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Shakib Al Hasan grabbed two vital wickets to keep alive Bangladesh's hopes of gaining the first-innings lead in the second and final Test against England on Monday in Dhaka.

The left-arm spinner dismissed Jonathan Trott and well-set Matt Prior before the tourists reached 285-5 at lunch on the third day in reply to the hosts' 419.

Ian Bell, the last specialist batsman, was unbeaten on a solid 70 at the break with Tim Bresnan (four not out).

Bell and wicket-keeper Prior (62) led England's fightback with a 98-run stand for the fifth wicket before skipper Shakib struck four overs before the interval.

Prior stepped out to play a big shot but missed the line and was bowled after hitting two successive fours in the same over. He hit nine boundaries in his 13th Test half-century.

Bell completed his 24th Test half-century when he took 10 runs, including two fours, in an over from left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak, opening the attack with the second new ball.

England suffered a setback in the morning's third over when makeshift opener Trott was bowled by Shakib at his overnight score of 64, the ball hitting the pad and elbow before rolling on to the stumps.

Prior survived a confident appeal for leg-before off seamer Rubel Hossain early in his innings, although TV replays suggested the ball would have hit the leg-stump.

The England wicket-keeper then went on to play some handsome shots, driving seamer Shafiul Islam for two successive fours before pulling off-spinner Mohammad Mahmudullah for a boundary to reach his half-century.

Bell, unbeaten on 25 in his team's overnight total of 171-3, has so far hit eight fours in a 126-ball knock.

England lead 1-0 in the series following their 181-run victory in the opening Test in Chittagong.

AFP