Guardian: Habibul adds class to a touring party facing harsh lessons

[reverse_swing]

Vic Marks
Sunday May 8, 2005
The Observer

If the international cricket community was truly committed to the development of Bangladesh's cricket they would not be undertaking a tour like this. The Bangladeshis, newly arrived in the UK, have an itinerary more designed to satisfy the requirements of the ICC's elaborate Tours programme than to enhance their cricket.

After three three-day matches they will soon be pitched into back-to-back Tests against England at Lord's and Durham. The first one begins on 26 May. Then they participate in the triangular one-day tournament along with Australia. Let's be realistic. If they can avoid humiliation in their international fixtures they will have done well; it is fanciful to expect them to avoid defeat.

A more constructive itinerary would have them spending two months here, playing against the counties regularly in relatively even contests, before culminating in a solitary Test match. This would allow their players to gain much-needed experience in foreign conditions against competent professional cricketers away from the glare of the TV cameras. They would learn rapidly. Instead there is the risk that they will be publicly pummelled and demoralised.

Of course the Bangladesh team clings to their Test status eagerly. Their captain, Habibul Bashar, says: 'The difference between Test and associate members is huge. If we stay at the lower level we'll be stuck there. We will never learn anything.' That may be true, but it is a pity that the regimented Test programme dictates that they should be exposed to so many mis-matches. Moreover, another Australia-Bangladesh one-day international will make the election contest seem like a last-over cliff-hanger.

Bangladesh cricket is progressing. At Test level, until their defeat of a weakened Zimbabwe side in January, their highlight came in St Lucia a year ago when Habibul became the first of their captains to clap his hands and issue a declaration in what became a creditable high-scoring draw. In the one-day game they have recorded two victories since that highly dubious win over Pak istan in the 1999 World Cup, one against Zimbabwe and a second over India, which prompted national celebrations last Boxing Day in Dhaka. Just as encouraging, the Bangladesh under-19 team beat the Australians in the last World Cup.

They currently possess four cricketers of Test calibre. One is their captain, who has a highly respectable record, averaging 34 in his 34 Tests. Habibul is a laid-back man, though an impulsive batsman. Having declared that he was going to eschew the hook shot when Bangladesh were first elevated to the Test arena, he was promptly out hooking twice in their first game - although not before he had scored some runs. He has a touch of class, even if this was rarely in evidence when England toured Bangladesh 18 months ago.

He took over from Khaled Mahmud, not due to his obvious lead ership qualities but because, unlike his predecessor, he was guaranteed a place in the side. Khaled was a shrewd captain, but could only ever be assured of a regular slot in a minor county team.

They have two left-arm spinners of quality, both of whom out-bowled Ashley Giles the last time these two teams met, although this was before the Giles renaissance when his bowling was undergoing an overhaul. Their spinners could not be more contrasting in style. Mohammed Rafique is a 34-year-old street-fighter with a low-slinging action, which once aroused suspicion. He is accurate, canny and pragmatic and his country's leading wicket-taker. He does not look much more than a tail-end hitter, but he should not be underestimated. Somehow he hit an unlikely Test century from number nine in St Lucia.

Enamul Haque junior - and he really is junior (he's still only 18) - spun Bangladesh to their solitary Test victory with 12 wickets in the match in Chittagong against Zimbabwe. Enaumul loops the ball in classical style and was capable of inconveniencing England's batsmen at the age of 16 when he made his Test debut in Dhaka. However we are on to them. If Bangladesh's strength is with their spinners then England cunningly play them at Lord's and the Riverside, usually seamer-friendly venues at the beginning of the summer.

Which means that the contributions of their opening bowler, Mashrafe bin Mortaza will be important. Just 21, his bowling average (33) is not so dissimilar to that of Matthew Hoggard (31) - not bad considering that he is always playing in a side under the cosh. If he stays fit - and warm - he has some pace. But that quartet will not be sufficient to trouble England.

Overall I am optimistic for Bangladesh's future. There is a broad base of cricketers in the country and fanatical support, fuelled by blanket TV coverage of Asian cricket. They also have a coach ideal for their circumstances. Dav Whatmore is an Aussie but a remarkably patient and sympathetic one.

