A gradual but inevitable descent into cricket-based loathing and bile.

End of Season Report 5: Bangladesh

Posted on April 24, 2012 by in 40/50-over, Opinion, Tests

 

Bangladesh

Ranking:

Tests 9th, ODI 9th, T20 N/A

Results:

Asia Cup – Runner’s Up

Pakistan (H) – Tests Lost 2-0 (2), ODI Lost 3-0 (3), T20 Lost 1-0 (1)

West Indies (H) – Tests Lost 1-0 (2), ODI Lost 2-1 (3), T20 Won 1-0 (1)

 

It’s been a fairly quiet winter for Bangladesh and all their cricket has been played at home. Neither of the two series could really be described as a success, with only a few moments of genuine class: they had the best of a drawn Test against West Indies and also managed to bowl the same team out for 61 in the third ODI. They also hosted the Asia Cup; it was in this limited overs competition that they really found form, with Mushfiqur Rahim (46 from 25 balls against India) and Shakib Al Hasan spurring them on to the final. But before we start throwing cliches around, this is still not a new dawn for Bangladesh – the ICC team rankings, in this case at least, don’t lie. Nor do they lie in respect of the best all-rounder in cricket today: Shakib leads the way in both Tests and ODIs.

Mushfiqur Rahim was inspiring in the Asia Cup.

It would probably be an exaggeration to say Bangladesh are a one-man team: Elias Sunny has shown promise and took 12 Test wickets at the impressive average of 29.41, Tamim Iqbal clearly still has the potential even if his average has declined significantly in the last couple of years and Rahim contributes enough with the bat, the gloves and the captain’s armband to benefit the team. But we have to come back to Shakib. He took most wickets, scored most runs and carries the ambition of a nation upon his shoulders. All players would be chuffed with season’s figures of 17 wickets (average 28.17) and 377 runs (at 53.85) in Tests, combined with a further 16 wickets and 374 runs in ODIs.

The Bangladeshi Samit Patel.

However we do have to conclude that the abovementioned performances were encouraging and under Stuart Law they seemed to be capable of making some progress. However Law has recently resigned his post, citing family reasons. Dean Jones has stated he’s been contacted by the Board, and Dermot Reeve has also stated his interest. Whoever gets the position will be faced with a tough task taking the team forward, with the World T20 the first item on the agenda.

 

2 Comments

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1

Matt H

26 Apr 2012 16:44

We don’t need to cheap shots at someone like Ashraful when there’s a queue of people waiting to throw shoes at him.

2

Russell

26 Apr 2012 12:49

Couldn’t have put it any better myself….though I am disappointed to see there were no cheap shots taken, especially at one Mohammad Ashraful. Oh well…there’s always next year