Alastair Cook relaxed over England concerns as Craig Kieswetter runs riot

Alastair Cook dismissed fears tonight that his first tour as a novice captain could be disrupted by instability elsewhere as England's IPL trio in Bangladesh began to devour the contents of the security report that warns of a credible terrorist threat to India's money-spinning tournament. The three IPL players in England's tour party in Bangladesh — Paul Collingwood, Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan — have now seen the final safety report commissioned by the Professional Cricketers' Association and written by England's security adviser, Reg Dickason, who is with the squad in Dhaka and who has warned that safety in India cannot be guaranteed. Cook, otherwise buoyant after England's 112-run win against a Bangladesh Board XI in Fatullah's grimy concrete stadium, said he felt no pressing need to impose rules to limit dressing-room discussion of the IPL and ensure that England maintained their focus during difficult times. "They would be like naughty schoolchildren then, walking around the back, talking about it," he said. "You have to be honest and open in the dressing room. If it becomes the only issue that people are talking about then, yes, you would have to address it but at the moment you would not know that this issue is going on. It will be a tough call but it is for them to take the decision. I am sure that within the next week they will make it." Pietersen made a first-ball duck, but Collingwood did not appear remotely careworn as he thrashed one of the quickest centuries of his career, finishing with 109 from 74 balls with six sixes, the most brutish a midwicket smear to bring up his hundred. Bangladesh supporters sought to regain pride by turning thoughts away from cricket. "Collingwood said he would not be able to play golf in Bangladesh," chided one spectator, "but we won three gold medals at golf in the South Asia games." But the eye-catching innings was once again played by Craig Kieswetter, who made a hundred on his England debut, setting England en route to 370 for seven in 50 overs with a freewheeling 143 from 123 balls. He cleared the ropes six times, five of them back over the bowler's head. It was a memorable effort for a player who a week ago had no inkling that he might become a late call-up for England's one-day squad and his international one-day debut against Bangladesh at the national stadium on Sunday is now inevitable. Fortune was on Kieswetter's side, however. He escaped two caught-and-bowled chances on four and 28, was missed again when he lofted down the ground on 82, and by the time he was reprieved for a fourth time on 129 he had begun to slog with the abandon of a man happy to let others have a bat. In all, Bangladesh fumbled seven catches and two stumpings. Their hapless display was encapsulated by the way Kieswetter reached his hundred, a gentle clip to the square-leg boundary causing two fielders to collide in front of a derisive crowd. Graeme Swann took four for 44 as the Board XI replied with 258 for nine, but the most relieved man was probably Liam Plunkett, who was inactive on the South Africa tour. He got his first game of the winter and waited until his 10th and final over before collecting two wickets. That is about one wicket per 1,000 gym hours. Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, insisted today that the IPL would go ahead as planned in India, irrespective of any withdrawals of non-Indian players. "The heavens aren't going to fall if that happens," he said. Modi has refused to recognise the various players' associations and showed no signs of compromise when he dismissed them in an interview with the BBC as "fringe groups". "Nobody in the world can safeguard the safety of the players in any tournament," he said. "All we have to do is ensure we are putting on the best security. Safety is paramount to us and we are working with the national and state governments to ensure we have good security in place."