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Saturday 31 December 2011
Sunday 20 November 2011
Subrina subdues Bengal tigresses
With the 80-run win over Bangladesh, the Caribbean women have now won all four of their group matches to lead Group B, winning qualification to the Women’s World Cup 2013.
Winning the toss, Bangladesh skipper Salma Khatun opted to bowl first and medium pacer Jahanara Alam gave her captain the breakthrough in the seventh over as she dismissed Windies opener Juliana Nera.
Opener Stafanie Taylor then contributed 62 in an 84-run partnership with Shanel Daley, who added 61, and steered the boat to safety.
After Stafanie and Shanel were dismissed in the 29th and 33rd over by Rumana Ahmed and Salma respectively, the Windies side’s run rate slowed down.
In the last ten overs, the West Indians lost four wickets, trying to add some quick runs.
In the end, the Caribbean side set Bangladesh a target of 218 runs. Khadijatul Kubra and Rumana shared two wickets each for the local side.
In reply, the Bangladesh batsmen took their time and tried to stick to the wicket for as long as possible.
However, the strategy did not do them any good as Subrina bagged seven wickets in just six overs, conceding 21 runs.
The hosts were all out in 47 overs scoring 137 runs of which 21 runs were gifted by the West Indians as extras.
Middle-order batsman Rumana scored 28 runs, the highest for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh will now face Group A runners-up Sri Lanka in the Super Six at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Mashrafe joins Tigers’ training camp
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has confirmed that he will be back to bowling fitness in the coming month.The former national captain began training outdoors with the national cricketers from yesterday here at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium after almost a year.
"It may take 5-6 weeks to start bowling in the nets. If I could start bowling in the nets, and I hope within a few days I would get back my rhythm," Mashrafe told reporters after the Tigers completed a light session in the port city.
"I may go to Australia once more to check my fitness and it will all depend on what the physio suggests me," he added.
Mashrafe missed cricket this year after sustaining a major twist on his right knee during a Premier League game at the BKSP on December 21 last year. He tried extremely hard to make it to the World Cup squad but after being
kept out, he missed the entire year of international and domestic cricket.
Dr David Young operated on the injured knee after the World Cup and since then, it has been a long road to recovery for the Narail Express.
His call-up to the 15-man training squad is an encouraging sign and Mashrafe has confirmed that he was feeling well after his first day in training.Though he won't be part of the squad against Pakistan, he was hopeful that the current bowling attack will handle the much stronger opponent.
The Tigers will train here for the next five days before returning to Dhaka for the start of the series against Pakistan.
Wednesday 2 November 2011
Shakib Al Hasan's 5/63 and 73(72) vs West Indies
Shakib waged a lone battle with eighth career 5 wicket haul and an aggressive 73 in the 2nd test in Dhaka against West Indies to repair the damage done by Fidel Edwards and the fragile top order. He became the bangladeshi bowler with the most 5 wicket hauls surpassing Mohammad Rafique.
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Bishoo spins West Indies to series win
The recklessness of Bangladesh's top-order batsmen will continue to raise questions about their ability to bat for long durations. Their performances were characterised by bursts of attractive strokeplay, which brought quick runs but also betrayed a lack of responsibility and an inadequate grasp of the situation. Tamim had batted with caution on the fourth day after surviving two close calls and being reprimanded by Raqibul Hasan. In the third over on the fifth day, however, Tamim stepped out to Bishoo, who was turning the ball in from the rough, and tried to drive over extra cover; instead, he edged to slip. With a hundred there for the taking on a largely unthreatening track, and the prospect of a draw still alive, he threw away his wicket.
In contrast, Mushfiqur seemed unshakeable at the other end. He worked the ball around, used his wrists, was committed to playing along the ground and was prompt in dispatching the bad deliveries. He reached forward to ease Fidel Edwards through the covers to bring up his half-century and drove a full ball from Bishoo elegantly past mid-off. But, in the dying moments of the morning session, Mushfiqur was bamboozled by Bishoo's quicker legbreak, which was fired in and spat away to beat his defence and take off stump.
West Indies bowled their fair share of tripe, and Shakib's first three boundaries were all off long hops. But there was also risk in his approach. Too often Shakib tried to sweep from the rough outs
Tuesday 1 November 2011
Tigers hoping against hope
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal plays a full-blooded shot past West Indian fielder Darren Bravo during his priceless innings of 82 not out on the fourth day of the second Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Tuesday. — Sanaul HaqueIf history is anything to go by few would give Bangladesh any chance to save the second Test match against West Indies with just seven wickets in hand, still needing 344 runs on a fifth day track.
But the Tigers are not ready to give up hopes, at least until the first session on the fifth day, which will effectively determine what approach Bangladesh should take in the game.
Set a massive target of 508 runs, the Tigers were caught in two minds whether to attack or defence in their second innings before being settled for 164-3 at close on the fourth day.
While their style of batting suggests Bangladesh can very much achieve their target if they can bat out 90 overs, they have many odds against them, especially the record book.
The Tigers will have to create a new world record by some distance if they are to win this game as no team could ever successfully chase down a target of more than 500 runs in the fourth innings.
In fact only four times the teams were successful to win a Test match when they had a 400-plus target.
It is more a difficult task for Bangladesh, who have their highest Test score is 488 runs and that too against a depleted Zimbabwean attack. If sustainability is more important than total runs scored, history is also against them in that case.
To save the Test match Bangladesh will have to bat at least 137 overs in their fourth innings, something which they have done only once before and that too against the same Zimbabwean attack in 2005.
But the West Indian attack is far superior to Zimbabwe’s, which the Tigers successfully negotiated for 142 overs at the Bangabandhu National Stadium for a draw.
Many were citing the example of Bangladesh’s highest fourth innings total of 413 runs scored against Sri Lanka at the very ground at Mirpur, but even that would hardly be any inspiration.
In that game against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh were on 254-5 after the end of fourth day with Mohammad Ashraful (70 not out) and Sakib al Hasan (34 not out) at the crease.
But they could add only 159 runs on the fifth day and eventually suffered a massive 107-run defeat chasing a world record target of 521 runs.
Compared to that game, the job is more difficult now as they need to score nearly four runs (3.82) per over.
In their brief history, Bangladesh made highest 355 runs in a day but that came on a flat first-day track against a jet-legged Australian attack at the Fatullah Stadium in 2006.
These are all suggesting it will be quite an achievement if Bangladesh managed to draw this game.
But at least one member of the Bangladesh team believes a draw is out of their equation.
‘If we can bat out a day, I don’t think the match will end in a draw. In that case we will win game,’ said batsman Naeem Islam, representing Bangladesh at the post-day press conference.
‘It all depends on how you do in the first session. If we lose few wickets, definitely we will not go for a win. Otherwise the way wicket is behaving and we are batting in this innings, a win for us is still possible,’ he said.
Not all players, however, agreed.
Speaking to reporters at the stadium, ex-captain Sakib said draw is the most likely gettable result for them.
‘The pitch is still good for batting. If you don’t want to get out it’s tough for the bowlers to dismiss you,’ said Sakib.
‘But I don’t think win is possible because if we don’t get out and raise the prospect the bowling will be different. Scoring runs then will be very difficult,’ he added.
Monday 31 October 2011
Darren Bravo takes Windies lead past 400
Lunch West Indies 355 and 309 for 4 (Bravo 151*, Chanderpaul 33*) lead Bangladesh 231 by 433 runs
Live TV
Live TV
West Indies approached the morning session with caution and largely relied on quiet accumulation to extend their lead to 433. There didn't appear to be any demons in the pitch, though the spells from Devendra Bishoo and Marlon Samuels yesterday morning and the rough patches on either side of the crease promised much more in the second innings. As it turned out, West Indies had little difficulty dealing with a spin-strong attack and chose to gradually move to a position of impregnability on the fourth day, possibly with a plan of giving themselves a day-and-a-half to bowl out the hosts. With the cushion of a significant lead and seven wickets in hand when play began, one would have expected the centurion Darren Bravo, in particular, to bat with freedom and show some aggression to set up a declaration at lunch. But with the field spread out, he chose to work the ball around, often through midwicket and down the ground, picked up singles and twos while dispatching a couple of poor balls from Shahadat for boundaries. For the most part, though, barring an attempt by nightwatchman Kemar Roach to send the ball to Chittagong that cost him his wicket, the approach was restrained.
