The post Tigers seal historic Test win over Kiwis appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>The tourists needed only 40 runs in their second innings for the historic win, their first ever in New Zealand and only their sixth in 61 away Tests.
Having bundled the Kiwis out for 169 within 11 overs of a fiery spell of pace bowling on the start of the fifth day, Bangladesh, on the cusp of history, required 40 to win – only their sixth in 61 away matches and the first taste of glory against New Zealand in the longest format. This victory also marks the first away win against
the Kiwis across all formats and also the first triumph over the topmost ranked Test side.
Despite the hiccups of Shadman Islam (3) departing early and Najmul Hossain Shanto (17) near the finish line and even with all the glorious uncertainties that Test cricket may have pulled out of its hat, nothing could have gone wrong for Bangladesh today, it seemed. Skipper Mominul Haque (13) and Mushfiqur Rahim (3)
remained unbeaten to complete the formalities as Bangladesh took no more than 17 overs to arguably reach their own peak of cricketing success after achieving Test status back in the year 2000.
The Tigers have displayed a tremendous team effort throughout the Test match at the Bay Oval and even substitute fielder Taijul Islam had to join the party in the end. Taijul conjured a breath-taking catch near the boundary at deep midwicket to send the last New Zealand batter Trent Boult (8) back to the pavillion, leaving
bowler Mehedi Hasan Miraz and his teammates in an absolute ecstasy.
Earlier, Ebadot Hossain had nipped New Zealand’s hope on the bud by eliminating the experienced Ross Taylor, playing his last series for the Kiwis. Ebadot was not going to just settle for the prized scalp as he took out both Taylor (40) and Kyle Jamieson (0) in a span of 11 deliveries. At 160 for seven, the Tigers were all
over the Kiwis.
The Mount Maunganui might be an extinct volcano but both Ebadot and Taskin Ahmed seem to have been channeling its energy from a distant past. Taskin, on fire from the onset, cleaned up Tim Southee for a duck before tempting overnight batter Rachin Ravindra (16) to give a leading edge to wicketkeeper Liton Das.
Bangladesh have clearly dominated the majority of the sessions in the Test and have been the superior side by a margin. A total team effort took the Tigers to a score of 458 and to a healthy first innings lead of 140 despite none of the batter scoring a century. Ebadot, whose inclusion in the side was somewhat questioned,
appeared as the unlikely hero to steal the show from the fourth day’s evening session onward.
And the intensity and execution from the Tigers on the fifth and final day was a matter of the Test match reaching its logical conclusion.
-With The Daily Star input
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]]>The post Tigers set to get back to grind appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>The board has also planned to arrange a camp involving the Bangladesh A team, mainly red-ball cricketers and those not part of the T20I series against New Zealand, and a BCB High-Performance team. They will play three one-day matches and two four-day games among the group.
Following the 15-day camp, the series will begin with the three one-dayers, and two four-dayers, and the entire camp will be held in a bio-secure environment.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan yesterday contradicted BCB cricket operation chairman Akram Khan, who had said that head coach Russell Domingo’s contract was going to be extended till the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
“We are yet to take a final decision on the extension of contracts for the national coaching staff. All of them are signed till this [T20] World Cup. We are thinking of having one-year extensions. We have two World Cups to play, so we are focusing on these for now,” Nazmul said during a programme organised for National Mourning Day.
-With The Daily Star input
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]]>The post Tigers face reality check appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>As paceman Shahadat Hossain is injured out from the Test they are effectively six wickets down, leaving the unbeaten overnight Sakib al Hasan to face an uphill task to lift the side from a precarious 107-5.
Sakib, 14 not out, who was dropped by Younis Khan off the first ball he faced, has now only Soumya Sarkar and Shuvagata Hom among the recognised batsmen to accompany him for the remainder of the innings.
Given that Soumya was playing only his second Test and Shuvagata is still untested at the Test match level, the all-rounder now must build on his luck, something akin to Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali.
Azhar made the most of his reprieve off a no-ball on 18 to score his maiden double century lifting Pakistan to 557-8 before they declared their first innings at the tea break.
Right-handed Azhar hit 226 off 428 balls and was involved in two 200-plus partnerships, firstly with Younis (148) and then on the second day with Asad Shafiq, who also scored a century – 107 off 167 balls.
Shuvagata dismissed both the batsmen in his successive overs before left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed two wickets in one over to force a declaration from Pakistan.
It gave Bangladesh some breathing space finally after they were at the receiving end during the most part of the day despite a promising start in the morning.
Sakib bowled Mishah-ul Haq only in the second over with a straight ball that took slight turn beyond the expectation of Pakistan captain to whip off his bails.
Azhar and Asad denied Bangladesh further success for a long period and put 207 runs for the fifth wicket until Shuvagata made both the batsmen a catch of Mahmudullah at long off.
