Introduces SG balls, DRS in Test series
Bangladesh Cricket Board has decided to use SG cricket balls, instead of the more customary Kookabura, as well as the controversial Decision Review System in the upcoming Test series against Zimbabwe, as part of its efforts to leave no stone unturned to ensure Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe in the series. The Bangladesh team must rise above Zimbabwe in the Test ranking by the end of October 2017 if it wants to avoid the embarrassment of playing the champion of the Intercontinental Cup – a tournament of non-Test playing nations. To
achieve that, Bangladesh will have to regularly outperform Zimbabwe, who are ranked ninth ahead of Bangladesh’s tenth, over the next three years.
BCB till now used Kookabura balls in Test series’ but coach Hathurasinghe insisted SG balls be used during the test series, while Kookabura balls be reinstated during the five match one-day series that will follow after the three-match Test series.
Selector Minhajul Abedin defended the decision to use SG balls in the Test series as that would ‘provide local spinners better control on the balls.’
‘In India, SG balls are used so it is not like we are introducing it,’ Minhajul told reporters at the Fatullah Stadium on Monday.
‘The seam on SG balls stay tight even when its old and that helps spinners to grip the ball better,’ said Minhajul, adding ‘we opted to use it as spinners remain our main strength,’ he added.
Selector Habibul Bashar added that it will also help pace bowlers to get reverse swing while the change will hardly have any effect on the game of other players.
BCB decided to keep Kookabura for the ODI series keeping in mind that the ICC World Cup will be played with Kookabura.
DRS will also be introduced during the Test series, while it won’t be available in the ODI series.
BCB sources added the board had decided to use all options available in their favour to go above Zimbabwe in the ranking and to that end they are willing to arrange as many Test matches at home against them as possible.
Bangladesh are expected to play more than 20 Test matches before the October deadline, including a three-match series at home against Zimbabwe in 2016.
-With New Age input
