MANCHESTER, England (AFP) — Ian Bell took his average against Bangladesh to nearly 200 as he finished 87 not out on the first day of the second and final Test at Old Trafford here yesterday.

England, when bad light and rain forced an early close, were 275 for five after winning the toss.

Matthew Prior was 21 not out, having so far helped Bell add 52 for the sixth wicket.

Several England batsmen, including Kevin Pietersen with 64, made starts on a good pitch after captain Andrew Strauss called correctly.

But only Bell, who made an unbeaten 162 against Bangladesh — who’ve won just three of their previous 67 Tests — at Chester-le-Street five years ago, cashed in.

His average against the Tigers stood at 197.33 at stumps but against India and Australia it is only in the mid 20s.

However, this innings, with Bell – who missed out in England’s eight-wicket first Test win at Lord’s, coming in when England were 83, saw the Warwickshire batsman score runs when the team really needed them.

Bell, who has often been accused of failing to do this throughout his career, told reporters: “I missed out at Lord’s in terms of runs and the situation demanded someone get stuck in today.

“The important thing for me was to score runs when the team needed them. That’s the criticism that’s been hanging over me and hopefully in the last six months I’ve played more of the innings that people want from me, when it really mattered. Hopefully, today was another step in the right direction.

“I needed this on a personal note but not when it really mattered,” said the 28-year-old.

“Bangladesh made us work hard for our runs. They haven’t been the pushover people expected,” the Warwickshire right-hander, who has a Test average of just under 42 in his 56 previous matches at this level, added.

Earlier, recalled fast bowler Shafiul Islam rocked England with two wickets for four runs in seven balls before lunch to dismiss Strauss and Lord’s double century-maker Jonathan Trott.

Shafiul said that if Bangladesh could restrict England to 350, they would still be in the game.

England were 215 for four at tea.

Bell was 52 not out and left-hander Eoin Morgan 33 not out.

But a stand worth 70 was broken when Morgan, now on 37, was brilliantly caught by a diving Jahurul Islam in the gully off a flashing square cut against pace bowler Shahadat Hossain to leave England 223 for five.

Bell cut the spinners to good effect as the skies clouded over.

The hosts started the second session on 92 for three with Pietersen 22 not out and Bell unbeaten on five.

Pietersen, using his feet, lofted Razzaq – who’d struck with his first ball before lunch to dismiss Alastair Cook – over mid-off and extra cover for four.

And Bell lofted Razzaq over long-on for six before late cutting the slow bowler to the third man rope.

Pietersen hooked Shafiul for a boundary and next ball a single saw him complete a 73 ball fifty with six fours, and he struck Razzaq for six.

But, not for the first time, Pietersen fell to a left-arm spinner.

Going down the pitch to Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan, he was beaten in the flight attempting a drive and stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim to end a stand of 70 with Bell.

Before lunch, 20-year-old pace bowler Shafiul, in only his fifth Test, gave the Tigers control with the new ball in an opening spell of two for 18 in nine overs.

Scoreboard

England 1st Innings

Andrew Strauss c Kayes b Shafiul 21

Alastair Cook c Siddique b Razzak 29

Jonathan Trott b Shafiul 3

Kevin Pietersen st Mushfiqur b Shakib 64

Ian Bell not out 87

Eoin Morgan c Jaharul b Shahadat 37

Matt Prior not out 21

Extras: (6b, 4lb, 2w, 1nb) 13

TOTAL: (for 5 wickets) 275

Overs: 83

Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-48, 3-83, 4-153, 5-223.

To bat: Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Steven Finn.

Bowling: Shahadat Hossain 17-2-66-1 (1nb, 1w), Shafiul Islam 14-2-37-2 (1w), Mahmudullah 7-1-15-0, Shakib Al Hasan 24-3-80-1, Abdur Razzak 21-3-67-1.

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Jahurul Islam, Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain.

Toss: England.

Umpires: Billy Bowden (New Zealand), Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka).

Third Umpire: Richard Kettleborough (England).

Match Referee: Alan Hurst (Australia).