Cricket:England today suffered a shock two-wicket defeat against Bangladesh and will almost certainly need to beat the West Indies in their final Group B match to avoid another early World Cup exit.
Andrew Strauss's team produced a fightback with the ball in defence of a vulnerable total, as they had in Sunday's win over South Africa, in yet another thrilling instalment of their eventful but frustrating campaign. Yet, even after Imrul Kayes (60) ran himself out to kickstart a rush of four wickets for 15 runs and Ajmal Shahzad (three for 43) produced a wonderful spell with the old ball, Mahmudullah and Shafiul Islam gritted their teeth and hit lustily in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 58.
It proved enough to scramble past England's 225 all out with an over to spare as the co-hosts kept their tournament prospects alive to the delight of a baying sellout crowd under the lights of the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. Unless Bangladesh encounter their own unexpected setback against Holland on Monday, England will have to beat the Windies three days later to seal a top-four spot and a quarter-final place.
Jonathan Trott (67) had top-scored with his fourth half-century in five innings as he and Eoin Morgan (63) put on 109, but England nonetheless struggled to post a competitive total after being asked to bat first on an awkward pitch.
They lost their first three wickets for the addition of 21 runs, and then the last six went for 61 in the final 10 overs.
Bangladesh, embarrassed by last week's nine-wicket defeat against the West Indies, were in no mood to go quietly in front of their fanatical yet fickle support. Their spinners accounted for 33 overs and seven wickets, and England could call on only Graeme Swann to respond in kind.
By the time the off-spinner got his hands on the ball, it was wet under heavy dew. But Tim Bresnan had already got rid of the dangerous Tamim Iqbal - bowled off his pads with a length delivery which slipped through his back-foot defence. After James Anderson's direct hit ran out Junaid Siddique and Shahzad produced his first very good delivery to bowl Roqibul Hasan for a duck, England were marginal favourites.
Yet Bangladesh were well up with the asking rate thanks to Tamim's early strokeplay, and Shakib Al Hasan and Imrul used the breathing space sensibly in a stand of 81. They needed to take no risks to stabilise the chase - and after Imrul had moved past a 91-ball 50, the match seemed theirs to lose.
But Imrul gave England the opening they needed, and Shakib edged on to his stumps as he tried to sweep Swann. It was then that Shahzad took over, producing his second near-unplayable delivery of the night to have Mushfiqur Rahim very well caught by a diving Prior and then bowling Naeem Islam.
Bresnan ran many yards and then dived to claim an oustanding outfield catch at deep extra-cover when Abdur Razzak tried to launch Swann. It seemed England would prevail with relative ease after all, until Mahmadullah and Shafiul proved otherwise.
Only Trott and Morgan had appeared at ease setting a score. Prior was granted an instant chance to silence the home crowd, shunted back up the order to the role vacated by the injured Kevin Pietersen. He and Strauss put on 32 together, but neither could go on.
Prior's departure - to a stumping, in two parts - was an oddity. Razzak's first ball was a leg-side wide and Prior appeared to think it had beaten the wicketkeeper.
He therefore set off for a run but, when the bails were initially taken off by Mushfiqur, had his foot still grounded behind the crease. Momentum took him forward, though, and Mushfiqur had the presence of mind to pull up a stump for a second chance to complete the dismissal - with England's hapless wicketkeeper-batsman stranded on his walkabout.
The setback, just after Bangladesh had turned to spin at both ends, cut off England's early impetus. Three overs later, Strauss thought he saw an opportunity to attack off-spinner Naeem off the back foot but instead edged to slip where Junaid took a sharp and neat catch away to his right.
Trott and Ian Bell therefore had to start again, and the latter soon chipped a Mahmudullah off-break straight into the hands of midwicket.
Irishman Morgan has been portrayed as a cure-all for any England ills since his call-up to replace Pietersen, and so it seemed for the next 20 overs. The only close calls came when Trott just made his ground for a sharp single on 25 and Morgan edged narrowly wide of the wicketkeeper off Rubel Hossain on 28.
Morgan's expert placement and timing brought him seven fours in a 60-ball 50 until both deserted him in one faulty sweep at Naeem to deep square-leg, where Imrul took a tumbling catch.
Trott had hit a solitary four in his 50 but seemed set on staying the course until he too holed out, off Shakib at long-off.
His was one of two wickets in powerplay, during which England could muster only 28 runs - one of several statistics which ultimately cost them dear.
Scores
England 225 all out
(J. Trott 67, E. Morgan 63)
Bangladesh 227-8
(Imrul Kayes 60; A. Shahzad 3-43)