Ravi Bopara took his opportunity to impress as England began their ICC World Twenty20 campaign by coasting to a seven-wicket warm-up win over Bangladesh in Barbados yesterday.

Bopara, back in the England reckoning after a winter left to his own devices because of his loss of form in last summer’s Ashes, completed a 44- ball half-century by crunching a straight-drive off Rubel Hossain for his sixth four.

The Essex batsman got his chance at number three, with Kevin Pietersen a late arrival in Barbados after spending time at home with his pregnant wife.

He did not disappoint, sharing stands of 45 with Craig Kieswetter and then 71 with Paul Collingwood to help England ease home with nearly three overs to spare, putting them in good heart for today’s second warm-up fixture against South Africa at the same venue.

After Bangladesh had chosen to bat first and struggled with the spin of Michael Yardy (three for 20) to set 126 for seven, Michael Lumb slapped a catch to cover off Syed Rasel to go early in England’s reply, before a fair assessment could be made of his and Kieswetter’s new Twenty20 opening partnership.

Bangladesh rode their luck to get their uneven innings off to a handsome start, rushing to 39 without loss after five overs.

Imrul Kayes was dropped by Luke Wright, running in from deep midwicket, in the first over off James Anderson.

Mohammad Ashraful was then caught behind off a Stuart Broad no-ball, in an over whose first two deliveries went for 10 but in the end cost only 12.

Imrul was first to go, well held by a diving Lumb on the third-man boundary from an upper-cut at Anderson.

But it was the introduction of Yardy and Graeme Swann that predictably stalled the Bangladesh charge.