I first came across Whatmore in State cricket 20 years ago while playing for Western Australia against his side, Victoria. While my colleagues were involved in a fierce verbal joust with his batting partner, we engaged in a more gentle conversation at the other end beginning with a 'we'll let 'em get on with it, shall we?' And so we did. Whatmore does not feel the need to play the macho Aussie.

Now he spends much of his time in Dhaka dousing ridiculously high expectations, counselling patience and defending his players from criticism after another defeat. He will probably have to do the same this May. Under Whatmore's calm guidance I'm confident that Bangladesh will get there in the end, but I'm not so sure how much a tour of this type will help.

-Guardian >>

Edited on, May 8, 2005, 3:31 AM GMT, by reverse_swing.

[aosaif]

He's being too nice to us. But of course, I completely agree with him.

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

very good article. one of the best that i have been reading on this topic so far.

[RazabQ]

compare this with the telegraph's tone, and now you will udnerstand why I'm constantly bashing that upper crust, immie bashing torey rag. The telegrahp seems to cater to an audience that considers cricket to be an England birthright and countries like BD, India, etc to be still part of the British Empire.

I'd have to say this is as sympathetic an article BD will get.

[Akib]

Nice article. Made some good points.

[Mahir]

obviously the article is a good read for us BD fans... on the same token, the writen has given good points that are well backed-up, and it should open eyes of the overlookers of BD cricket.

[Zobair]

I particularly liked his idea of playing county cricket on a two month tour...but I would have culminated it with a two test series...a one-off test doesn't cut it anymore. On the whole, much more constructive article.

[Sauron]

Cool! One for our team.

This writer does seem to know a lot more about Bangladesh cricket than some of the other writers. He is obviously not just looking at record books or past news stories to come to a "foregone" conclusion.

[AsifTheManRahman]

i dont like the way most people judge articles on this board. an article doesn't become good just because the writer made some good comments about bd and its cricket, or bad because the writer said negative stuff about us.

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

Originally posted by AsifTheManRahman
i dont like the way most people judge articles on this board. an article doesn't become good just because the writer made some good comments about bd and its cricket, or bad because the writer said negative stuff about us.

the thing is i just wont say a writer is good because he is saying good about bangladesh cricket and bad when he is saying bad about bangladesh cricket. what i judge is if they are supporting with evidence about what they are saying.
this reporter actually supported when he said good things about bangladesh cricket. he just didnt make up some fairy tales so that people can live happily ever after.

[AsifTheManRahman]

which is exactly why i said most people as opposed to all members.

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

Originally posted by AsifTheManRahman
which is exactly why i said most people as opposed to all members.

jaihok,
dukkhito kintu ami ai bhul bhrantir jonno. dannabad.

[Rubu]

what surprises me is his knowledge about bangladesh cricket. unlike most article it seems like he just did not open the record book and wrote about it.

[Sam]

Right AgentSmith.
What I liked more is the main theme of these article: an itinerary, which is designed just to satisfy the ICC requirement is not going to help BD in developing themselves. Obviously, more 4-day matches against leading county teams should have been included in this tour, even between tests.

[Lutfulkhan]

So what does the writer want us to do keep paying Kenya, Namibia and etc for the rest of our lives caz we dilute test cricket�.some how football which has a much more successful body doesn�t distinguish between goals being scored against Nigeria or Brazil��good cricket is moving out of England

[reverse_swing]

Whatmore said, " I know there are at least two players in our team who are going to become household names throughout the world."

more >>

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

hopefully we will have not only two but couple more household names in the future.

[shaoun]

i think ashraful and enamul haque jr will become household name. i am not too sure about enamul haque but i am confident about ashraful. as time passing he is getting better and i believe he will continue to get better.

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

ji bhai,
asha korbo ashraful aste aste take aro bhale bhabe mele dhorben. karon tini kintu akhon ami bolbo motamoti obhiggo. ebong onek rokom condition a khelechen ebong onek bhalo bhalo boler ar biruddhe khelechen. talent kintu tar royeche sheta kintu amra shobai jani. asha korbo tini tar talent ebar tar dharabaik shafoller shathe kintu tini proman korben. dannabad.

[AsifTheManRahman]

i didnt know mushfiq averages 50 in FC cricket.