By Keith Graham at Linlithgow

First day of three: Bangladesh (19 for 0) trail Scotland (199) by 180 runs in the first innings

BANGLADESH spinner Mohammed Rafique cast a spell over Scotland's batsman with a devastating five-wicket haul.

However, the left-hander, who finished the day with figures of five for 44, was helped by two controversial decisions by top Scottish umpire David Potter.

Scotland suffered two early set-backs when Fraser Watts, playing his first full international, and Mike Smith both fell to catches by the wicket-keeper off the bowling of Moshed Ali Khan.

George Salmond and Douglas Lockhart dug in to repair the damage and it was not long before the tourists had turned to spin.

Rafique made the next breakthrough when Salmond pushed forward and the ball squirted to Naimur Rahman at silly point, seemingly off the pad.

Lockhart had reached 48, when he was run out going for a third run and with Drew Parsons bowled by Enamul Hoque, the Scots had slumped to 94 for five.

Greig Williamson soon announced his arrival at the wicket with a towering six over long off and with Alec Davies providing support, the tall Clydesdale all-rounder, slowly got on top.

Davies became Rafique's second victim, trapped lbw on the crease. Williamson however, continued to take the attack to the bowlers.

He twice cleared the long-on boundary but then Craig Wright went to a run out decision which seemed to surprise even the Bangladesh fielders, when the batsman seemed to have made his ground.

Williamson found a more than useful ally in Gregor Maiden, 18, who, playing in his first three-day international, batted with an assurance beyond his years. He and Williamson had taken the score to 192 for eight when the youngster tried to run Rafique through the slips only to give slip an easy catch.

Keith Sheridan was soon yorked by the same bowler and finally Williamson went for one lofted drive too many to be caught at long-off to give Rafique his fifth wicket.

Scotland 199 (G Williamson 67, D Lockhart 48, M Rafique 5 for 44). Bangladesh 19 for 0.

Day 2: Bangladeshis have Scotland in a spin

By Keith Graham at Linlithgow

Second day of three: Scotland (199 & 85-6) lead Bangladesh (138) by 146 runs

IT was a bowler's day at Boghall with 16 wickets falling on a wicket now dried out and taking spin.

In the last 90 minutes, Mohammed Rafique and Enamul Hoque reduced Scotland to 85 for 6, a lead of 146, and there is every chance of a result during today's final three sessions.

Yet it was Scotland's seamers who reaped the early reward. The opening pair had progressed to 55 before Athar Ali Khan dislodged a bail facing Craig Wright who also got rid of Faroque Ahmed, caught behind. Almost immediately, Greig Williamson brought one back to rip out Aminul Islam's off-stump as he shouldered arms.

Williamson took wickets in his next two overs, a catch at slip getting opener Azam Iqbal for 30 and Naimur Rehman falling to a superb diving, one-handed catch by Alec Davies behind the stumps and, when Keith Sheridan took the important wicket of Akram Khan caught behind cutting, the tourists were struggling on 79 for 6 at lunch.

A late flurry by Khaled Mushad (24) and Hasibul Hussain, whose 25 in 21 balls included two sixes, took Bangladesh to 138, 61 behind, with Sheridan picking up two further wickets.

After Scotland lost Fraser Watts, lbw with 22 on the board, Bangladesh turned to an all-spin attack.

Mike Smith survived a confident appeal for a catch behind off Hoque but failed to profit when, two balls later, he swung at the same bowler only to spoon the ball to cover.

Drew Parsons perished sweeping, Lockhart's stubborn innings came to an end when he was lured down the wicket by Rafique to be stumped, Salmond went to a catch behind, and Williamson who tried to loft Hoque, skied to cover.

TOUR MATCH (Boghall): Scotland 199 & 85-6 (Lockhart 30); Bangladesh 138 (Azam Iqbal 30, Williamson 4-21, Sheridan 3-34).

Day 3: Scotland held to honourable draw

By Keith Graham at Boghall, Linlithgow

AN unbeaten century from Aminul Islam enabled Bangladesh to force an honourable draw in the final game of their British tour after Scotland had set the tourists a target of 240 in just under 50 overs.

Islam, coming in with his side already in trouble on six for two, began playing strokes from the minute he arrived at the wicket, uninhibited by a scoreboard which soon read 16 for three.

Scotland had added 93 to their overnight 85 for six, Craig Wright and Gregor Maiden adding 47 for the eighth wicket with Maiden gathering a splendid unbeaten 40 and Asim Butt adding a final flourish with two huge sixes before the innings closed on 178.

However, the Scots went into the field one bowler short when Wright retired with a back injury. They were to suffer a further blow when Maiden fielding close, sustained a bad cut over an eye and had to go to hospital, reducing the Scots to three bowlers.

They had already made inroads as Greig Williamson and Butt took two wickets each to have the tourists on 40 for four but they were rescued by Islam.

Scotland 199 and 178 (G Maiden 40 not out, Hoque 6 for 54).

Bangladesh 138 and 187 for 5 (A Islam 109 not out).