Pair make history as England cruise
Centurions Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott shared England's highest one-day partnership as the hosts secured the NatWest Series in style with a 144-run win over Bangladesh at Edgbaston.
The pair put on 250 as England posted 347 for seven, their third largest one-day total. Strauss' majestic 154 contained 16 fours and five sixes - the third biggest knock in English one-day history - while Trott (110) added a maiden century. Their partnership bettered the 226 Strauss shared with Andrew Flintoff against West Indies in 2004, while Ravi Bopara hit four of his 16 balls for six to finish on 45 not out.
Bangladesh were all out for 203, Bopara chipping in with four wickets in an eye-catching return to the side.
If Bangladesh's chances of taking the series 2-1 seemed remote at the interval, things only got worse when an Ajmal Shahzad slower ball deceived danger man Tamim Iqbal, who made a typically brisk 16.
Shahzad also accounted for Imrul Kayes (four), snaring the outside edge with a fierce rising delivery to make it 24 for two. Junaid Siddique (25) and Jahurul Islam (27) led a brief fightback before falling to Tim Bresnan and Stuart Broad respectively and when Shakib Al Hasan was run out for six England were rampant.
Bopara's bright return to the side continued when he picked up the wickets of Mohammad Ashraful (13) and Mashrafe Mortaza (14) as the tourists lurched to 124 for seven. Mahmudullah, who top-scored with 42, and Abdur Razzak, with 27, then delayed the inevitable before Michael Yardy and Bopara wrapped things up.
England's innings started in the worst way possible, Craig Kieswetter playing on to a Mashrafe Mortaza off-cutter for a duck. That brought Strauss and Trott together after just four balls and they were not to be separated for another 40 overs.
The records duly began to tumble until Trott found Shakib's safe hands to depart for 110. Then, after waiting 240 balls for a second wicket, Mortaza made it two in two as Luke Wright bagged a golden duck.
Strauss was eyeing Robin Smith's record England innings of 167 when he holed out to Rubel Hossain 13 short of the mark.
Wickets then tumbled as Paul Collingwood (eight), Eoin Morgan (one) and Tim Bresnan (10) all fell to big shots. But Bopara succeeded where they failed, teeing off with abandon in a thrilling cameo worth 45.
