century underpinned a success which came despite the rusty efforts of several others, apparently finding it tough to reattune themselves to the demands of five-day cricket.

In the end, though, returning captain Andrew Strauss (82) and Trott helped their team canter home with a second-wicket stand of 80 in front of a crowd approaching 10,000.

Brighter skies – absent while Bangladesh lost their last five wickets – appeared on cue to help England hasten past the 160 they needed.

If there was a significant crowd caveat – hundreds missed much of the first session in queues reported to be half-a-mile long as turnstile arrangements failed to cope – there were a few more when it came to England's below-par performance.

Only four of the team were involved in May's glorious ICC World Twenty campaign, yet it seemed they were not the only ones who failed to bring their A game to the Test arena.

James Anderson and Tim Bresnan were short of their best in a four-man attack; England's cricketer-of-the-year Graeme Swann failed to take a wicket for the first time since Headingley in last year's Ashes – and as Trott dominated the first-innings 505, only Strauss also managed to post a half-century.

Bangladesh by contrast deserved honourable mention, not just for second-innings centurion Tamim Iqbal's breath-taking strokeplay and Shahadat Hossain's five-wicket haul first time round but for the support generally forthcoming through the ranks.

Finn struck three quick blows on the final morning – but still England's victory push was held up by Bangladeshi determination.

Up the pecking order on his home ground and given his favourite pavilion end, the 6ft 7in seamer took three wickets in 15 balls to put his name on the honours board and earn match figures of nine for 187.

Yet Bangladesh – having followed on before lunch on Sunday – still managed to turn a start-of-play 328 for five into a lunchtime 382 all out, leaving England 73 overs to knock off the arrears.

Sixth-wicket pair Junaid Siddique (74) and Shakib Al Hasan safely negotiated 40 minutes against a second new ball under heavy cloud cover.

Finn could claim no great credit either for the ball that made the first breakthrough, Shakib cutting a long-hop fiercely but straight to Eoin Morgan in the gully.

Junaid's departure came from a slightly more deserving delivery yet was probably again more of a reward for Finn's previous efforts, the left-hander checking a drive on the up for an easy catch at short extra-cover.

The end of his 162-ball stay opened the way for England to dispose of the tail.

There was no argument with Finn's third success, Mushfiqur Rahim caught behind when he edged a very good ball which bounced and left him from a perfect line.

Bresnan failed to hold a stinging chance above his head at third slip when Mahmudullah flashed at Anderson. Bresnan (three for 93) made up for that slip, though, by having Rubel edging low to first slip and then finishing off the innings on the stroke of lunch when Mahmudullah aimed a slog but could only edge behind.

The sun broke through after lunch as Strauss found himself set up for a rush of early boundaries by poor length and direction from Shahadat and debutant Robiul Islam.

Strauss edged through Junaid's fingers off Mahmudullah on 28, as the spinners came on to slow the inevitable. But despite Alastair Cook's departure lbw pushing forward to Mahmudullah and Strauss then going caught behind cutting at his opposite number Shakib, Bangladesh had finally run out of resistance.

Strauss admitted his side must strive for higher standards.

He said: "The fact is we won by eight wickets – but we hard to work hard for it and have to give credit to the Bangladesh batsmen in both innings.

"We will be better for this game and the five days of cricket we had – but we are looking to set our standards higher."

Strauss singled out man-of-the-match Finn for praise, and the Middlesex bowler – who finished with figures of nine for 187 – said: "It's great to see my name up there on the board; it's something I dreamed about as a child."