Playing their second three-day game of the tour, the second-string Bangladesh side were all smiling when they reduced the home side to 148-5. But a 139-run stand between Powell and England one-day player Alex Wharf changed the face of the game.

The 28-year-old Powell led the home side recovery with a dazzling 111 off 145 balls. His fluent innings contained 11 fours and four sixes. He was eventually out after tea, caught by Shahadat Hossain off paceman Talha Zubair, but not before Glamorgan reached 287-6.

Wharf struck an equally impressive 77 with nine fours and two sixes before becoming the seventh batsmen out at 336.

The home side were 340-7 with England off-spinner Robert Croft batting on 38 till filing of this report.

Although the three pacers left-armer Syed Russel, Shahadat Hossain and Talha Jubair did their part in the game -- claiming two wickets each, the spinners especially slow left-armer Enamul Haque continued to struggle with the ball. He took one wicket but the talented Enamul, who had a wonderful home series against Zimbabwe, once again found English conditions difficult to cope with after an uninspiring brief stint with the national team in June.

Bangladesh A lost their first three-dayer to Gloucestershire by 130 runs.