England were poised to gain a huge first-innings lead after grabbing two early wickets on the third day of the opening Test against Bangladesh on Sunday.
Resuming at 154-5, the hosts reached 239-7 in their first innings at lunch in reply to the tourists' 599-6 declared.
Wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten on a defiant 51 not out at the break with Naeem Islam (12 not out).
England struck in the morning's third over when seamer Tim Bresnan bowled Tamim Iqbal (86), who could add just five runs to his overnight score. The Bangladeshi opener hit one six and 14 fours in his 124-ball knock.
Debutant paceman Steven Finn bagged his maiden Test wicket when he had nightwatchman Shahadat Hossain (14) caught by Paul Collingwood at second slip to reduce the hosts to 183-7.
Rahim and Naeem then denied England further success with a 56-run stand for the undefeated eighth wicket.
Rahim was more aggressive than his partner, once cutting off-spinner Graeme Swann for a four and then lofting the next delivery for another boundary. In the next over, he drove paceman Stuart Broad through the covers for a four.
He reached his fifth Test half-century just before lunch, sweeping Swann to the boundary. He has so far hit 10 boundaries in his 91-ball knock.
| Scoreboard |
| England 1st innings | 599-6 decl | A. Cook 173, P. Collingwood 145 |
| Bangladesh 1st innings | overnight 154-5 |
| Tamim Iqbal | b Bresnan | 86 |
| Imrul Kayes | c Prior b Broad | 4 |
| Junaid Siddique | c and b Broad | 7 |
| Aftab Ahmed | c Bell b Swann | 1 |
| Mohammad Mahmudullah | c Collingwood b Swann | 51 |
| Shakib Al Hasan | b Swann | 1 |
| Shahadat Hossain | c Collingwood b Finn | 14 |
| Mushfiqur Rahim | not out | 51 |
| Naeem Islam | not out | 12 |
| Extras | b1, lb9, nb1, w1 | 12 |
| Total | for 7 wkts, 69 overs | 239 |
| Fall of wkts | 1-13, 2-27, 3-51, 4-145, 5-149, 6-159, 7-183 |
| Bowling |
| Broad 17-3-54-2, Bresnan 18-6-59-1 (w1), Swann 23-7-75-3, Finn 11-4-41-1 (nb1) |

Copyright 2010 AFP South Asian Edition