Tamim Iqbal was delighted to prove England great Geoffrey Boycott wrong by scoring a blistering century in the first Test at Lord's here on Sunday.

Lord's century sweet for Tamim after Boycott blast

Tamim Iqbal was delighted to prove England great Geoffrey Boycott wrong by scoring a blistering century in the first Test at Lord's here on Sunday.

Tamim, whose dashing approach is far removed from that of Boycott, one of the best defensive batsmen of his generation, marked his first appearance at Lord's with 103 in just a hundred balls as Bangladesh fought back in the opening fixture of their two-Test series with England.

The 21-year-old's third Test ton helped Bangladesh, made to follow-on, reach 328 for five in their second innings at the end of the fourth day -- 105 ahead of England's first innings 505.

Bangladesh had won just three of their Tests coming into this match -- and lost all six of their previous encounters with England.

Boycott, now a television commentator, had questioned their right to Test status and that annoyed Tamim, who starred with the bat during England's 2-0 series win in Bangladesh in March.

"I was watching television last (Saturday) night and I heard him say Bangladesh should not play Tests," Tamim told reporters after stumps. "It made me determined to do something."

However, Tamim insisted he had no ill feeling towards Boycott and would love to pick the former Yorkshire opener's brains.

"I would love to speak to Geoff Boycott. I would like to learn lots of things from him. He was a good player. I want to learn because I love cricket."

Asked what exactly Boycott could teach him, Tamim replied: "Maybe defence. There are lots of guys who are attacking and they can teach me that.

"Geoff was a good defender, I think."

Tamim had made four fifties in five previous innings against England, including one in this match, but there was no disguising his joy when he completed a century that meant his would be alongside some of cricket's greatest names on the Lord's honours boards.

"It feels great, because it's at Lord's, and I was just speaking to Pete who looks after the honours board and the players, and I asked if he can make a fifty board for me, but he said 'no, you'll get there'.

"So I promised him I wouldn't leave Lord's without a hundred and now I've done it, I'm really proud," Tamim said.

Bangladesh have only been a Test nation for 10 years and Tamim added that needed to be taken into account when their performances were criticised.

"If you start a chocolate company, you can't compete with Cadbury in the first ten years, because it's a big company.

"It will take time to be like them."

Tamim's century was all the more impressive as he came into this match with a left wrist injury which he aggravated while fielding at Lord's.

He thanked Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and Jamie Siddons, the team's Australian coach, for trusting him to make a decision on his own fitness.

"Shakib, who is a good friend of mine, came to me and said 'just have a go'.

"Jamie said 'if you don't score in this Test match, that's fine with us.'"

Tamim, asked if he had any offers to play for an English county, replied: "No. Maybe they don't know my number. Maybe even I don't know my number actually. If I continue playing the way I am playing now, I think there will be lots of offers."

Bangladesh now have a chance of at least a draw and Tamim said: "It would be a good achievement because we had to follow-on."

Meanwhile England coach Andy Flower defended his side's decision to go in with only four specialist bowlers on a typically good Lord's batting pitch.

"I don't think the number of bowlers is the issue. I think the way we bowled is the issue. I think the bowlers themselves would acknowledge they have not performed as they would have liked."

However, the former Zimbabwe batsman added: "Tamim obviously played a great aggressive innings."