Sharfraz Ahmed was unbeaten on 21 when the declaration came, which only indicated they could have batted few more overs if they wanted to put Bangladesh under few more runs.
But desperate for a win at the final match of their month-long tour, Mishbah took a gamble and was rewarded for his sagacity almost immediately as Junaid Khan struck in his first over.
Bangladesh, unlucky throughout the Test match, saw their star batsman Tamim Iqbal was adjudged leg-before off the fourth ball to a delivery that pitched out the off stump and hit him above the knee roll.
Tamim reviewed it inevitably but the decision of umpire Paul Reiffel remained upheld as replay suggested the ball was marginally hitting the top of his leg stump.
Barring Tamim the other batsmen however can make little excuses as they were unable to protect their wicket, sometime with injudicious shots and sometime with good balls.
Mominul Haque was guilty of flashing a ball that he could easily let go while Imrul Kayes charged Yasir Shah down the wicket to miss the line and get bowled after six impressive fours helped him fetch 32 runs.
Light was fading fast when Mahmudullah edged Wahab Riaz at slip to Azhar for 28 but despite a sign of danger Mushfiqur Rahim preferred to join Sakib instead of sending a nightwatchman.
Mushfiq, whose wisdom was questioned many ways in this Test, paid the price by being bowled in the penultimate delivery.
After four typical leg-spinning deliveries Yasir Shah tested him with a googley that the Bangladesh captain was unable to anticipate.
Yasir celebrated in a manner as if he had just won the Test match and he had every right to feel so.
-With New Age input
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]]>The post Tigers begin their camp today appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>Sri Lanka, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today.
Coach Richard Pybus will have 15 cricketers of the 19-member squad in the camp as Mohammad Ashraful is now England, playing in the Kent’s premier league for Blackheath, while skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal and Nasir Hossain are engaged in the ongoing Sri Lankan Premier League.
National teams bowling coach Shane Jurgensen, who was supposed to join the camp, is currently in Australia helping the junior Tigers in the ICC U-19 World Cup after the Bangladesh Cricket Board management decided to prolong his stay instead of returning back.
Sakib al Hasan, who is currently going through a rehabilitation programme for his injured left knee that prevented him from joining the SLPL, is also expected to join the camp but whether he will participate in training or not depends on his physical fitness.
The national team in the name of BCB Board XI will take part in an invitational tournament in Trinidad and Tobago and later will fly to Sri Lanka to play in the World T20.
-With New Age input
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]]>The post Tigers climb to 8th in ICC T20 rankings appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>Bangladesh had been included in the rankings for the first time recently when they toured Europe in June to play a Twenty20 series against Ireland, Scotland and Netherland respectively.
After their one-run win in the second match of the three-match series against Ireland they had catapulted into the No 6 position in the T20 rankings after they fulfilled the ICC rules that stipulates that only teams that have played at least eight Twenty20 internationals during the period starting from August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2012 will get a ranking.
While after beating Ireland 3-0 in the series they were ranked fourth, their form dipped when they had gone to the Netherlands to play the second part of the series, organised as part of their preparations for the
forthcoming ICC World Twenty20 to be played in Sri Lanka in September.
After ICC associate member Scotland shocked them in their lone encounter their ranking slipped to eighth place.
Only 11 teams are now in the T20 International list. Five sides – Afghanistan, Canada, Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland – have played fewer than eight Twenty20 Internationals since August 2010. These sides will get into the ranking table once they play eight T20 Internationals.
Bangladesh are placed ninth the ICC one-day rankings.
-With New Age input
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]]>The post Tigers’ India tour still only a hope appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>No official word came from Board of Control for Cricket in India through any channel following the statement, which has taken aback many in both countries given India already have a tight schedule.
The world champions will play non-stop cricket from coming August to April, which means it will be extremely difficult for them to find a window for their less fancied neighbour.
India are due to host New Zealand in August-September for three Tests, take part in the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September-October before their players get themselves engaged in Champions League Twenty20 tournament.
An intriguing four-match Test series against England will follow in November-December when India will go all-out to avenge their last year’s 4-0 drubbing that saw them losing their number one crown.
England’s India tour also includes seven one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international. According to International Cricket Council’s new Future Tour Programme England’s India tour will end in January.
It means India will be engaged against England from November to January and worse for Bangladesh is that this high-profile series will be replaced by another icon series in February when Australia will tour India.
The Aussies will play four Tests in India, which will be another revenge mission for the home side. India lost to Australia 4-0 earlier this year and it will now be their turn to return it back to Australia.
BCB spokesman Jalal Yunus, quoting Kamal, said India has promised to accommodate Bangladesh between the Test and one-day series against England in December, but still it remained a big question if they will want to risk their players of being injured before the Australia series.