The spinners Suhrawadi Shuvo and Nasir Hossain hardly got any turn, the seamers were off the mark and the element of predictability about the bowling will have raised questions about why West Indies ticked along at just a little over three an over for much of the session. Perhaps weighing on their mind would have been the trend of high scores in the fourth innings in Mirpur - two matches have been won here by sides chasing 200 with few wickets lost, and Bangladesh once managed 413 in a losing cause against Sri Lanka.
However, three boundaries from Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the same over from Nasir - over mid-off, through midwicket and past extra cover - minutes before lunch, and a pulled boundary by Bravo that raised his 150, indicated a short burst might be in store after the break.
Razzak’s mother passes away
West Indies Taking Huge Lead
Bravo who completed his century in the last ball of the day was also assisted by shoddy fielding display of Bangladesh. Shakib Al Hasan was the bowler in both times when Mushfiqur Rahim missed the chance behind the wicket and Imrul Kayes at slip.
He did not look back then but understandably were slower when the prospect of century loomed. Otherwise he was fluent and set the tune having counterattacked the bowlers from the words go after his side was reeling on 33 for two.
Kirk Edwards played a perfect foil to him to leave Bangladeshi bowlers at bay. Edwards was determined to stick to the wicket when Bravo was on song.
There was reasonably turn and bite in the pitch which Devendra Bishoo extracted in the morning to polish off Bangladesh tail. Much to the worry for the batters there was rough patches on either side of the crease. But surprisingly the home side which was blessed with packed left arm bowlers could not capitalise on it. Credit should go for Edwards and Bravo who showed their solidity and calmness that reversed the pressure on the hosts. As fielders missed some catches, the bowlers gradually became frustrated. Both batsmen utilised it shrewdly and grinded down Bangladesh to march towards throwing a big total.
In the process both went towards the century confidently. However Suhrawardi Shuvo brought up some smile in Bangladeshi players’ face just nine overs before the stumps when he delivered a straighter to scatter Edwards wicket on 86. Edwards clobbered seven fours and a six during his patient 204 balls knock.
Bravo then resisted further wicket fall and completed his century off 165 balls hitting seven fours and two sixes.
Shakib Al Hasan and Suhrawardi Shuvo claimed one wicket apiece.
Earlier resuming the day with 204 for seven, Bangladesh batters were crumbled by Bishoo’s vicious leg spin and could be able to add just 27 runs to their overnight total to be wrapped up for 231. Bishoo snared three wickets while Edwards could not add any wicket to his overnight five-wicket haul.
Sunday 30 October 2011
Shakib fourth time unlucky
Azad Majumder
Bangladesh all-rounder Sakib al Hasan missed another opportunity to achieve the feat of adding a century to his five-wicket haul when he was out for 73 runs in the second Test against West Indies on Sunday.
Sakib raised the prospect of highly commendable feat after he claimed 5-63 in West Indies’ first innings to help Bangladesh bowl them out for 355 runs before leading their fightback with the bat.
This was the fourth time Sakib has missed the feat, last achieved by South Africa’s Jacques Kallis nearly a decade ago against Bangladesh incidentally at Potchefstroom in 2002.
Only 19 cricketers were able do so on 26 occasions in Test cricket with England’s Ian Botham alone doing it five times. Garry Sobers of West Indies, Mushtaq Mohammad of Pakistan and Kallis did it twice and with a bit of luck Sakib could have joined them easily.
In his brief 24-Test career, Sakib first created the chance when he took his career best 7-36 against New Zealand and followed it up with a half-century in Chittagong only to be dismissed for 71 runs in 2007.
Sakib came agonisingly close twice in consecutive years after that heart-breaking match, which Bangladesh lost from a winning position.
He was out for 96 runs after taking 5-70 against Sri Lanka at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium when Bangladesh were chasing an improbable target of 521 runs in December 2008.
Coincidentally, he was unbeaten on 96 after his 5-70 to miss out on another chance when he led Bangladesh to a win against West Indies in 2009.
From the team’s perspective a century and five wickets were badly needed for Bangladesh from Sakib in this Test as they were lagging behind from the very beginning.
Sakib fulfilled the demand with the ball with two wickets each in two sessions to complete his eighth five-wicket haul, but found himself in an awkward situation when it was his turn for batting.
With Bangladesh reeling at 59-5, Sakib was in two minds between attack and defence and finally paid the price for it when he was bowled by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.
His frustration at the crease was something to watch after the flighted delivery, which took a big turn before hitting the stumps giving Bishoo the only success so far in the Bangladesh innings.
By the time play ended, Sakib, however, became easy and relished his fourth five-wicket and fifty in Tests, which is itself an achievement for a player representing a team like Bangladesh.
‘I don’t think they have bowled really that well,’ he told reporters. ‘Perhaps I should have showed a little bit of patience. But in cricket you cannot say anything like that because I could have got out just trying to block.’
‘I am happy but it would have been better if I could get the hundred as I was timing the ball very well,’ said Sakib.
Despite the fact that Bangladesh are trailing West Indies by 151 runs with only three wickets in hand, Sakib believed the game is far from over for the hosts.
‘I think we are not out of the game. If we have a target of 350 runs to chase in the fourth innings I think we have the capability to knock it off,’ he said.
Saturday 29 October 2011
Spinners strike after Edwards century
A patient, determined century from Kirk Edwards and a fluent innings at the other end from Marlon Samuels helped West Indies get their innings back on track in a productive morning session but like they had done on the opening day, Bangladesh hit back with late wickets to offset those gains.
Rubel Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan bowled through the first hour but were stone-walled by Edwards while Samuels, who had batted confidently towards the close on the first day, continued in similar fashion. The pair were able to pinch singles thanks to a spread-out field on the off side and received a periodic dose of bad balls - Samuels dispatched a flighted delivery from Shakib through the covers, and drove a full toss past mid-on.
Rubel was quick and sharp, and tested Edwards with a round-the-wicket line angling away from the off stump, and even ruffled him with a short ball that was top-edged for four. In unfavourable conditions, opportunities didn't come easily to the hosts and Rubel was unfortunate to not nip out a wicket.
Even more so was Nasir Hossain, who was the pick of the bowlers yesterday, turning the new ball and getting some bite. In his first over of the morning, he induced Edwards to prod at one, caused an outside edge only to watch Mushfiqur Rahim put it down. Edwards was quick to put the lapse behind him and continued to employ the approach against turn that had helped him fight through the first day; he used his feet and was committed to play through the line. Two straight boundaries off Nasir in that same over, a thump down the ground off Suhrawadi Shuvo shortly after, that brought up his second ton in his third Test, and a six over long-off bore testimony to that.
Nasir pulled one back when Samuels tried to drive forcefully past him; he dived acrobatically to his left and plucked out a sharp catch to break a threatening stand. Carlton Baugh followed soon, slashing one to slip off Shakib. And the agony for Edwards, watching from the other end, piled up when Darren Sammy trod back onto his stumps as he failed to make contact with a delivery that kept really low down the leg side. A session that was West Indies' for the bulk of its duration ended with honours even, following the pattern of the opening day.
2nd Test: Bangladesh strike after being pushed
WI 253/5 (90) Edwards 71*, Powell 72, Brathwaite 50 [Stumps,Day 1]An inexperienced West Indies top order rose to the occasion to trigger a strong comeback in Mirpur after Bangladesh had enjoyed the better of the drawn first Test in Chittagong.
