Bangladesh’s new coach Stuart Law has asked his batsmen not to repeat the mistakes they made during the second warm-up match against the GP-BCB Academy in order to avoid trouble in the upcoming one-off Test and one-day series against Zimbabwe.
Law, who watched the Tigers win the two-day match against the Academy team at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday, was less than impressed with the batting performance as they were bowled out in 59.3 overs for 258 runs on the first day.
‘If we bat like that in the Test match and get bowled out by 70 overs then we will be in trouble,’ Law told reporters after a 40-run win for the national team at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
‘It was a practice match played in difficult conditions with several stoppages due to rain. Hopefully when we go to Zimbabwe the weather will be pretty good and hopefully we will see it out there,’ said Law.
Law however, was impressed with the batting of Shahriar Nafees, who cracked a superb 72 to help his side post a formidable total and strengthening his claim for the number three slot in the Test eleven, currently held by Junaed Siddique.
‘He played well. I have seen him a lot of times both on television and on the field,’ said Law.
The new coach nevertheless has been encouraged by the batting talent within the squad and is optimistic about the Tigers’ prospects in that department.
‘There are a lot of players in that line-up who I am looking forward to working with closely to try and work out what makes them tick,’ said Law.
‘It is going to be a slightly long process but hopefully in the next three to six months you will see an improvement in the way they play cricket,’ added the Australian coach.
Meanwhile, the bowlers ensured a 40-run win for the national team on Saturday, with Abdur Razzak picking up three wickets. It was the performances of the fast bowlers that impressed Law as Robiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain and Rubel Hossain all picked up wickets.
‘It’s very important for the bowling department in Test cricket to perform well as you need to take 20 wickets to win a Test match, no matter how many runs you score,’ said Law.
‘I am happy with what I have seen in the pace department,’ he added.
Law, however, believes that greater emphasis needs to be placed on the spinners’ understanding of the approach adopted by different batsmen and ways to counter that.
‘About the spin department, it’s not about bowling out there and taking wickets, it is about how you bowl to different batsmen and setting different fields and learning when to attack and when to defend,’ the Australian coach said.
-With New Age input
