Alastair Cook: 'Inexperience showed for England'

The evening session on day three triggered a dramatic slump, which saw England collapse to 164 all out, and a 108-run defeat that ensured the two-match series was drawn.

Published : Oct 30, 2016 19:26 IST

England captain Alastair Cook after his team's loss to Bangladesh in Dhaka.
England captain Alastair Cook after his team's loss to Bangladesh in Dhaka.
lightbox-info

England captain Alastair Cook after his team's loss to Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Alastair Cook believes inexperience cost England as they slumped to its >maiden Test defeat against Bangladesh in an absorbing contest in Dhaka.

Read: >More to come from match-winner Mehedi, says Mushfiqur

Having been set 273 on Sunday to win the second Test and the series, a total that would have represented a record run-chase for England in Asia, the tourists initially made superb progress as Cook shared 100 with opening partner Ben Duckett.

However, Duckett's dismissal to the first ball of the evening session on day three triggered a dramatic slump, which saw England collapse to 164 all out and a 108-run defeat that ensured the two-match series was drawn.

Teenage spinner Mehedi Hasan again excelled for Bangladesh, taking 6-77 to finish with 12 wickets in the match, while Shakib Al Hasan returned 4-49 with England in disarray against the turning ball.

"Two hundred and seventy would have been a hell of a chase on that wicket, but we got off to a really good start," Cook, who departed for 59 amid England's slide, said at the post-match presentation.

"We spoke at tea time about starting again... not be complacent, all that stuff, but I think we probably showed our inexperience in these conditions. A lot of these guys have not played many Test matches and when that ball got rolling, we found it very hard to stop. I was out there for a lot of it as well and I couldn't stop that ball.

"Credit to Bangladesh, they bowled well, caught well, but if I'm honest I don't think we should have been chasing 270. We had four or five chances [in the field], which we needed to take, and 220 would have been a different story."

There was appreciable assistance for spinners throughout the series, but Cook added: "I have no complaints about it. I think that's what Test cricket is about. We get a bit of criticism when we play on green seamers at home, but why wouldn't you? We grow up on it and these guys [Bangladesh] grow up on spinning wickets and they thoroughly deserve their win."

"We've got to learn fast [ahead of a five-Test tour of India]. There's a lot of talent in our team and an experience like this will only help us if we take the right things out of it."

England's visit to Bangladesh had been placed in doubt due to security concerns, with Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan both opting to stay at home after the tour was given the go-ahead.

"We talked a lot on this tour about security and whether we should come but I'm really glad that I've been able to lead an England side here because so many people came out and watched this cricket," said Cook.

"Whether it was written that Bangladesh would win this game [I don't know], but I'm really proud to have been out here. It's not easy for me to say now, but it's obviously a good win for Bangladesh cricket. It's tough to take now, but some things may be a bit bigger than one game."

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment