England v Bangladesh, 2010

At Chelmsford, May 14-16, 2010. Essex won by five wickets. Toss: Essex. First-class debuts: M. A. Comber, M. Osborne.

On the opening day, Essex players Danish Kaneria and Mervyn Westfield (not included in this second-choice eleven) were arrested, interviewed by police about "match irregularities", and released on bail. Meanwhile, in front of sparse crowds and on a green pitch offering seam movement, the tourists struggled, missing captain Shakib Al Hasan (chicken-pox) and Tamim Iqbal (left wrist). Although they batted entertainingly, watchfulness and defensive technique did not feature in their repertoire. Mohammad Ashraful scored two run-a-ball fifties, and the tail wagged to offer some substance after the upper order's loose shots. The bowling, too, was inconsistent and often erratic. Maunders hit three sixes and 16 fours in his 126, the defining contribution for Essex. When the county's four-man seam attack - two of them debutants - dismissed Bangladesh cheaply again, the target was 130. Then five wickets fell for 78, and Bangladesh sensed a morale-boosting victory, until acting-captain Grant Flower put the run-chase back on track. The captains agreed to forgo the final tea interval, and Essex won by the time the sandwiches would have been consumed.

Close of play: First day, Essex 83-2 (Maunders 54, Walker 5); Second day, Bangladeshis 148-6 (Shahadat Hossain 13, Shafiul Islam 8).