On a track that promised plenty of runs and just as much discouragement for the bowlers the trio of Kieran Powell, Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk Edwards struck half-centuries to lay the foundation for a substantial first-innings score. But the performance was undermined, somewhat, when Bangladesh grabbed three wickets in the final session to give themselves hope of thwarting a West Indian attempt to bat them out of the Test.
It didn't take long for the Bangladesh bowlers to discover that there was no swing, hardly any movement off the pitch and not much turn. It didn't help that the hosts were also missing Elias Sunny, who grabbed seven wickets on debut in the opening Test on a supportive pitch, due to a stomach upset. The attacking fields quickly grew defensive, spin was introduced as early as the sixth over and opportunities created were largely a result of the batsmen's own misjudgement. The West Indies approach was cautious for much of the day, largely devoid of risks and reliant on quiet accumulation.
A back injury to Lendl Simmons meant a game for Powell, and he, along with Brathwaite, shrugged off some early moments of discomfort to bat out an entire session with assuredness and solidity. Both were just a Test old before this game but capitalised on a flat track to help themselves to individual landmarks that should only boost their future Test prospects. There was little room for error on the part of the seamers early on and the pair was prompt to dispatch any bad balls that came its way. Rubel Hossain and Shahadat Hossain were often guilty of bowling too short, and kept providing periodic openings for the batsmen to break free.
Brathwaite was also at ease when the ball was pitched up. He drove Shahadat through the covers and past mid-on, worked the strike by clipping the ball through the leg side and later slashed him through point. He'd been a little vulnerable against Rubel, who persisted with an off-stump line against him and should have had him when he cut one just wide of gully before lunch. He finally had his man, who chased a slightly wide delivery once too often, caught on 50.
At the other end, Powell looked more fluent. His shots lack flourish but the stand-out feature of his batting is his timing. His maiden half-century was laced with languid punches and drives through the off side with a minimum of effort and unlike Brathwaite, who was restrained against spin, Powell was more authoritative in his treatment of the slower bowlers. He got going, pulling Shahadat through square leg before driving a meaty full toss, stood tall to crack the ball through the gaps on the off side and reached forward to drive the spinners when they pitched up. He looked good for much more than 72 - after adding 100 with Brathwaite and 55 with Edwards - but was bowled playing inside the line to debutant left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo.
Edwards had been scratchy in Chittagong but was at greater ease against the minimal turn and made a committed effort to use his feet, get to the pitch and play through the line. He collected plenty of runs, driving through mid-on, when the slow bowlers offered flight and even stepped out to clear the in-field on one occasion. Like the others, he was more confident against pace. Rubel was pulled for successive fours, Shahadat clipped through fine leg. Shahadat was taken for runs by Marlon Samuels as well, after Bangladesh fought back post tea.
West Indies had been going along well at 180 for 2, Darren Bravo having settled in with a couple of boundaries. But like Powell he too misread a straighter one, and was trapped lbw by offspinner Nasir Hossain who kept the batsmen in check through his round-the-wicket line. Among the spinners, he managed to turn the ball the most and got some extra bite with the second new ball that was enough to induce an edge from Shivnarine Chanderpaul that was feathered to the keeper. Nightwatchman Kemar Roach had no answer to an arm ball from Shakib Al Hasan two overs later, and the two quick wickets just prior to stumps somewhat undermined a far-improved West Indies batting effort.
Friday 28 October 2011
Bangladesh vs West Indies 3rd ODI Highlights
A ten mins highlights for 50 over game i thought that is impossible. But its possible when west indies gets out for 61. Watch Bangladesh vs West Indies 3rd ODI. Score: West Indies 61/10 Bangladesh 62/2; Bangladesh won by 8 wickets.
Thursday 27 October 2011
Tigers looking to show their best
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| In the driving seat number one All-Rounder Shakib Al Hasan. |
“We will try to give our best in all three areas in the next Test match. We will try to put in an improved performance than what we did in Chittagong Test. We have a lot to improve.”
“I think fielding was not up to the mark. We all played well at Chittagong. But we could not build a big partnership. In Dhaka, we all have to try to do well in our fielding, batting and bowling along with making a big partnership so we could achieve a good thing from the last match in Dhaka,” Shakib said while answering various questions to the media person at the conference room at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) on Thursday after finishing their practice session.
The southpaw, who regained the top position in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings beating Australian Shane Watson, grabbing 415 points after a few months' hiatus. The performance in the Zimbabwe tour and the ongoing home series helped him regain the covetous position.
The lad from Magura said, “To be on the top of the ranking is very important for me as it inspires me much. I feel good. Personally it bears significance for me. It works as a motivator to play even better for the team.”
“After losing the number one position, some people still mistakenly thought that I was on the top of the rankings. I had to correct them saying, no, I'm now number two. So it's good to be on top again.”
When asked about wicket, the recently discarded captain of the national team said, “We all know wicket has a role in the game. But I think too much dependency on the wicket will have negative impact on our performance, because we may not get the wicket that we want. So no matter how the wicket behaves, we will have to play ourselves. We are working hard throughout the series and we should be confident on our own skills and team spirit. So everyone of the team is focusing on that.”
Two players including Suhrawardi Shuvo and Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury will tour to West Indies with the Bangladesh A team prior to the start of the last Test match. On the other hand, vice captain Mahmudullah Ryad again injured during the net practice with the team after recovering from half a month long sickness. So, most likely an unchanged Bangladesh team will take on the tourists in their last Test match of the two match series.
The 24-year old all-rounder said, “Our game strategy will be made as per opponents' XI. If they play against us with three seamers our strategy will be one type but if they get down with more spinners in the forthcoming match, our game plan will be different. But we all have to accept that their bowling attack is good. We have to play against them keeping the sense in mind.”
Tigers looking to show their best
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| In the driving seat number one All-Rounder Shakib Al Hasan. |
“We will try to give our best in all three areas in the next Test match. We will try to put in an improved performance than what we did in Chittagong Test. We have a lot to improve.”
“I think fielding was not up to the mark. We all played well at Chittagong. But we could not build a big partnership. In Dhaka, we all have to try to do well in our fielding, batting and bowling along with making a big partnership so we could achieve a good thing from the last match in Dhaka,” Shakib said while answering various questions to the media person at the conference room at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) on Thursday after finishing their practice session.
The southpaw, who regained the top position in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings beating Australian Shane Watson, grabbing 415 points after a few months' hiatus. The performance in the Zimbabwe tour and the ongoing home series helped him regain the covetous position.
The lad from Magura said, “To be on the top of the ranking is very important for me as it inspires me much. I feel good. Personally it bears significance for me. It works as a motivator to play even better for the team.”
“After losing the number one position, some people still mistakenly thought that I was on the top of the rankings. I had to correct them saying, no, I'm now number two. So it's good to be on top again.”
When asked about wicket, the recently discarded captain of the national team said, “We all know wicket has a role in the game. But I think too much dependency on the wicket will have negative impact on our performance, because we may not get the wicket that we want. So no matter how the wicket behaves, we will have to play ourselves. We are working hard throughout the series and we should be confident on our own skills and team spirit. So everyone of the team is focusing on that.”
Two players including Suhrawardi Shuvo and Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury will tour to West Indies with the Bangladesh A team prior to the start of the last Test match. On the other hand, vice captain Mahmudullah Ryad again injured during the net practice with the team after recovering from half a month long sickness. So, most likely an unchanged Bangladesh team will take on the tourists in their last Test match of the two match series.
The 24-year old all-rounder said, “Our game strategy will be made as per opponents' XI. If they play against us with three seamers our strategy will be one type but if they get down with more spinners in the forthcoming match, our game plan will be different. But we all have to accept that their bowling attack is good. We have to play against them keeping the sense in mind.”
Shakib flying on a high again
Former Bangladesh captain Sakib al Hasan completes the parachute drill during a training session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday. Being the number one all-rounder once again in the ICC one-day ranking is a motivation former Bangladesh skipper Shakib al Hasan would like to use to turn the heat on West Indies in the second Test beginning on Saturday.
