Tamim ton rocks England in first Test

Tamim Iqbal marked his first Test at Lord's with a breathtaking century as Bangladesh fought back gamely against England on the fourth day of their series opener on Sunday.

Bangladesh, following on, were 189 for two in their second innings at tea -- 34 behind England's first innings 505 after the Tigers had been bowled out earlier in the day for 282.

Tamim, who made 103 at better than a run-a-ball, shared a Bangladesh record first-wicket stand of 185 with fellow left-hander Imrul Kayes (75) as they dominated England's four-man attack.

But fast bowler Steven Finn, playing his first Test in England on his Middlesex home ground, then removed both openers in a spell of two wickets for one run in 14 balls shortly before tea.

That meant Bangladesh would have to resume with both Junaid Siddique and Jahurul Islam unbeaten on nought.

At lunch, the Tigers were 61 without loss.

Tamim was 31 not out and Kayes 30 not out, with both men batting positively as they had done in the first innings when only a run-out ended a stand of 88.

Both batsmen rode their luck as they edged through the slips.

But there was no denying Tamim's class when he pulled Finn for four to bring up Bangladesh's first century opening stand against England and only their third in all.

It was also only the second time in their 67 Tests that Bangladesh had registered two first wicket stands of fifty or more in the same match.

Tamim, having completed his second fifty of this fixture in just 49 balls, cut loose against Graeme Swann, England's player of the year.

In three successive balls Tamim slog-swept the off-spinner for six, cover-drove him for four and hoisted him for six as 17 runs came off the bowler's fourth over.

Before this match, Kayes's best score in his 11 previous Tests was 33.

But having made 43 in the first innings, he completed a maiden fifty in 96 balls when he swept Swann for his eighth four.

Tamim then went into the 80s by pulling seamer Tim Bresnan for four through midwicket and next ball hoisted him square for another boundary.

His superb forcing shot off the backfoot against Bresnan, who lacked for both guile and pace on a good batting pitch, saw Bangladesh to 163 without loss.

That surpassed their previous best opening stand of 161 between Tamim and Siddique against New Zealand in Dunedin in 2007/08.

Tamim followed up with a four next ball and his third boundary of the over, a straight drive over mid-on, took the 21-year-old to his third Test century and first against England, in just 94 balls with two sixes and 15 fours.

A joyous Tamim pointed to the back of his shirt and to his colleagues in the pavilion, as he celebrated his achievement in getting his name on the Lord's honours board.

But his innings ended when, hooking Finn, he was caught at long leg by Jonathan Trott.

And, as often happens after a big stand, one wicket led to two with Kayes, fending at Finn, caught at short leg by Ian Bell, having faced 147 balls with 12 boundaries.

Earlier James Anderson took four for 78 and Finn Test-best figures of four for 100 in 25 as Bangladesh fell 24 shy of the follow-on.

England's total was built around South Africa born Jonathan Trott's 226.

Fast bowler Shahadat Hossain took five for 98 - the first time a Bangladeshi had taken five wickets in a Test innings at Lord's.