KUALA LUMPUR: Scratch women's pair Cheah Yee See-Lai Pei Jing came up short in their bid to upset England's world No 14 Lauren Smith-Chloe Birch as they exited the last 16 of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Yee See-Pei Jing put up a good fight before going down 21-19, 21-16 to the second seeds in 52 minutes at the National Exhibition Centre on Friday.
The Malaysians, teaming up one-off just for the Games, were in the lead a few times in the first and second games, but could not capitalise on them.
With the defeat, Yee See-Pei Jing are the first Malaysian shuttlers to lose in an individual competition in Birmingham since it started on Tuesday.
All is not lost for both of them yet as they are still in the running for the mixed doubles podium.
Hours earlier, Yee See had checked into quarter-finals with Chan Peng Soon with a 21-16, 21-12 win over Australia's 21-16, 21-12 and will face Adam Hall-Julie MacPherson of Scotland next.
Peng Soon, making his fourth straight Games appearance, kept his hopes of winning three medals alive after he and Tan Kian Meng saw off Scotland's fourth seeds 18-21, 25-23, 21-16.
Following the big win, the path to the semis looks clear as they should have the edge against their next opponents from Sri Lanka, Sachin Dias-Buwaneka Goonethilleka.