Shakib returned to the summit this week after a little more than six months thanks to his impressive showings in the preceding one-day series with bat and ball. He was the top all-rounder for more than 115 weeks from January 2009 to April 2011 before being displaced by Australia’s Shane Watson.
‘It does motivate me,’ Sakib told reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday. ‘From a personal point of view it is important and does play a role to motivate me,’ said Sakib.
‘I am not sure whether it will play any part or not [in my Test form). But it can work as an inspiration. I won’t say it will, but it can. This is good news and it can help encourage me to play well,’ he added.
Sakib stressed that Bangladesh must improve in all areas if they are to beat West Indies in Dhaka despite having a psychological advantage after ruling to roost in Chittagong.
‘We should try to improve our batting, bowling and fielding. In Chittagong, we batted well but no-one got a big score, so I hope that everyone would try to achieve that. If someone makes a big score it helps us put a healthy total,’ said Sakib.
‘We bowled well in the first innings which we want to carry on. We did not perform well as a fielding unit where there are lots of areas to improve,’ said Sakib.
The number one one-day all-rounder and premier spinner of the country urged his team-mates not to put too much emphasis on the Sher-e-Bangla wicket which often disheartened them.
Bangladesh were hoping to put West Indies in a spin in the one-day series but were left cursing the wicket in the first two ODIs in Dhaka which turned flat and conducive to batting.
West Indies took full advantage to seal the series in Dhaka with two massive wins before they finally got what they were apprehending since coming on the tour in Chittagong.
Bangladesh dismissed them for 61 runs in Chittagong in a stunning reversal of their fortune in the World Cup when they were dismissed by the same side for 58 runs in Dhaka.
The entire Bangladesh team are now looking for a wicket similar to the one in Chittagong to be offered in Dhaka, which Sakib said sometimes can be deceiving for them.
‘Naturally wicket will play a part and more so because we are playing in our home condition. But I think it would not be wise to think a lot about the wicket as it is not in our hands,’ said Sakib.
‘Though we expect to have some advantages if that is not the case we cannot be sitting idle. We had worked hard we should have faith in ourselves and in our skills,’ said Sakib.
Sakib was happy to have Elias Sunny as his bowling partner and he hoped him to reduce some of his workload.
‘It feels nice. He bowled a lot of wicket-taking deliveries which was good to see. Personally for me it was good because I had to bowl a lot less,’ Sakib said.
On a stunning debut Sunny claimed seven wickets for 128 runs which gave the second best start in a Test career for any Bangladeshi bowler after Mahmudullah, who claimed 8-110 against West Indies in 2009. ‘I just hope it will be good as it will create a healthy competition,’ said Sakib.
Wednesday 26 October 2011
Tuesday 25 October 2011
Sunny takes seven wickets in drawn Test
Chittagong: 
Bangladesh's Elias Sunny made a memorable seven-wicket debut against the West Indies in the rain-hit opening Test, which ended in a draw on the fifth and final day on Tuesday.
The left-arm spinner grabbed 6-94 in the first innings and 1-34 in the second as the West Indies finished at 100-2 after being set a 226-run target to win the match off 37 overs.
Opener Lendl Simmons made a 49-ball 44, while Kirk Edwards (28 not out) and Darren Bravo (24 not out) were the unbeaten batsmen when play was called off with 15 overs remaining.
No play was possible due to rain on Saturday and Sunday.
Sunny also became the third Bangladeshi to bag six wickets in an innings on debut in the morning session as the West Indies were bowled out for 244 in their first innings in reply to Bangladesh's 350-9 declared.
The hosts declared their second innings closed at their tea total of 119-3, with left-handed Shahriar Nafees (50) scoring his sixth Test half-century with the help of eight fours.
Openers Imrul Kayes (13) and Tamim Iqbal (37) were the other batsmen dismissed in the second session.
Seamers Darren Sammy and Ravi Rampaul, and spinner Marlon Samuels each took one wicket.
The second and final Test starts in Dhaka on October 29.
The West Indies earlier added 100 runs in 17 overs to their overnight total of 144-5, with skipper Sammy smashing a brisk 43-ball 58 with the help of two sixes and eight fours for his maiden Test half-century.
Sunny, 25, took two of the five wickets to fall in the morning session while left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan took the last three wickets to finish with 3-53 off 18 overs.
Sunny, who took four wickets on Monday, struck in his second over when he had Samuels caught by Raqibul Hasan in the covers. Samuels could add just seven runs to his overnight score of 17.
Sammy and Carlton Baugh (30) then counter-attacked to add 60 runs in just seven overs for the seventh wicket before Sunny broke the stand when he bowled Baugh for his sixth victim.
The West Indies captain completed his half-century with a six off Sunny, but did not last long as he was bowled by Shakib after hitting the second six of his innings.
Shakib also dismissed Devendra Bishoo for no score in the same over.
Bangladesh's Elias Sunny made a memorable seven-wicket debut against the West Indies in the rain-hit opening Test, which ended in a draw on the fifth and final day on Tuesday.The left-arm spinner grabbed 6-94 in the first innings and 1-34 in the second as the West Indies finished at 100-2 after being set a 226-run target to win the match off 37 overs.
Opener Lendl Simmons made a 49-ball 44, while Kirk Edwards (28 not out) and Darren Bravo (24 not out) were the unbeaten batsmen when play was called off with 15 overs remaining.
No play was possible due to rain on Saturday and Sunday.
Sunny also became the third Bangladeshi to bag six wickets in an innings on debut in the morning session as the West Indies were bowled out for 244 in their first innings in reply to Bangladesh's 350-9 declared.
The hosts declared their second innings closed at their tea total of 119-3, with left-handed Shahriar Nafees (50) scoring his sixth Test half-century with the help of eight fours.
Openers Imrul Kayes (13) and Tamim Iqbal (37) were the other batsmen dismissed in the second session.
Seamers Darren Sammy and Ravi Rampaul, and spinner Marlon Samuels each took one wicket.
The second and final Test starts in Dhaka on October 29.
The West Indies earlier added 100 runs in 17 overs to their overnight total of 144-5, with skipper Sammy smashing a brisk 43-ball 58 with the help of two sixes and eight fours for his maiden Test half-century.
Sunny, 25, took two of the five wickets to fall in the morning session while left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan took the last three wickets to finish with 3-53 off 18 overs.
Sunny, who took four wickets on Monday, struck in his second over when he had Samuels caught by Raqibul Hasan in the covers. Samuels could add just seven runs to his overnight score of 17.
Sammy and Carlton Baugh (30) then counter-attacked to add 60 runs in just seven overs for the seventh wicket before Sunny broke the stand when he bowled Baugh for his sixth victim.
The West Indies captain completed his half-century with a six off Sunny, but did not last long as he was bowled by Shakib after hitting the second six of his innings.
Shakib also dismissed Devendra Bishoo for no score in the same over.
Monday 24 October 2011
Sunny's 6 wickets Haul Tigers Big Lead
Lunch Bangladesh 34 for 1 (Tamim 16*, Nafees 0*) and 350 for 9 decl lead West Indies 244 (Sammy 58, Chanderpaul 49, Sunny 6-94) by 140 runs runs
Elias Sunny continued to shine brightly, making further inroads into the West Indies batting line-up and becoming only the fourth Bangladesh bowler to take a five-for on debut. But his team was also on the receiving end of a counter-attack led by Darren Sammy, who raced to his first half-century in Tests, a slightly belated achievement for someone leading the side as a genuine allrounder.
Sunny increased his tally to six, removing overnight batsmen Marlon Samuels and Carlton Baugh, and ensured Bangladesh remained in the ascendancy. Though Sammy's naturally attacking approach significantly boosted the score, and in quick time, on a turning fifth-day track, Bangladesh's lead was still sizable enough to give them plenty of confidence going into the next Test. Shakib Al Hasan supported Sunny with three wickets, including that of Sammy, to bring the West Indies response to a close.
