Dire England sign off with worst loss yet

ENGLAND’S first series outing as Twenty20 world champions ended in utter humiliation yesterday as Bangladesh won the final match by 16 runs to complete a 3-0 whitewash.

This was an archetypal end-of-tour performance by Jos Buttler’s team, littered with dropped catches, misfields and wides, but all the more galling for the fact that despite their errors they were in the box seat as the match entered the final quarter.

‘That hurts. We came over to do well and to finish as we did will leave a bit of a sour taste in our mouth,’ said England coach Matthew Mott.

The turning point came at the start of the 14th over when, with England 100 for one, set batters Dawid Malan and Buttler departed in consecutive deliveries. Malan nibbled at the bowling of the excellent Mustafizur Rahman and was caught behind. The 95-run stand ended with Buttler forlornly groping for his ground at the striker’s end as Mehidy Hasan Mirza’s direct hit lit up the stumps and the home team sensed a comeback win. When Moeen Ali holed out off the impressive Taskin Ahmed, 40 were needed off 22 deliveries. Ben Duckett had his offstump removed later in the over and the run rate hit 15 an over for the final two. In contrast to Mehidy’s stunning removal of Buttler for a 31-ball 40, England gifted boundaries and a life apiece to openers Litton Das and Rony Talukdar. Jofra Archer (left) was the unlucky bowler as dollies were floored by Rehan Ahmed and Duckett.

Adil Rashid held a return catch from Rony to limit Bangladesh to 29 runs off their final 33 balls. But a score of 158 for two proved plenty, as a side who came out on top in Australia last November hit rock bottom here.