The Test series which many have dismissed as a mismatch is now assured of at least one uplifting story. Mushfiqur's century against Northamptonshire yesterday (Sunday), hot on the heels of a half-century against Sussex in Hove, again revealed a cricketer of unbounded spirit and definite promise. Lord's will rise to him.

He is the height of about six spans of Steve Harmison's right hand; he could duck a Harmison length ball with ease - and probably will. But he grinned confidently last night at the thought of a Test debut on Thursday.

"Cricket is not an age or a height thing," he said. "I will just watch the ball and play. A debut at Lord's would be really exciting - but I am sleeping OK."

When Mushfiqur was in the 90s, and signalled to the dressing room for a drink, he resembled a schoolboy politely raising his hand to ask to go to the toilet. But his unbeaten 115, from 167 balls, admittedly against a Northants 2nd XI attack, possessed a control throughout that marked him down as a batsman of definite promise.

Bangladesh's top five, who all perished yesterday to a series of terrible misjudgements, could already learn from him.

Admittedly, Mushfiqur's second first-class century in his fifth match came against an attack possessing some of the most benign spin bowling imaginable, in the shape of Andrew White's off-breaks and Rob White's leg-spin. Mushfiqur knew as much and rated his first interview, with the BBC World Service, as far more daunting.

Cricket provides endless examples of good things coming in small packages. Sachin Tendulkar, Gundappa Viswanath and Sir Don Bradman were all great Test batsmen who would struggle to see over the top of a bar - which, come to think of it, might have been an excuse for The Don not standing his round. Mushfiqur, even allowing for a little more growing time, may prove to be the most diminutive of them all.

Dav Whatmore, Bangladesh's coach, has offered the young man wise counsel, and has wanted to pick him since that Hove innings. He can now be sure of the support of his captain, Habibul Bashar, and the chairman of selectors, Faruque Ahmed.

"The lad is showing that he wants to play and that means a lot," said Whatmore. "He looks an older head on young shoulders."

Mushfiqur's most ambitious shot brought up his fifty when he hit Andrew White over the top, clearing John Wolstenholme, at mid-on, who is about two feet taller than him. He glanced Rob White to reach his hundred, was dropped at gully on 109 but survived until the 5.30 close.