The early fall of Samuels, who needlessly attempted a drive over extra cover only to be caught, marked a memorable debut for Sunny, handing him his fifth wicket - Naimur Rehman, Manjurul Islam and Mahmudullah had achieved the same feat earlier. But the threat of a dispiriting collapse from the visitors was averted by a spunky, entertaining stand between Sammy and Baugh - the Test was virtually dead and directionless after two days were lost to rain but days four and five have given spectators many moments to savour. Sammy dealt harshly with spin from one end while Baugh targeted the pace of Rubel at the other.
Sammy bat-padded his first ball just in front of short leg; that must have prompted him to shun caution and do what he was most comfortable doing. He smashed Sunny over midwicket and mid-on the next two deliveries before slashing him through point the next over; predictably, the field moved back, but that didn't stop Sammy. He slog-swept Shakib, who replaced Sunny, and drilled him through long-on for successive boundaries and there was more frustration for the hosts when Tamim Iqbal dropped him in the deep.
Baugh, in the interim, had a similar experience against Rubel, who was bowling quick. He was taken aback by a testing bouncer that he managed to fend away for four and replied imperiously, pulling Rubel through midwicket, delicately glancing him down the fine-leg boundary and hooking him in the same direction. The pair had added 60 runs in 41 balls, taken their team past 200, before Sunny returned for a new spell and bowled Baugh, who went for the sweep, round his legs.
The counter-attack, however, continued; Rampaul slog-swept a six before being dismissed and Sammy bludgeoned two massive sixes over long-on - one got him to his half-century - before swinging wildly and being bowled by one that kept low from Shakib, who finished the innings.
Fidel Edwards and Rampaul bowled menacingly in the second innings, attacking from round the wicket, troubling the openers with bouncers and nipping out the wicket of Imrul Kayes, who edged a catch to the keeper. There was a brief interruption when Lendl Simmons complained about something being thrown onto the field from the stands - an incident that briefly blighted a compelling morning session.
Sunny gives a ray of hope
Left-arm spinner Elias Sunny gave Bangladesh a ray of hope when he picked up 4-56 on his debut to leave West Indies reeling at 144-5 on the fourth day of the first Test in Chittagong on Monday.
With the chance of a result dead and buried in the mud, Sunny brought some life into the game, striking at regular interval that initially raised the prospect for Bangladesh to enforce a follow on.
This was the only way Bangladesh would have opened a window for them to push for win and they nearly did it thanks to Sunny who had never played for them in any format of the game.
Sakib al Hasan maintained a tight line from the other end but never looked as threatening as Sunny, who could have ended the day with six to seven wickets to his name if all the catches had been taken off his bowling.
Interestingly, Sunny received his Test cap f
rom Sakib, a former captain and Bangladesh’s main spinner for more than
two years, who often bemoaned a lack of quality partner.
Selectors gave Abdur Razzak several breaks before turning to Sunny, a seasoned campaigner in domestic cricket for nearly a decade, who was never rated so highly.
And he made an impression almost immediately after coming close to a wicket in only his second ball before Shahadat Hossain denied him of the feat missing a simple catch at mid-on.
Sunny then took matters into his own hands and trapped Kirk Edwards
(17) leg before for his first Test wicket and two balls later Mushfiqur Rahim dropped a catch off his bowling.
There was no stopping for Sunny since then as he claimed three more wickets in the final session before announcing at the press conference that it could have been even better.
‘I could not bowl like the way I bowl usually,’ said Sunny after the day’s play. ‘I should have bowled much better, though I am happy with whatever I have got today.
‘It’s a dream come true for me. Every cricketer has this dream. When Sakib was giving me the cap, I simply can’t describe it in words how I felt. It must be very good,’ he said.
He has no regrets for so many missed opportunities with the fielders dropping simple catches and edges falling short of the slip cordon.
‘Catch miss is part of the game. I never think too much about it. I believe whatever Allah does, he does it for our benefit. I am really happy with my achievement,’ he said.
Sunny said he did not feel any pressure despite playing his debut match.
‘You got to have some pressure always in these types of matches. But I never felt this. If think I am playing first time today and took pressure on myself I would not be able to play well,’ he said.
In his debut Test Sunny had an interesting duel with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who took him to the sword hitting him two sixes off successive balls to ease some pressure on his side.
But Sunny came out victorious in the end, taking his wicket minutes before the stumps and this was the wicket that gave him more satisfaction. It is, however, not because of Chanderpaul’s sixes, but for his experience and reputation as good Test batsman.
‘I must say I was very excited to have the wicket of Chanderpaul. It is always great to have the wicket of a batsman like him,’ he said.
Chanderpaul’s wicket also took him close to a record, currently held by Naimur Rahman and Manjurul Islam, who both opened their account in Test cricket for Bangladesh with a six-wicket haul in an innings.
With still five wickets up for grabs in the West Indies innings, Sunny can very well emulate or overtake them and naturally this is what is his main motivation going into the fifth day.
‘After rain killed two days we have nothing much to do. Still we have a day left, batsmen can score few runs. We have also few bowling left, so there are always a few things to achieve,’ he said.
With the chance of a result dead and buried in the mud, Sunny brought some life into the game, striking at regular interval that initially raised the prospect for Bangladesh to enforce a follow on.
Sakib al Hasan maintained a tight line from the other end but never looked as threatening as Sunny, who could have ended the day with six to seven wickets to his name if all the catches had been taken off his bowling.
Interestingly, Sunny received his Test cap f
rom Sakib, a former captain and Bangladesh’s main spinner for more than
two years, who often bemoaned a lack of quality partner.
Selectors gave Abdur Razzak several breaks before turning to Sunny, a seasoned campaigner in domestic cricket for nearly a decade, who was never rated so highly.
And he made an impression almost immediately after coming close to a wicket in only his second ball before Shahadat Hossain denied him of the feat missing a simple catch at mid-on.
Sunny then took matters into his own hands and trapped Kirk Edwards
(17) leg before for his first Test wicket and two balls later Mushfiqur Rahim dropped a catch off his bowling.
There was no stopping for Sunny since then as he claimed three more wickets in the final session before announcing at the press conference that it could have been even better.
‘I could not bowl like the way I bowl usually,’ said Sunny after the day’s play. ‘I should have bowled much better, though I am happy with whatever I have got today.
‘It’s a dream come true for me. Every cricketer has this dream. When Sakib was giving me the cap, I simply can’t describe it in words how I felt. It must be very good,’ he said.
He has no regrets for so many missed opportunities with the fielders dropping simple catches and edges falling short of the slip cordon.
‘Catch miss is part of the game. I never think too much about it. I believe whatever Allah does, he does it for our benefit. I am really happy with my achievement,’ he said.
Sunny said he did not feel any pressure despite playing his debut match.
‘You got to have some pressure always in these types of matches. But I never felt this. If think I am playing first time today and took pressure on myself I would not be able to play well,’ he said.
In his debut Test Sunny had an interesting duel with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who took him to the sword hitting him two sixes off successive balls to ease some pressure on his side.
But Sunny came out victorious in the end, taking his wicket minutes before the stumps and this was the wicket that gave him more satisfaction. It is, however, not because of Chanderpaul’s sixes, but for his experience and reputation as good Test batsman.
‘I must say I was very excited to have the wicket of Chanderpaul. It is always great to have the wicket of a batsman like him,’ he said.
Chanderpaul’s wicket also took him close to a record, currently held by Naimur Rahman and Manjurul Islam, who both opened their account in Test cricket for Bangladesh with a six-wicket haul in an innings.
With still five wickets up for grabs in the West Indies innings, Sunny can very well emulate or overtake them and naturally this is what is his main motivation going into the fifth day.
‘After rain killed two days we have nothing much to do. Still we have a day left, batsmen can score few runs. We have also few bowling left, so there are always a few things to achieve,’ he said.
