Reply to WisdenVoice
Re: The real question is, why has a team that showed such encouraging signs early on gone backwards so rapidly?
First of all, you have to see exactly when did the team started showing encouraging signs? It was only starting from the World Cup 1999 until the year 2000 or the year 2001 against Zimbabwe that Bangladesh showed signs of encouragement. But to come to that position, Bangladesh had to face through 1997, 1998 - when Bangladesh lost to Kenya most times. In 1998, Bangladesh lost to Northern Ireland in Commonwealth Games in Malaysia. In 1997, Bangladesh performed pretty poorly against New Zealand in New Zealand.
Now about the second part - Bangladesh did not go backwards as rapidly as you are saying. There were signs in the year 2001 of this going backwards. Bangladesh performed poorly in the Asian Test Championship 2001. Bangladesh was all out for 51 and 57 against different South African Invitational sides in South Africa in 2001. These were invisible signs that Bangladesh's performance was on its way down. But the good thing of the year 2001 was that when Bangladesh scored more than 200 runs (actually more than 250) against Zimbabwe consistently. And the 2 tours beside the Asian Test Championship were the tours of Zimbabwe. I think you will agree with me that Zimbabwe is a much weaker bowling side than batting. Also, the little difference between the 9th and the 10th test playing nations between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe had shown on the 2 tours. It was Bangladesh's good luck (or is it bad?) that the 2 tours against Zimbabwe were in the same year. It was also Bangladesh's good luck (again, was it good or bad luck for Bangladesh - now as we see things?) that Bangladesh's tour of Kenya in 2001 was postponed due to Kenyan players' conflict with their board.
Re: do feel however that Bangladesh cricket would be better served by playing more A sides first.
Bangladesh had been playing against the A sides for a long time now. Bangladesh has been playing against India A, Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A in SAARC trophy hosted by Bangladesh. But the problem with that is that those were 50 over games and no one else seem to be too interested in hosting the SAARC tournaments except for Bangladesh. Now with the busy schedule of home and away tours, Bangladesh is also not getting the time to host the SAARC tournaments anymore. Now its time to step forward for other teams like Nepal, or UAE to host such 50 over tournaments involving the A teams of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. But there is also the requirement for Bangladesh to stage such tournaments involving the A teams of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan in 3-day or 4-day series.
Re: About coach Dave Whatmore
Whatmore is a good inclusion in BCB's plan, but it came later rather than sooner for Bangladesh. Remember that Bangladesh had hired a specialist fielding coach Trevor Chappell as the specialist national coach of a test playing country. Also remember that Mohsin Kamal, a specialist fast bowling coach was hired by BCB as the national coach of a test playing country. Both Chappell and Kamal has worked well for Bangladesh, but only to their abilities. That is, from the maiden Zimbabwe tour when Chappell started his coaching, Bangladesh have improved significantly in the fielding department under him. Also, among the players who have been in the national team under Mohsin Kamal for a long period of time, have done well to be precise, Tapash Baisya.
Habibul Bashar has now only caught the eyes of everybody for his consistent performance at the test level. But he took a long time to come this far. He was getting out in the forms of run outs and in other irresponsible ways before the year 2000. Like Habibul Bashar, the names of the players that you have mentioned, i.e., Ashraful, Kapali - they will also take time to find their feet at the national level.
Re: About being competitive
Bangladesh have never been consistently competitive to manage a win on all of a sudden. It takes time and we the fans know it. We all just hope that the time come sooner rather than later.
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