The Surrey all-rounder, criticised for his painstaking innings of 14 from 98 balls in the opening Test, reacted superbly to hit an unbeaten 53 and help England recover from another top-order batting collapse.

Clarke hit eight boundaries during his innings which lasted over three hours and dominated an unbroken 103-run stand with Nasser Hussain, who laboured for 59 overs at the crease for an unbeaten 47.

Their efforts guided England to 237 for four at the close of the opening day.

Their efforts, however dull at times, ensured the tourists recovered from another alarming top-order slump - this time losing four wickets for eight runs in only 27 balls - to undermine a promising start.

Put into bat by Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud, England enjoyed a 126-run opening partnership between Marcus Trescothick and Michael Vaughan before the innings almost capitulated shortly after lunch.

As England increased the pace after the interval, Somerset left-hander Trescothick became too ambitious having hit 18 from one over from left-arm spinner Enamul Haque Junior and sliced captain Mahmud to backward point.

Trescothick had hit a watchful 60, which included three sixes and five fours, and had played a secondary role to Vaughan for the majority of their stand before accelerating to 60 after lunch.

No sooner had he fallen than Mark Butcher followed three overs later when his miserable tour continued as he was bowled by spinner Mohammad Rafique past his outside edge.

Vaughan, who was celebrating his 29th birthday, marked the occasion with some stunning early strokeplay which helped the tourists add 53 in the hour leading up to lunch.

But he fell in the very next over after Butcher's dismissal when he drove loosely away from his body and edged Mashrafe Mortaza behind for 54.

Graham Thorpe completed England's collapse two balls later when he chopped onto his stumps off the back foot for a duck, only for Clarke and Hussain to team up and frustrate Bangladesh's hopes of maintaining their momentum.

Unlike his previous Test innings, Clarke was adventurous and reached his half-century milestone in style by driving Enamul down the ground for one of eight boundaries in his 50 having escaped 14 runs earlier when Mohammad Rafique missed a sharp return catch.

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