England run adrift in T20 upset

ENGlANd were humbled by Bangladesh in their first match since becoming twenty20 world champions as their threadbare batting left them exposed. Jos Buttler’s team featured seven of those who defeated Pakistan in Melbourne last November, but were missing three frontline batters and suffered a six-wicket defeat by opponents who had lost 22 of their last 25 t20s against fellow test nations. Aside from Buttler’s contribution of 67, Phil Salt’s stodgy 38 and a cameo from Ben duckett, there was a lack of fluency about England’s innings and just 21 runs came from the final four overs as they could only reach 156 for six. Ironically, one player who had shown an ability to thrive in these conditions by hitting a match-winning hundred during England’s one-day series win, Jason Roy, left this tour on tuesday and crunched a breathtaking 63-ball 145 in the Pakistan Super league 24 hours later. ‘Bangladesh finished the innings well, we were in a position to kick on but were 20 short,’ conceded Buttler, whose sixth 50 in 10 t20 international innings arrived from the first of successive sixes. Faced with a modest chase, Bangladesh turned the extra speed of England’s attack against them with Najmul Hossain Shanto, who hit a rapid 51, and debutant towhid Hridoy sharing a stand of 65 for the third wicket as the hosts won with two overs to spare.

ECB deputy chairman Martin darlow is to stand down in May before the end of his term as the fall-out from the Yorkshire racism trial continues.