Bangladesh reached 245 for six in their second innings, a lead of 153, on the fourth day of the first Test on Friday as England struggled against a team who have lost 23 of their 24 Test matches.

When bad light ended play early, Mushfiqur Rahman was unbeaten on 43 and Khaled Mahmud was 17 not out.

Matthew Hoggard was the only England bowler to pick up a wicket in the final session when Javed Omar (27) was adjudged lbw by umpire Asoka de Silva, despite the hint of an inside edge.

England took three wickets in the afternoon session, including that of 20-year-old Hannan Sarkar, who edged a good length ball from Hoggard to Marcus Trescothick at first slip for 59.

Alok Kapali was out for 12 when he skied a pull to Mark Butcher at mid-wicket, giving Steve Harmison his seventh wicket of the match.

Spinner Ashley Giles grabbed his first wicket of the game when Nasser Hussain made a sprawling catch at silly mid off to dismiss Khaled Mashud for seven.

Earlier, a century partnership between Habibul Bashar and Sarkar put Bangladesh ahead.

Bashar fell for 58 just before lunch when he edged a flighted ball from spinner Gareth Batty to Trescothick at first slip.

England debutant Rikki Clarke bowled a useful spell in the afternoon with a mix of good length balls, yorkers and slower deliveries.

But Batty and Giles failed to extract the same turn produced by Bangladesh spinners Mohammad Rafique and 16 year-old Enamul Haque Jr. on Thursday.

Bangladesh, playing their first ever Test against England, have been steadily improving in recent matches following the appointment of former Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore.

They only lost their previous Test against Pakistan in Multan by one wicket and England's first-innings total of 295 in this Test was the lowest by a touring side in Bangladesh.

Scoreboard

Bangladesh (1st innings): 203 (Khaled Mashud 51, S.Harmison 5-35)

England (1st innings): 295 (M.Trescothick 113, G.Thorpe 64)

Bangladesh (2nd innings): (overnight 12-0)
Hannan Sarkar c Trescothick b Hoggard 59
Rajin Saleh c Read b Harmison 8
Habibul Bashar c Trescothick b Batty 58
Alok Kapali c Butcher b Harmison 12
Mushfiqur Rahman not out 43
Khaled Mashud c Hussain b Giles 7
Javed Omar lbw Hoggard 27
Khaled Mahmud not out 17.

Extras: (lb-6, nb-3, pen-5) 14

Total: (for six wickets, 98 overs) 245

To bat: Mohammad Rafique, Mashrafe Mortaza, Enamul Haque Jr

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-120, 3-140, 4-148, 5-176, 6-219

Bowling: Hoggard 22-7-45-2, Harmison 21-6-41-2 (nb-3), Batty 20-2-65-1, Giles 20-4-52-1, Clarke 15-6-31-0