Gale steadies Lions after Bangladesh collapse

Alastair Cook failed to shine with the bat again but Bangladesh also ran into problems ahead of next week's first Test at Lord's when they collapsed against England Lions at Derby.

England opener Cook made only 31 after the tourists had slipped from 109 for 1 to be bowled out for 220, with Steve Kirby taking three wickets in 18 balls.

Ravi Bopara returned from England's Twenty20 World Cup triumph to run through the tail, finishing with 3 for 9, but he made only 12 with the bat as the Lions were reduced to 16 for 2, and Cook's lean season continued when he mistimed a pull.

Andrew Gale then led a recovery with an unbeaten 63 as the Lions ended day one on 125 for 3. Bangladesh had batted well in the morning after they were put in against a Lions attack which struggled for the right length, but the innings was undermined by some rash shots.

Tamim Iqbal drove and glanced Kirby for three consecutive fours and Imrul Kayes brought up the 50 in the 11th over when he off-drove Chris Woakes to the ropes. Kayes was dropped on 20 when he drove James Harris low to Woakes in the covers but Iqbal's attacking instincts betrayed him when he top-edged a hook at Liam Plunkett and was caught at fine leg for 36.

Kayes looked well set until he flashed at Woakes and was caught behind for 42, and the tourists' decline gathered pace after lunch as the seamers found a more consistent line. Junaid Siddique was taken by a juggling Moeen Ali at second slip for 30 and Mohammad Ashraful suffered his first failure of the tour when he edged a big drive at Kirby.

The Gloucestershire paceman then found some extra bounce to have Mushfiqur Rahim caught by Ali for a single and Plunkett struck with his first ball back when Jahurul Islam mistimed a pull to mid on.

The tourists were in deep trouble at 158 for 7 after Abdur Razzak edged Woakes to first slip but Mahmudullah responded by hooking Plunkett for two consecutive sixes before he pulled Bopara to Monty Panesar at fine leg.

Panesar did not bowl in the innings which was quickly polished off by Bopara, who replaced the injured Michael Carberry. Bopara then failed with the bat, taken at second slip by Robiul Islam, and Moeen Ali went first ball when he edged low to Kayes.

Cook and Gale had some uncomfortable moments against the tourists' seamers but were rebuilding the innings until the skipper pulled Rubel Hossain to mid-on. Gale completed his half-century from 71 balls and shared an unbroken stand of 50 with James Taylor to leave the Lions 95 behind at the close.