Sunday 23 October 2011
Nasir keeps Bangladesh on Top
Lunch Bangladesh 332 for 8 (Naeem 22*, Shahadat 4*, Bishoo 2-73, Edwards 2-78) v West Indies
A smattering of die-hard spectators graced the stadium with their presence as the sun broke out in full glow after being overshadowed by wet weather over two washed-out days. There was some entertainment in store for the sparse crowd, provided by both teams in an eventful session that went West Indies' way after the hosts had taken the honours on the first day. The time lost to weather meant there won't be much to play for in the remainder of the game, barring some momentum ahead of the next Test.
Having been under the covers for more than two days, the pitch didn't appear to have been affected overtly by the wetness that could have seeped through. Movement for the seamers was limited but there was some extra bounce; the spinners, however, derived a lot more assistance from the track than they did on the first day. There was sharp turn, exploited particularly well by Devendra Bishoo, and the Bangladesh batsmen didn't help their cause by falling to some rash strokes.
Mushfiqur Rahim acquitted himself well with the bat in his first Test as captain but lasted just one delivery on the fourth day, playing a little early to a short ball from Fidel Edwards and top-edging a catch to Bishoo at square leg. Unlike the first day, the Bangladesh batsmen were more aggressive and were helped by the periodic doses of short balls West Indies had been guilty of dishing out on the only full day of play yet in this Test. Shariar Nafees, who retired hurt after being smacked on the nose by an Edwards bouncer, returned to slash and pull the seamers for a couple of boundaries. But his stay ended when he chased a wide one from Edwards, under-edging a catch to the keeper.
The highlight for Bangladesh was the debutant Nasir Hossain, who gave the crowd plenty to cheer with his sprightly batting, which has earned him two half-centuries already in ODI cricket. He began by dispatching an Edwards full toss for four; a treatment reserved for several bad balls that the visitors doled out in the first session. He swatted and slashed Rampaul and Edwards, who was also driven through mid-on. Bishoo varied his flight well and beat the batsmen often but Nasir went after him as well, punching him through extra cover and over pulling over midwicket. He succumbed to his own aggression, looking to slog-sweep a slow legspinner, only to top-edge it and be caught. Not long after, another debutant, Elias Sunny was sent back to the dressing room by a Bishoo flipper.
West Indies missed two run-outs much to the crowd's amusement - one was straightforward, Kirk Edwards missing a direct hit with the batsman miles out - but the session ended with them having fought back well to recover some ground.
Wet outfield ruins day three as well
Overnight rain ruined any prospects of cricket on the third day as well in Chittagong, and the umpires abandoned the day's play around 90 minutes after the scheduled start. The entire ground was under covers in the morning and though the rain had relented, enough water had seeped through to leave wet patches around the field. Though the sun did break out, it wasn't hot and bright enough, nor was there enough wind, to ensure the ground dried up in time to get some play in. Played was called off on day two under overcast skies; today, there was some sunlight. Whether it's undermined by more rain remains to be seen.
Bangladesh 255 for 4 (Mushfiqur 64*, Tamim 52, Raqibul 41) v West Indies
Saturday 22 October 2011
Rain and damp outfield ensures no play
Overnight and early morning rain, and a damp outfield under overcast conditions, ensured there was no play on the second day of the first Test between Bangladesh and West Indies in Chittagong. Rain had been forecast for the first two days of the Test; though it stayed away on the first day on which Bangladesh reached 255 for 4, it arrived to play spoilsport on the second. There were several wet patches around the field and the overcast weather didn't give the umpires much hope that the ground would dry quickly. They decided to abandon the day's play after an inspection at 11.15am local time. Play is scheduled to start half-an-hour early on day three, at 9am local time.
Current Score: Bangladesh 255 for 4 (Mushfiqur 64*, Tamim 52, Raqibul 41) v West Indies
Friday 21 October 2011
Satisfied with the way I batted
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| Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim drives the ball through the off side during his unbeaten 68 on the first day of the first Test against the West Indies at Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday. |
With very little of the country's cricket history being memorialised, it becomes difficult to draw inspiration from past heroism if one hasn't witnessed it first-hand. Tamim Iqbal was looking through YouTube for footage of Fidel Edwards but resorted to a landmark moment for the Tigers.
Bangladesh's first earned Test draw in 2004 which saw Habibul Bashar, Mohammad Rafique and Khaled Mashud hit centuries had the Bajan in the West Indies bowling attack. Tamim decided that the trio's great performance on the day will be enough to rouse him.
“I was browsing through YouTube yesterday, looking for his [Edwards's] bowling and whenever I found a video, it was of him hitting someone on the nose or getting wickets. So I wasn't really sure what to watch,” began Tamim at the post-match press conference yesterday.
“Then I realised that Rafique bhai, Sumon bhai [Habibul Bashar] and Pilot bhai [Khaled Masud] scored centuries against [an attack that had] Edwards. I shared that memory with Imrul Kayes. I told him, 'If they could do it, why can't we?'
“So we went into the middle with a good feeling. He was trying his best but there wasn't anything in the wicket for him,” explained Tamim.
The left-hander's half-century gave the Tigers a good start to the Test match; the almost three-hour long 52 saw him survive Imrul in the first hour, cringe at Nafees getting slammed on the nose in the next and add 52 for the second wicket with Rokibul Hasan. Having weathered such choppy waters, Tamim was expected to stay on but his favoured slog-sweep became fatal.
“I have said that I'm still not at my best. I wanted to spend time in the middle to get back the rhythm in my batting,” he said.
“I don't have any regrets with the shot in which I got out. I have scored plenty of runs with this shot whenever I've played a big shot. It is one of my favourite shots.
“I don't have an answer for this [why I got out after being set]. I try to stay in the middle as long possible and score runs. I have to work this out, but I think I'm not at my best but I was satisfied with the way I batted today,” he added.
Despite his dismissal in the second session, Bangladesh moved into cruise control at the end of the day, a setting which Tamim praised.
“I think it is a good achievement that we batted one whole day. It is difficult to say how much we'll score since this isn't a fast-scoring wicket. Batsmen have to work hard on it. I think 320-350 will be a very good score.
“Normally when I drive a ball away from the body, it comes to the bat easily but it wasn't coming here. Hitting the ball was difficult unless it was pitched up or a really bad delivery.
“Even getting out was difficult as there wasn't any sideways movement or extra bounce,” he explained.
Nafees down but not out
Azad Majumder . Chittagong
Bangladesh batsman Shahriar Nafees left the crease with bloodied face on the first day of the first Test against West Indies on Friday, but escaped any serious injury, said his team-mates and officials.
Nafees was struck by a bouncer of Fidel Edwards in his face which forced him to retire hurt in the 20th over of Bangladesh’s innings. He was looking in good touch until the blow, scoring 21 off 18 balls with four boundaries.
Nafees, who spent the remaining hours in the dressing room and even managed to play football with team-mates after the day’s play, is expected to resume his batting today.
The blow, which could have been a career threatening injury for Nafees as it happened in other cases, brought a sense of panic in Bangladesh dressing room as it reminded them of a similar incident three years ago.
South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis hit Aftab Ahmed with a similar bouncer in a Test match at this very ground in 2008, which left the batsman unable to take part in any further proceedings of the game.
Nafees, however, did not need to go to hospital like Aftab and escaped with only some heavy swelling.
Tamim Iqbal, his batting partner on that occasion, said later that it motivated him to take care of Edwards and play well. ‘This is something that happened to me for the first time. I have never seen my batting partner to leave the pitch in such a way,’ said Tamim at the post-match press conference.
‘When he had taken the helmet off at first I thought he was sweating. If I say I wasn’t scared that will be wrong, I was a bit nervous.
‘But it also encouraged me to play well. I always need something to motivate myself. But it does not come all the time. The incident brought it for me.
‘I thought let’s see what I can do, I think after that I batted well,’ said Tamim, who made 52 off 141 balls.