Given the track record of Kamal, who has a tendency of providing contradicting statements to media, BCB’s decision of issuing a media release based on his words also came as a surprise to many.
‘We have full confidence in our president and he has informed the Board that India tour is all but certain,’ said Yunus. ‘The two boards will very soon finalise the details of the tour and sign an agreement.’
Yunus also hoped that it will not be a short trip for the Tigers and will rather include two Tests, three ODIs and a T20 International.
‘We have a plan to include all three formats in the series. Let see how we can do this,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Pakistani media already started alleging that Bangladesh’s planned India tour is a reward to them for declining the tour to their country.
PakTribune.com under a headline of ‘BD to visit India in Dec, Pak ignored’ reported that anti-Pakistan Indian cricket lobby dominated the Bangladesh Cricket Board as BCB decided to visit India in December.
The BCB however said they are yet to take any decision on Pakistan tour.
-With New Age input
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]]>The post ‘Kamal drops Tamim’ appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday named a 14-member Bangladesh team for the forthcoming Asia Cup, leaving out Tamim Iqbal. Chief selector Akram Khan said last night that BCB chief AHM Mustafa Kamal cut Tamim from the national team.
“Tamim Iqbal was dropped by [BCB president] Mustafa Kamal. He was in the team that we submitted,” said the former national captain. The left-handed opener was given a clean bill of health on Sunday, having recovered from a groin injury he suffered during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Akram’s outburst was the boiling over of emotions having already overseen such unnecessary influences by the president from the moment he took over after the World Cup last year. He had bravely fought against the technical committee which has been coolly dismantled but this could be the last straw.The extraordinary meddling by Kamal is no surprise as the national team selection has been wrapped in red-tape ever since he took over. Quite literally, the approval and declaration depends on several hands and not just the might of the chief selector’s pen which has been the case in previous regimes.
It has long been believed that the sole influence of the selection panel, made up of no fewer than three former national captains, is just a rule of thumb; it is rather the Bangladesh Cricket Board president who holds the ultimate privilege to give the final green signal, after it is okayed by the board’s cricket operations committee. As usual, the entire tedious process was repeated for this squad which had to be trimmed to fourteen members with six standby players including Tamim.
Another glaring exclusion from the squad was the identities of the captain and vice-captain, and this is thought to be a result of incumbent skipper Mushfiqur Rahim’s outburst following the BPL semifinalists mix-up.
Apart from the opener, Alok Kapali, Naeem Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shahriar Nafees and Forhad Reza were also given the boot. Jahurul Islam, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Shahadat Hossain and new face Anamul Haque are the inclusions.
Jahurul deserves the recall after playing his last game for the Tigers one and a half years ago while Mashrafe returns after eleven months having undergone a knee surgery last year. Shahadat won back a place probably due to a lack of choices while Anamul has impressed over the past two seasons for the Bangladesh A team as well as in the domestic tournaments.
This time Kamal’s whereabouts had to be traced somewhere between Karachi, Dubai and London as he was off to the United Kingdom yesterday. After Akram passed on his team to the committee led by Enayet Hossain Siraj, the mechanism in Mirpur tried to get in touch with Kamal, who upon contact approved the squad after making the changes.
-With The Daily Star input
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]]>The post Bangladesh A up 2-1 appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>It was a surprising result for a group of players that reached the venue on the night before the game and was put together after much deliberation with the Premier League clubs.
The advantage however was with the Bangladesh A players since they are in the middle of the competitive league and most of the ones who are picked are in form.
Back to the game and England Lions won the toss and chose to field first and even though the opening duo failed to make a mark in a partnership.
Nasiruddin Faruque was the one who stayed back to put up a useful 53 off 102 balls with the help of five boundaries. Faruque shared a 70-run third wicket stand with Shuvogoto Hom Chowdhury who made a 59-ball 45 with the help of five boundaries and a six.
All-rounder Mahmudul Hasan then hit up a splendid 47 not out off 57 balls, including two sixes and a boundary, which drove up Bnagladesh A’s total score to 218 in 50 overs. Left-arm spinner Danny Briggs took three important wickets while Stuart Meaker picked up two.
The second innings started off with a more or less steady graph with the opening partnership reaching almost 48, before Sohrawardi Shuvo removed James Vince for 16 in the eighth over.
Shuvo started the domino effect bowling out James Vince, then Enamul Haque Jr, Mahmudul, Taskin Ahmed and Shuvagoto, each took a wicket to restrict the Lions to reach the target of 219.
Opener Alexander Hales, 39 and Scott Borthwick, 44 contributed to the tally of England Lions, but it was not enough.
Shuvo picked up four wickets through dismissing Vince, Tom Maynard, Jonny Bairstow and Danny Briggs, while Enamul was economical as ever with 2-21 that included Hales and skipper James Taylor.
