BD Sports Vision - Total Bangladeshi Sports Portal

Selection:

Rafiqul Alam and Co. must answer on why an unfit overweight Mashrafe was selected in the first place? What are they seeing in Aftab that we (fans) can't see? He is averaging 10 per match. When was the last time Aftab built an innings? #4's most important job is to build innings. Do you have any answer?

The Match:

Tamim did play a lone hand. By far a more mature innings. Well deserved Man of the Match despite losing. What was Mushi and Shakib thinking? Those weren't their first instances of getting out in the same fashion. One partnership in the middle could have changed the whole game. 8 out the 10 wickets were not earned by the English. We gave it away. I have problem with batting line up. Shafiul should come ahead of Raj and Mash. