Defending champion Bangladesh started off the ICC Under-19 World Cup campaign from Group A with a seven-wicket defeat over England in Basseterre, West Indies on Sunday.

Following a horrible batting collapse, Bangladesh were bundled out for just 97 runs in 35.2 overs, with left-arm seamer Joshua Boyden bagging four wickets. England in reply, reached the target losing three wickets and with 24.5 overs to spare. 

Courtesy of opener Jacob Bethell top-scoring with 44 runs before being run out and James Rew remaining unbeaten on 26, England eventually sealed an easy win despite having lost two early wickets. 

Earlier, Bangladesh tumbled right from the start after electing to bat. Boyden removed both the openers Mahfijul Islam (3) and Ariful Islam (4) upfront. Bangladesh kept losing wickets at regular intervals and at one stage were reeling on 51 for 9 inside 25 overs.

However, a 46-run final-wicket stand between Ripon Mondol and Naimur Rohman helped Bangladesh to post near to the hundred mark. Naimur was the last batter to be dismissed after scoring 11 while Ripon top-scored with 33 off 41 balls, striking five fours and a six, and remained not out in the end. 

It was a poor display of batting from the young Tigers where only four batters were able to reach the double-figure mark.

English wicketkeeper Alex Horton took seven catches behind the stumps. And apart from Boyden, medium-pacer Thomas Aspinwal took two wickets while James Sales, Fateh Singh and Tom Press scalped a wicket each for England. 

Rakibul Hasan and his troop will take on Canada in the second group game on January 20 before facing UAE on January 22 in their last group game.