STEVE HARMISON'S imperious international statistics were boosted in the most simplistic of ways yesterday. The vultures that had circled to criticise Bangladesh's senior status following the first Test walkover at Lord's had more meat to feed on at Riverside.

The five wickets taken by the Ashington Express at a cost of just 38 runs reaffirmed his position as one of the world's top bowlers, while the three wickets claimed by Matthew Hoggard fell with unsurprising ease.

It was the fact that the England attack were able to rip through the Bangladeshi order inside 236 minutes of the opening day - increasing the prospect of another finish well inside the five days - that added fuel to the critics' fire.

Richie Benaud and Kim Hughes, both well respected ex-Aussie captains, led the list more than willing to voice their concerns over whether Bangladesh should be competing with the international stage's big-hitters on a regular basis this week.

And they will be at it again this morning.

But this a minuscule cricket nation clearly still in the development stage - something, claims former Bangladesh opener Athar Ali Khan, that appears to have been quickly brushed under the covers.

"The English press have been very harsh," said Ali Khan, who played in 19 one-day internationals before retiring in 1998.

"I used to spend my summers over here so I know what the English press are like and it's not just Richie Benaud bemoaning the state of our game.

"I'm not asking for their support, but people have to realise how many years we have been playing Test cricket - five years it is.

"Instead of pointing the fingers at Bangladesh, saying how bad they are, people should be looking at how Bangladesh can improve. But this side are coming across world-class bowlers."

One of those world-class bowlers happens to be Harmison. And, in this mood, even the might of Australia could find life difficult when they visit Riverside later this month for the NatWest Series, a precursor to the Ashes series this summer.

Regardless of the opposition, though, the North-East public still turned out in their thousands underneath Lumley Castle at Chester-le-Street for the opening day's play of the second Test.

With the Sky Sports cameras in tow, it would have been easy for the region's fans to stay at home to witness events unfold from the comfort of their armchairs.

Instead, with the sun shining on County Durham and England cruising, Sky's near 80-man crew and 25 camera stations were left beaming live pictures across the globe of a packed, picturesque ground.

Ali Khan was one of those on the broadcaster's glittering list of commentators at the Test alongside Ian Botham, Nasser Hussain, David Lloyd and David Gower, to name just four.

But Ali Khan was the only one among the group, perched high above the pitch in a box balanced on scaffolding, in a position to deliver a patriotic stance on the argument of whether Bangladesh should be able to boast Test status.

"We started Test cricket five years back and we were given that status because we deserved it. I still feel we deserve it," said the 43-year-old, taking time out from the microphone while also keeping one eye on developments at the crease.

"It will take between five and seven more years for Bangladesh to seriously emerge.

"The under-19s toured Australia and they beat them in Australia. That's a big thing no matter what age they are.

"Cricket is a patient man's game and we all have to be patient.

"It's a gradual process and one that you have to take a step at a time.

"If you take two steps at once then you can end up slipping further behind.

"That's just what Test cricket is like.

"It's a rough sea, there are choppy waters for nations like Bangladesh to go through. Sometimes they will have the wind in their sails and other times they will be caught in the rocks.

"Bangladesh will have to sail carefully but they will emerge through these difficult times. It's still early and we all must remember that."

There are promising youngsters coming through.

The likes of 16-year-old Mushfiqur Rahim and star bowler Mashrafe Mortaza - the 21-year-old who claimed the wickets of Andrew Strauss and captain Michael Vaughan - are just two expected to take Bangladesh into a new era over the next decade or so.

The Test series success over Zimbabwe ahead of their England tour may have been enjoyable but coming up against Vaughan's men is a completely different ball game and they know it.

In fairness, there was probably never any brief moment in Bangladeshi minds that they thought about taking a Test against England to the final day's play, never mind the improbable prospect of a shock draw.

Now, with Harmison helping to send back the Bangladesh batsmen for just 104 and centurion Marcus Trescothick et al in full flow, there is every chance that England, barring an intervention from the weather, can claim comfortable win number two and perhaps even achieve that before the end of today.