Clarke should get chance to make amends

"You have to look at why Rikki batted as he did," coach Duncan Fletcher said. "He's normally a pretty attacking batsman. He was facing some good spin bowlers on an unusual pitch. It's not easy for a youngster and he went out to bat in quite a sticky situation."

Even so, there is no doubt Clarke overdid the caution. But everything about him, with Surrey and in his brief one-day international career, suggests it is not a mistake he will make again.

As for the all-rounder's bowling, the more overs he was given the better he looked - reinforcing his own strongly stated view that he needs all the exposure he can get in championship matches next summer. "I thought Rikki bowled really well in Bangladesh's second innings in conditions that didn't really suit him," added Fletcher.

Clarke is not allowed, under ICC regulations, to comment on the disciplinary hearing which followed his outburst against batsman Mushfiqur Rahman.

But England have clearly underscored Raja's words of warning with a strong reminder of their own. That said, the last thing they want is for an exciting, passionate young cricketer to go into his shell.

"I don't think this will get to him," said Fletcher. "I had a chat with Rikki on the evening of the incident and again during the meeting with the match referee.

"It's a question of getting the balance right because you have to show some aggression and get stuck in as a bowler. I don't want him to be a boring cricketer."

Without Flintoff, England's line-up lacks balance. He provides them with a third front-line seamer to support Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard, whereas Clarke is only a fillin paceman at present

But if Fletcher and captain Michael Vaughan decide to make a change in Chittagong this week then it's likely to be one of the spinners who misses out.

Gareth Batty and Ashley Giles should be a major force in this part of the world. They took only three wickets between them during the first Test, however, whereas Harmison and Hoggard accounted for 16.

Giles is the real worry as he tinkers with his technique in an attempt to become a more potent attacking force.

It seems inevitable England will take up the option to summon a third spinner for next month's Test series in Sri Lanka. Robert Croft, Jason Brown and Ian Blackwell are on standby.