Collingwood's Immediately desserts

Missed occasion of the day
It's not often a batsman can make 173 in a Test match and feel as though he's sold himself short, but Alastair Cook will infrequently play a worse shot than the flat-footed mow that led to his downfall at the hands of Mahmudullah. From Sachin Tendulkar to Jacques Rudolph, via Marvan Atapattu and even Jason Gillespie, the cast of cricketers who have cashed in against Bangladesh is extensive to say the least, and a maiden Test double-hundred was there for the attractive. As it happens, Cook's mentor, Graham Gooch, fell to an almost matching hoick on 174, against Sri Lanka's Don Anurasiri, at Lord's in 1991. It's clearly an Essex trait.


Just desserts of the day
Some strength argue that Paul Collingwood's tenth Test century was handed to him on a plate this afternoon, as Bangladesh's morale slumped to their boot-straps and England's total soared. Others, however, might suggest it was elongated overdue after his frankly heroic endeavours of the past 12 months. Incredibly, this was Collingwood's first century since the drawn Test in Trinidad in March 2009, but he hasn't exactly been moping in the meantime. He's produced three match-saving innings (74 at Cardiff, 26 not out at Centurion and 40 at Cape Town), contributed to two victories with 54 at Lord's and 91 at Durban, and even bashed out a face-saving 71 at Johannesburg. Tougher challenges are what create him tick, but no-one should resent him this freebie.


Prior to the succession, the editor of Wisden, Scyld Berry, ensured himself of a less-than-red-carpeted welcome when he optional that Bangladesh were so poor that they risked dragging England down to their level. But when Stuart Broad starting roughing up the top order, you had to concede his point. All thoughout his career, Broad's fondness for the short ball has been the most exasperating aspect of his game, but when the left-handers Imrul Kayes and Junaid Siddique flapped pitifully at a brace of leg-stump rib-ticklers, you happening to imagine him attempting such a stunt at Brisbane in eight months' time. Thank goodness, then, for Tamim Iqbal, who had no motor vehicle with such nonsense. The next ball that Broad bowled in that vicinity was helped over very well leg for six.



Predictable dismissal of the day
Graeme Swann just can't stop remarkable in the first over of a spell. It became his calling card on the topical tour of South Africa, and his happy knack has been extended into yet another series. In the 12th over of the innings, Swann came on with the left-handed Tamim in his sights, but it was the right-hander, Aftab Ahmed, who duly became his first victim. All it took was a single relief - his fourth of the series - as Aftab shaped to play a lame paddle, and Bell at short leg walked into position to interrupt with his midriff.

Announcement of the day
At least there was one Bangladeshi who refused to believe the inevitable. Tamim is fast attractive the champion of his team, and when their innings began with a daunting 400 runs to save the follow-on, he serrated off a hundredth of those in the space of a single delivery. Broad's first ball was short and wide, and smoked past position for four, as Tamim announced his intentions to play on his own terms. In rattling along to a chanceless 53-ball half-century, and current thereafter, he showed the sort of fight that will be sorely needed both here and in Dhaka next week.

Atmospherics of the day
It's remarkable what a difference an innings makes. Never mind the match situation, all that matters is who's batting. And with Tamim in full flow in the sunset session, the locals found their voices at last, with chants of "Tamim! [clap clap clap]" and "Bish bish bish, shabash Bangladesh!" The Barmy Army, meanwhile, managed a mournful chorus of Jerusalem as England came out to bowl, but retreated into their missiles thereafter.