Tamim added that he took his mental preparation before the game to handle Edwards, whom he had never faced in the past in Tests or one-day internationals. The only experience of the current Bangladesh squad facing Edwards was limited to a Twenty20 international in South Africa in 2007. Tamim, however, said he took his motivation from the Saint Lucia Test in 2004.
‘It’s very interesting. I was trying to see his video yesterday on the YouTube and everything came good. ‘He was giving bouncers, hitting the batsmen on their nose. I was confused about what to do.
‘Finally it came to my mind that our Rafiq Bhai, Suman Bhai and Pilot Bhai hit hundreds against him.
‘I was telling Imrul in the morning if they can do it then why can’t we? So I went onto the field with a good feeling,’ said Tamim.
‘He was trying his best. But I don’t think there was anything extra in the wicket which could have made him more effective.’
Tigers eye 350+
Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, top scorer with 68 not out on day one of the first Test against the West Indies, drives the ball to the fence at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Friday. — AFP photo Azad Majumder . Chittagong
Anything close to 350 runs would be a good total for Bangladesh in the first innings of the first Test against West Indies, batsman Tamim Iqbal told reporters on Friday.
Bangladesh ended the first day with six wickets intact and already 255 runs on the board, which gave the Tigers a great hope for putting West Indies under pressure in the game.
‘It’s obviously a good achievement for us to bat out the day,’ Tamim told a post-match press conference. ‘At the moment it’s tough to say how far we can go because it is not a very easy wicket to bat on.
‘You really need to work hard here to get runs. Our target will be to bat as much possible. I think anything like 320 to 350 would be a good total on this wicket.
‘The ball was not coming nicely onto the bat. It was really difficult to hit the ball away from the body. We had to wait for the ball to come to a certain length before hitting,’ he said.
‘It was also difficult to get out on this wicket because there was not enough movement or an extra bounce. We just need to do some works for runs,’ said Tamim, who made 52 from 141 balls.
‘We really batted well today. We would have been easily all out on any other day on this wicket against this type of attack,’ said Tamim.
Bangladesh have still some batting in their line-up with skipper Mushfiqur Rahim still at the crease with 68 not out while Naeem Islam and Shahriar Nafees
are yet to complete their innings.
The Tigers also can expect some runs from two debutants, Nasir Hossain and Elias Sunny, which is giving them a greater hope to think beyond their initial target.
‘I think it is easily possible to get 425 to 450
runs here,’ said former skipper Gazi Ashraf Hossain. ‘For us now the first 10 overs on the second day will be key. As a spectator I will remain tensed during the period.’
If Bangladesh can score something close to 450 runs it will also raise their chance to win the game, said Gamini de Silva, the chief curator of the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
‘I have got some idea about what kind of wicket would suit the Bangladesh team. I am happy to see them making a good use of it on the first day,’ he told reporters.
‘If they can score 450 runs the game will be in their pocket,’ said the Sri Lankan.
Bangladesh batsmen build strong platform
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A solid performance from Bangladesh's batsmen on a placid track marked the start of the Test series in Chittagong, leaving the bowlers potentially facing five days of hard work. A slightly overcast morning was consistent with the forecast for rain, but the sun didn't take long to break through the clouds, confining whatever assistance was available for the bowlers to just the first hour of the day. Deciding to bat without hesitation, Bangladesh's batsmen, led by half-centuries from Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal, built a good platform for a formidable first-innings score but suffered a few jolts along the way, some self-inflicted.
The lack of assistance from the track meant Darren Sammy had to shuffle his bowlers around, get them to bowl from different angles, change ends and rely heavily on their variations. The attacking instinct of a couple of well-set Bangladesh batsmen helped them break through but they didn't do themselves much good by employing defensive fields for far too long in the periods immediately after lunch and tea. The spread-out fields enabled the hosts, Mushfiqur and Raqibul Hasan especially, to rotate the strike comfortably - 136 runs came in singles (102) and twos, more than half the score so far.
Once the sun was out, the swing didn't last long, and movement off the pitch was limited, not lethal. Tamim's solidity was an obstacle for the West Indies bowlers at one end but Imrul Kayes' occasional extravagance gave them a window of opportunity. Kayes was beaten a couple of times while trying to drive on the up and his first boundary was an uppish chip over Darren Sammy's head. But a change of angle from Rampaul gave them their first breakthrough. He bowled round the wicket, produced an outside edge from Kayes that went for four, followed by another attempted drive that beat the bat. The next ball squared the batsman up, angling in and then nipping away just a hint to kiss the edge and end Kayes' morning.
Shahriar Nafees settled in quickly with a couple of confident shots against Sammy followed by a lovely drive off Fidel Edwards. Nafees survived a close shout for lbw against Edwards, though a good part of the ball appeared to have pitched outside leg, before his stay was cut short by a bloody blow to the nose. Edwards slung down a bouncer from round the wicket that forced its way between the peak of the helmet and the grille, forcing Nafees to retire hurt.
Bishoo, who probed away in search of turn, doled out a few half-trackers that Tamim duly dispatched through the off side. There were, however, some signs of encouragement for the spinners after lunch. The batsmen were unsettled by a few deliveries that kept low and experienced the odd moment of discomfort when the ball turned. West Indies made their next breach when Tamim needlessly attempted a slog-sweep against Marlon Samuels, and top-edged a catch to midwicket; a healthy dose of slow bowling with the fielders pushed back had allowed the pair to work singles and twos but a rush of blood probably cost the well-settled Tamim a century.
Raqibul Hasan looked assured in his stay, solid in defence and punishing the bad balls, and built a promising stand with Mushfiqur, who was his usual busy self, creating opportunities to score by using his feet, making room against straight deliveries, and running well between the wickets. Bishoo almost had Mushfiqur when he edged one that turned but was let down by Sammy, who failed to get down in time for a low chance at slip. Sammy made amends somewhat when he trapped Raqibul in front with a ball that nipped back in, shortly after a strong appeal for caught-behind had been turned down, but Bangladesh were still in a strong position.
Despite the wickets, the momentum never swung West Indies' way due to the easy access to runs. Even Shakib Al Hasan's initial scratchiness was offset by Mushfiqur's fluent flow at the other end. He stepped out of his crease to loft Bishoo and Samuels when mid-on was brought in and employed the sweep, paddle and his favoured cut to ensure there were no extended periods of silence. Shakib grew in confidence, slapping Bishoo through the covers and pulling Sammy for consecutive fours but, having added 79 with Mushfiqur, chased a wide delivery from Samuels to be caught behind with stumps in sight.
It wasn't until the 90th over that Sammy took the second new-ball, Edwards' reverse-swing having been dealt with safely by Mushfiqur and Naeem Islam. The hosts lost more wickets than they should have in friendly conditions, but will back Mushfiqur to break the trend of well-set batsmen depriving themselves of big scores by throwing their wickets away.
Thursday 20 October 2011
Proud moment for Mushfiq
Mushfiqur Rahim Azad Majumder . Chittagong
Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim will join a select group of Bangladeshi cricketers when he leads the national team in the first Test match against West Indies in Chittagong today.
With the toss in this match he will be sworn in as the eighth Test captain of Bangladesh after Naimur Rahman, Khaled Mashud, Khaled Mahmud, Habibul Bashar, Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafee bin Murtaza and Sakib al Hasan.
And he could not have asked for a better venue than the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium to achieve the feat.
The ground has proved to be a lucky venue for Bangladesh in the recent times as they won their last four one-day matches at this ground and have a better win-defeat ratio with seven victories against five losses.
But when it comes to Test cricket, the ground is particularly lucky for Mushfiq, who hit his maiden Test century against India here last year before nearly repeating the feat against England.
The England game was Bangladesh’s last Test in this venue and Mushfiq made it memorable for himself with two innings of 79 and 95 runs. His 167-run stand with Junaed Siddique in the fourth innings against the likes of Graeme Swann is fifth highest for Bangladesh on any wicket, though he could not stave off a huge defeat.
