YOU MISSED A CRACKER!
England win a testing series to send upbeat message to Morgan
Eoin Morgan has not shared his views with the world since his ill-advised tweet thanking a sponsor for their hospitality on the day England began work in Bangladesh, but it would be fascinating to hear from him now.
The England one- day captain would not be human if he did not feel the slightest pang of regret last night as he saw the team who came here without him pull off a notable and hard- earned 50- over series victory.
Whatever England go on to achieve under Morgan — and he will be under pressure when he returns to the helm — he will never be able to share in an experience that all involved here will long remember. not least in that number are two young batsmen who, in all probability, would not have been playing in last night’s thrilling, four-wicket, series-clinching victory had Morgan and alex Hales done what they should have and agreed to tour here.
So impressive and so mature were Ben Duckett, 21, and Sam Billings, 25, when playing the leading roles in an historic Chittagong run-chase that it will appear harsh in the extreme if they do not play in the next one-day international.
But it may well fall to Morgan to tell them that they are missing out when he makes what can only be a slightly awkward return to take charge of England for five one-day internationals in similar conditions in india in January.
England have no choice but to give Morgan the captaincy back because they handed players the option of dropping out of this difficult tour.
But the captain’s absence can only have damaged his chances of keeping the job long-term.
Morgan may well have played a leading part in England’s one-day revolution since the debacle of the last World Cup but his place cannot be guaranteed now — not with a long queue of exciting players ready to step in. What depths of talent England have at their disposal these days — particularly in white- ball cricket — and how brilliantly Billings and Duckett played here when given their chance in the absence of England’s regular top four.
a target of 278 might not seem that daunting in these turbo- charged days but no side had ever scored more than 226 to win a 50- over international in Chittagong.
no team has beaten Bangladesh in a one-day series here since 2010 but England did it without Morgan, Hales and the rested Joe root.
and they did it against a side they believe have behaved badly during this series in both action and word, which made last night’s nail-biter all the more satisfying for the stand-in leadership duo of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes.
only when Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza appeared to step in the way of Billings when he turned to take a second run was there any obvious sign of the tension that led to Buttler and Stokes becoming embroiled in unsavoury scenes during the second one-day international in Dhaka.
But look closely and you could see Tamim iqbal, who appears to have been the principal Bangladeshi aggressor, goading each England batsman after they were dismissed, particularly Jonny Bairstow whom he clashed with on Sunday.
and there were more words, too, after the game between Jason roy, who was absent with a quad injury, and Tamim after the Surrey opener was singled out for some particularly nasty comments in Dhaka.
it will be interesting to see whether the bad blood resurfaces during the Test series which starts next week but for now let us reflect on the hugely encouraging achievements of this most exciting of all England one-day sides.
Billings has been unlucky not to play 50- over international cricket since last summer’s breakthrough series against new Zealand but here England trusted him in the unaccustomed position of opener when roy was forced to pull out.
He would have played anyway even if roy had been fit, at the expense of James Vince, because England were desperate to give him his chance. now the man of Kent played with the assurance of a veteran in making 62 off 69 balls.
There was a second half-century in his first three matches, too, for Duckett, who has taken to international cricket like a duck to water. Crucially, he appears to have the temperament for the highest level as well as all the modern shots.
only Vince disappointed — again getting out after the hard work had been done — and it could be a long time before we see this gifted but infuriating batsman in an England shirt again.
His time in international cricket, sadly, is up but it was the only blemish on a near perfect night for England.
adil rashid started this series under something of a cloud after his controversial withdrawal from Yorkshire’s Championship decider against Middlesex but he has taken 10 wickets in three matches here and returned career-best one-day figures of four for 43 last night. He will be a crucial figure when the first Test begins next week.
Then there was the sight of Stokes, the heartbeat of this England side, batting at the end, unbeaten on 47 and having earned the man of the series award for his century in the first match and his sheer presence in an England shirt.
This has been a demanding trip for this young side, with the everpresent, stifling security off the pitch and Bangladesh snapping at them like tigers on it.
But they have come through it and they have won well. it’s just a shame their captain was not here to enjoy it with them.