Records tumble as Strauss goes on the rampage

England 347-7 Bangladesh 203

(PA)

With the inevitability of a government apology, England duly dismantled Bangladesh yesterday. It was the least that could have been expected after the surprising and dismal defeat in the second match of the NatWest Series which at least had the virtue – apart from prompting dancing on the streets of Dhaka, that is – of making the third worthwhile.

England, chastened after failing to chase a paltry 236 in Bristol, duly broke records in sweeping their opponents aside by 144 runs. Andrew Strauss's audacious 154, containing strokes of grandeur he can hitherto have played only in dreams, was his highest innings for England and the highest by an England captain in one-day internationals.

The partnership of 250 for the second wicket he shared with fellow centurion Jonathan Trott was England's largest in their 537 one-dayers, the 28 runs from the final over, 26 of them to Ravi Bopara, were the most scored by England in a single over and it allowed them to reach their third-highest total of 347 for 7.

Bangladesh came out slugging – they had to – but it was a forlorn endeavour. Having registered their first victory against England at the 21st time of asking only two days earlier, they must have known their time was not due again. Thoroughly crushed by England's assault, they displayed mere glimmers of the spirit which had helped them to level the series. By the third over, with the dismissal of Tamim Iqbal, the game was up.

It is difficult to judge what it all means for England going forward. Not much, probably, in terms of assessing whether they can win the World Cup next year but it is a sign of all good teams that they respond strongly after a weak performance. They recalled Tim Bresnan for the fitful Jimmy Anderson and included Bopara for the injured Ian Bell.

Having been asked to bat in moist conditions, England may not have expected to be quite so dominant. They will have expected it less when they lost Craig Kieswetter to the first ball of the match when the excellent Mashrafa bin Mortaza sent one through the gate.

It was the first time in nine matches and only the second in 14 that England had batted first but Strauss and Trott were assiduous in establishing the innings. There was some early movement, the pitch was green and there had been some heavy rain, which had delayed the start by 45 minutes.

Strauss, after pulling an early six, gradually became more inventive than he can ever have been in limited-overs cricket. If his reverse paddle-cum-sweep could have been emailed to the bowler, it was still unusually effective. He also cut, pulled and on occasion drove more conventionally to gather 16 fours, and his five sixes were three more than he had struck in any previous innings for England.

In all, the captain was a delight and he took the defeat in Bristol as a personal slight. Trott, his partner for 40 overs, increased his ODI top score and went on to his maiden century.

They went past the England second-wicket record of 202 set 25 years ago by Graham Gooch and David Gower and then ahead of the highest partnership, of 226 for the fourth wicket, which Strauss shared with Andrew Flintoff in 2004. When they were parted, Trott clipping Mortaza to midwicket, there was a clatter of wickets as England's middle order emerged swinging.

Briefly, it looked as though they might fall short of what had looked possible but Bopara disheartened Bangladesh by scoring 45 in 16 balls, his stand of 50 with Mike Yardy taking 19 balls. There were bound to be casualties: the biggest was Shafiul Islam, one of the heroes of Bristol, who had the most expensive nine-over spell in ODI history.

There was nothing for it but to hit and hope. But Ajmal Shahzad was a slippery handful with the new ball, the middle order perished vainly hitting out, and long before the end England were letting their occasional bowlers have a bash.

edgbaston scoreboard

England beat Bangladesh by 144 runs

Bangladesh won toss

ENGLAND

......... Runs......... 6s......... 4s......... Bls

*A J Strauss c Al Hasan b Hossain......... 154......... 5......... 16......... 140

†C Kieswetter b Mortaza......... 0......... 0......... 0......... 2

I J L Trott c Al Hasan b Mortaza......... 110......... 0......... 12......... 121

L J Wright c Islam b Mortaza......... 0......... 0......... 0......... 1

P D Collingwood c Ashraful b Hossain......... 8......... 0......... 1......... 7

E J G Morgan c Iqbal b Islam......... 1......... 0......... 0......... 2

R S Bopara not out......... 45......... 4......... 2......... 16

T T Bresnan c Iqbal b Islam......... 10......... 0......... 2......... 6

M H Yardy not out......... 8......... 0......... 0......... 7

Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 4, nb 2)......... 11

Total (7 wkts, 50 overs)......... 347

Fall: 1-1, 2-251, 3-251, 4-272, 5-280, 6-283, 7-297.

Did not bat: S C J Broad, A Shahzad.

Bowling: M B Mortaza 10-2-31-3, S Islam 9-0-97-2, M R R Hossain 9-0-61-2, A Razzak 9-0-63-0, S Al Hasan 10-0-75-0, M Mahmudullah 3-0-15-0.

BANGLADESH

......... Runs......... 6s......... 4s......... Bls

T Iqbal c Wright b Shahzad......... 16......... 0......... 3......... 15

I Kayes c Kieswetter b Shahzad......... 4......... 0......... 1......... 9

M J Siddique c Wright b Bresnan......... 25......... 1......... 3......... 20

†M J Islam c Strauss b Broad......... 27......... 0......... 5......... 41

S Al Hasan run out......... 6......... 0......... 0......... 19

M Ashraful lbw b Bopara......... 13......... 1......... 0......... 19

M Mahmudullah lbw b Yardy......... 42......... 0......... 4......... 81

*M B Mortaza c Kieswetter b Bopara......... 14......... 0......... 3......... 17

A Razzak c Bresnan b Bopara......... 27......... 0......... 3......... 33

S Islam b Bopara......... 16......... 1......... 1......... 12

M R R Hossain not out......... 1......... 0......... 0......... 7

Extras (lb 3, w 5, nb 4)......... 12

Total (45 overs)......... 203

Fall: 1-20, 2-24, 3-64, 4-77, 5-86, 6-102, 7-124, 8-180, 9-190, 10-203.

Bowling: A Shahzad 4-1-24-2, T T Bresnan 7-0-39-1, S C J Broad 10-1-27-1, L J Wright 7-0-27-0, R S Bopara 10-1-38-4, I J L Trott 3-0-18-0, M H Yardy 4-0-27-1.

Umpires: A Rauf (Pak) & R A Kettleborough.