Bangladesh’s new bowling coach Courtney Walsh began his tenure with Tigers through observing them closely on his first day in business at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Monday.
Walsh made a three-year deal with Bangladesh Cricket Board to work with the Tigers till the World Cup 2019. The Caribbean great, who will turn 54 next month, in his first formal press conference that admitted he was not good with names and primarily was keen to know every individual by names and get an idea about their strength and weakness.
While the national pace bowlers looked excited to train in front of a living legend, Walsh made sure they didn’t get awed by his strong personality.
Rather he encouraged his charges by wholeheartedly appreciating their good work and not being critical when they failed to do so in the nets.
Pace bowlers were asked to do spot bowling that helped Walsh to understand their accuracy level while they were told how to maintain the length as well as effectiveness of yorkers to different kind of batsmen.
National pace bowlers said they enjoyed the presence of Walsh much more than they anticipated with his easy going approach as it helped them to express themselves without any fear.
‘He is not very strict,’ pace bowler Kamrul Islam told reporters after completing the training session under Walsh.
‘When he claps to encourage us it looks to be a big occasion for us,’ said Kamrul.
‘When we are bowling badly he did not responded very critically rather just backed us by saying bowl a bit fuller.
‘I think the team will be benefitted if the relationship between coach and players become friendlier,’ said Kamrul.
Walsh, who played 132 Test and was the highest wicket taker in Test with 519 wickets at the time of his retirement in 2001, replaced Zimbabwean Heath Streak ,who stepped down in May after helping Bangladesh develop a strong group of pace bowling talent.
Pace bowler Rubel Hossain said Walsh did not try to show anything as he asked them to concentrate on last practice game scheduled today at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
‘He just asked me to bowl the way I would bowl tomorrow [in the match],’ said Rubel.
‘Perhaps because it is his first day he tried to see what we are capable of doing and later will give his direction, said one of the fastest pacers in the country.
-With New Age input
