England Throw in the Towel at a Tea and Lose All 10 in Session

WHEN all is said and done this Test match will be remembered for one thing – the spectacular collapse in which England lost all 10 wickets on a crazy third evening as Bangladesh swept to an historic win.

- Chris Stocks

England had been set fair in pursuit of 273, which would have represented their highest run chase in Asia, as they headed into tea on 100-0.

But the loss of Ben Duckett, bowled by Mehedi Hasan, to the first ball of the evening session sparked an implosion that saw England bowled out inside a session for the first time since 1938.

“I can’t explain it,” said coach Trevor Bayliss. “There was a lot of pressure and a wicket turning square and shooting through and leaping. It’s all very difficult.

“It’s always a bit difficult to score runs when you lose a wicket or two. I suppose what you’re trying to do is stay in but that’s probably one of the worst things you can do.”

For Bangladesh this was a momentous victory, their first in Tests against anyone other than Zimbabwe and a severely weakened West Indies, who they beat away in 2009 during a players’ strike in the Caribbean.

Mehedi was the hero for the hosts, taking 12 wickets in the match and 19 overall in the series, the teenager’s first in Tests.

Along with Shakib Al Hasan, who took 4-49, the off-spinner ran though England’s batting line-up in 22.5 overs.

It’s hard to believe both captain Alastair Cook and Duckett, whose brilliant counter-attacking 56 from 64 balls was his first Test half-century, had made batting look so easy in the previous session.