Agence France Presse

London, May 25:

England were given a fair idea of what they could expect from Shahadat Hossain after the Bangladesh teenage quick revealed he’d like breaking batsmen’s helmets because it made him feel like a fast bowler.

And if England’s top order do find themselves ducking for cover in the first Test starting at Lord’s here on Thursday, where Hossain is set to make his debut, they won’t have very far to look for someone to blame.

While Hossain, likely to take the new ball with Mashrafe Mortaza for Bangladesh, idolised Pakistan speedster Wasim Akram as a child, it is England’s Stephen Harmison who has been his inspiration in his search for a Test place.

“I used to follow Wasim Akram as a kid but now I follow Steve Harmison, he’s my favourite bowler,” the 18-year-old said. “I met him once when they were in Bangladesh but I was young then. I didn’t get to talk to him, but I saw him up close and that was exciting. I just like how he bowls.”

Along with batsman Mushfiqur Rahim, Hossain — nicknamed Sharapova after the Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova for his grunting during bowling — has been the find of the tour for a team in need of hope on their first Test trip to England.

When his father saw how well Hossain was doing, he was enrolled into an academy for young cricketers just outside Dhaka, where the teenager caught the eye of the national Under-19 selectors.

So far in England, Hossain, who is more familiar with the conditions here than many of his teammates, having completed an Under-19 tour last year, has shown considerable venom and impressed with consistent bounce and pace.

Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore had seen little of Hossain, outside of video tape, before this trip but after Hossain’s four-wicket haul against British Universities at Cambridge in the tour opener, believed the talented paceman to have leapfrogged others in the queue for a Test berth.

And while many expect Bangladesh, one of the world’s weakest major teams, to be overwhelmed at Lord’s a defiant Hossain insisted he for one had no intention of being a soft touch. “I hope I am picked for the first Test,” said Hossain. “I have always loved bowling fast. I have broken a lot of helmets in my time, and injured a lot of batsmen as well.”

“Against New Zealand (in a practice match), I broke Matthew Sinclair’s toe. I got him with a yorker and he had to retire hurt. I like breaking helmets, it makes me feel like I am a fast bowler.”

Nor is Hossain daunted by the prospect of taking on England’s batsmen, saying his good memories from the under 19 tour — when he snared 13 wickets — gave him confidence. And after Lord’s, Hossain has big plans for the future.