BRIEF SCORES
BANGLADESH A: 218-9 in 50 overs (Faruque 53, Mahmudul 43, Shuvogoto 45; Briggs 3-31, Meaker 2-43).
ENGLAND LIONS: 143 all out in 34.4 overs (Brothwick 44, Hales 39, Vince 16; Shuvo 4-25, Enamul 2-21).
Result: Bangladesh A won by 75 runs.
-With The Daily Star input
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]]>The post Mash’s wait almost over appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>The “Braveheart” cricketer however was not willing to look back, instead eagerly looking forward to the Premier Division Cricket League, which will kick off today at three different venues, to make a comeback into competitive cricket after a lengthy period of rehabilitation.
“I am looking forward to make a new start in my career. Hopefully I will be available for selection for my club (Bangladesh Biman) from the third week of next month. I’m now bowling with a full run-up at practice, but not with full effort. But I am confident about regaining my match fitness from the third week of the next month, but everything will be depend on our national team physio,” said Mashrafe while talking to the Daily Star Sport yesterday.
“I don’t want to look back at what I missed in the past; rather, my main target is to see how I can manage myself and prolong my international career. I hope I will be available for selection for the next Asia Cup in March, but you know I have to prove myself before that,” he added.
Mashrafe was so frustrated with the latest injury that he was even thinking of saying goodbye to the longer version of cricket, but he has got back his confidence through the way he has been recovering from the injury.
“You all know this was the seventh operation on my knee, so you can understand what had been going through my mind when I again underwent surgery in May this year, but now I’m confident about reviving my Test career. Definitely, my goal is to prepare myself so that I can play Test cricket again. But before all that I want to perform well in the Premier League no matter how many matches I play,” said Mashrafe.
BCB’s physician Dr. Debashish Chowdhury also expressed his optimism over Mashrafe’s recovery.
“Mashrafe is now fine and hopefully he can play the Premier League from mid January next year. He is almost okay and giving seventy percent effort in his bowling. What we must ensure is that we manage him properly when we handle him in competitive cricket,” opined Debashish.
-With The Daily Star input
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]]>The post First-class not BCB’s first priority? appeared first on Dhaka Mirror.
]]>During the first part of the 2011-12 season, the BCB scheduled the NCL into two parts (split by the Eid-ul-Fitr break in mid-November), both of which had domestic international series as well as second-string and other tours interlaced. So when matches against West Indies and Pakistan were held at the same time as the first-class competition, none of the Tigers were available to play the much-needed four-day cricket.
Such arrangements have meant that those who have played all five Test matches this year — Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Shahriar Nafees and Mushfiqur Rahim — have totalled four first-class matches between them. Rubel Hossain, Shahadat Hossain and Nasir Hossain have played four Tests each with the Bagerhat paceman playing a considerably less first-class cricket than the other two.
In fact, Tamim and Rubel haven’t played first-class cricket in Bangladesh for a long time. The left-handed opener’s last NCL game was in November 2007 while Rubel hasn’t played one since December 2008.
Nazimuddin and Mohammad Ashraful are among the Test players to have played more than ten first-class games in 2011, though in the latter’s case it clearly hasn’t worked. But the Chittagong batsman’s persistence in the longer version has paid off after he won a Test cap against Pakistan and impressed. Elias Sunny and Robiul Islam have also played eight and nine first-class matches respectively with one of them, the left-arm spinner, clearly living up to his reputation.
Most of these players have had to fend for themselves and try to sneak in (or out) of first-class games, but if there was a proper schedule under strict guidance in place, none of this would have happened. Nobody can guarantee a leap in a player’s international performance but regular first-class cricket keeps the players honest and good habits in place.
In this regard, the BCB has failed the players and the nation as a whole. By giving higher priority to the more rewarding Dhaka Premier League and the potentially more lucrative Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 competition, they have provided the players succour without the assurance.
If the same cricketers are found wanting in another Test series, most of them would be dumped, and the money from such tournaments in the future wouldn’t be as forthcoming as it is at present.
The weather conditions in the country is the last resort when it comes to giving excuses. There is no doubt that the Bangladesh cricket season could start from October and end in May but the start and end of the season would be hampered by rain. But instead of working around the problem, what happened this time has exposed those who have the power in the cricket board. The NCL could have been finished at one stretch and then the two other tournaments held, despite either one taking place during an international series.
But the Dhaka clubs wield the invisible hand of power in Bangladesh cricket and they have the final say. If they want the Premier League to take place from December 28 and only take a break for the BPL, the decision is cast in stone.
Whether such a decision hurts the country’s cricket and image, it is up to the BCB to decide and the last time one checked, they too remain unmoved.
-With The Daily Star input
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