CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, (Reuters) – England put  themselves on course for victory in the first test against Bangladesh yesterday after building a huge 434-run lead on the third day despite losing five wickets in quick succession.

The tourists ended the day on 131-5 in their second innings after opting to bat again instead of enforcing a follow-on despite having a 303-run first innings lead in Chittagong.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann completed his fifth five-wicket haul in tests to help England, who had declared their first innings on 599-6, bowl out Bangladesh for 296.

SCOREBOARD

England first innings 599-6 dec (A. Cook 173, K. Pietersen 99, P. Collingwood 145, I. Bell 84)

Bangladesh first innings 296 all out (T. Iqbal 86, Mahmudullah 51, M. Rahim 79; G. Swann 5-90)

England second innings
A. Cook c Aftab b Mahmudullah                             39
M. Carberry lbw b Razzak                                          34
J. Trott c Zunaed b Shakib                                         14
K. Pietersen lbw b Shakib                                          32
P. Collingwood c Mahmudullah b Razzak              3
I. Bell not out                                                                     0
M. Prior not out                                                                0
Extras (b-5 lb-2 nb-2) 9 Total (five wickets; 36 overs) 131
Fall of wickets: 1-65 2-87 3-126 4-130 5-131
To bat: S. Broad, T. Bresnan, G. Swann, S. Finn.
Bowling: Shahadat 6-0-19-0, Rubel 5-1-25-0 (nb-2), Mahmudullah 8-0-26-1, Naeem 3-0-14-0, Shakib 10-1-33-2, Razzak 4-2-7-2