Never had he imagined he would return here for the next Test as captain but it is now a reality.
Naturally Mushfiq will be eying to carry his luck against West Indies in Chittagong.
‘It is a proud moment for everyone. A player has dreams of playing for the national team and then comes the captaincy. It is a huge honour,’ said Mushfiq ahead of his debut as Test captain.
‘This is my favourite ground. I have a century, two fifties and two 40-plus innings here and I like batting here,’ he added.
Mushfiq made a winning debut as captain in the Twenty20 in Dhaka when he led the side from the front. His one-day debut did not produce the same result, though he managed to take some glory away from the West Indies dismissing them for 61 runs in the final game for a eight-wicket win.
Now it remains to be seen how he does as Test captain.
Tigers Ready For Fight
Bangladesh batsman Imrul Kayes vies for the ball with spinner Nasir Hossain (L) as team-mates Naeem Islam, Rubel Hossain and Tamim Iqbal look on during a training session at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Thursday. Bangladesh-West Indies first Test from today
Azad Majumder . Chittagong
Test cricket will return to Bangladesh after 19 months when the home side face West Indies in the first Test at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong from today.
Bangladesh last played a Test at home in March 2010 against England, a game they dominated in patches before some poor umpiring decisions denied them any remarkable achievement.
The Tigers will be hoping to put in a similar performance against a side regarded far weaker than their last opponents and have not won a Test away from home in the last five years.
On top of that West Indies messed up things in their last ODI in Bangladesh having been bundled out for 61 runs which is bound have a demoralising effect on their side.
West Indies coach Ottis Gibson and skipper Darren Sammy played down the 61-scandal repeatedly over the last two days and said Test cricket will be a different ball game for them.
But this is where Bangladesh’s best hope lies, though they have a depleted bowling attack compared to West Indies, who will be banking on their pacers and spinners.
A lot of things, however, will depend on the pitch which favoured the Tigers overwhelmingly in the one-day game. A similar pitch is expected for the Test with Bangladesh looking to their former skipper Sakib al Hasan to shoulder their maximum bowling responsibility.
The home side have two uncapped left-arm spinners, Sohrawardi Shuvo and Elias Sunny, at their disposal to partner Sakib, making it a tough choice between them for the team management.
The batting line-up also has had few inconsistencies as five players from Bangladesh’s last Test XI against Zimbabwe were left out by the selectors for injury, dip in form and illness.
It left them wth the task of restructuring their middle-order batting as well which can easily take a toll on them. Captain Mushfiq, however, has full confidence in his young side.
‘Compared to other teams, we make more changes as we can’t perform consistently. Having said that, our young players have huge potential and if they can play to their potential, they could do better than the seniors who are in and out of the team,’ he said.
It also indicated a new beginning for the Tigers and with a new captain leading the side they will be hoping to bring a change in their defeatist attitude in Test cricket.
Bangladesh, who won only three Tests so far, collapsed from a winning situation in their last few Test matches, mostly at the home ground, which has now become a psychological barrier for them.
‘Probably, but we are not mentally strong enough to react in those situations. If we could play consistently well, you have the confidence of getting out of such situations,’ said skipper Mushfiq.
‘We don’t play well in every session, we just do well one day and then we miss out. We want to play five good days of Test cricket and take it from there.
‘We have targets for the batsmen to bat throughout a day, score hundreds and build 100-150 partnerships. Bowlers similarly have targets to take 5 or 10 wicket,’ said Mushfiq.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy was also expecting some tough competition from Bangladesh.
‘Once both teams play to their full potential, it would be a very competitive series,’ said Sammy.
‘I have kept on saying that we never have taken Bangladesh lightly, took them for granted. We know the type of cricket they are capable of playing and like I said we are eagerly waiting to start off the series,’ he said.
‘The pitch looks like the similar to the one that we played in the one-dayer. We saw Roach extract some pace and we also saw Bangladesh’s spinners get some turn and bounce.
‘I think it should be a good Test match wicket; all the skills of players will be put to the test,’ he said.
Bangladesh Television will provide live coverage of the match from 9.30am
Match will be available on www.intercric.info
Wednesday 19 October 2011
Ash's storm in a cup
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| I'LL MAKE THE BALL SPIN: Bangladesh spinner Nasir Hossain (L), who is expecting to make his debut, jokes with Shakib Al Hasan while twirling a football on his finger during training at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong yesterday, ahead of tomorrow's first Test against the West Indies here. |
The Akram Khan-led selection committee, which on Tuesday announced a 14-member squad for the two-match series that begins tomorrow at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, made as many as five changes from the last time the Tigers played a Test. Mohammad Ashraful, Mahmudullah Riyad, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam and Robiul Islam played against Zimbabwe in August but while Riyad (dengue) and Shafiul (foot injury) are not fit, Ashraful, Razzak and Robiul have been dropped.
Ashraful made a patient 73 in Harare but hasn't done much since, an issue that Law too held against the erratic batsman.
“He's a great guy to have around the dressing-room. His work ethic has been outstanding. You want to see him have success but unfortunately, other things have come in. He's not in the Test side but he's not finished. He has his best years ahead of him,” said Law while talking to the reporters yesterday.
“He played well in the Zimbabwe Test, but maybe the other forms of the game have not installed him with great confidence. He's hitting the ball well, it's a shame he has missed out.
“Sometimes these calls are made not to disregard the player completely but to make sure he understands that if you play in the team, you've got to be performing,” he added.
However Ashraful expressed his disappointment at the manner of his disposal.
“Akram bhai told me ahead of the second ODI that I should sit the next two out and play in the Test. I told him that I want to play the remaining games and earn my way into the Test side. How can there be a guarantee in cricket? I wanted to play out the ODI series and take it from there,” he told The Daily Star over phone in Chittagong.
“I know I haven't scored a half-century in 18 games. Players have careers that don't last that long but I have played those matches where I got dropped after one or two matches.
“I never got a full stretch. Here too I was going to be dropped after the first game, which has happened often in the past,” he said.
But Akram condemned Ashraful's comments, saying that players often change tack according to their performance.
“I don't know what Ashraful has said but I talk to players all the time and I say a lot of things to encourage them. These issues get ignored when they do well but not so when things are not right,” said the chief selector.
There were rumours that the move to drop Ashraful was influenced by BCB higher-ups. When the question was put to the chief selector, he rubbished the claim.
“This is absolute rubbish,” retorted Akram. “He was omitted only on account of his ordinary performance. If we had acted upon pressure or sentiments from different quarters, then he would not have been in the one-day team.
“We were not getting what was expected from Ashraful. He bats at three but he wasn't contributing in several ways so we want to go with the other option -- Shahriar Nafees,” added Akram.
Ashraful & co have been replaced by Rokibul Hasan, Shahadat Hossain, Elias Sunny, Shuvogoto Hom Chowdhury, Sohrawardi Shuvo and Nazmul Hossain. Out of these, left-arm spinner Sunny has impressed the coach during the preparatory period.
“I have seen him [Elias Sunny] in the BCB Cup. He has pretty good numbers in first-class cricket. He showed plenty of control and took wickets in the BCB Cup and the four-day game. That's all you need to do as a spinner.
“He has the chance to stake a claim for a long career. He opened a few eyes,” he explained, boosting Sunny's chance in the race for the second spinner's spot.
With Law and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim set to have a major role in selection matters of the playing eleven, it would be interesting to see how they restructure the Tigers' Test bowling attack (which has seen three changes from the last game) as well as crucial batting positions.
It is common knowledge that batsmen take more time to adjust to international cricket, especially facing fast bowlers, and the job of Law and Mushfiqur has not been made easy by the inconsistency shown by the selectors who have made sweeping changes in crucial areas.
For a batsman to adjust to fast bowling takes time and with more of the experienced batsmen out in the cold, it will all start from scratch tomorrow.
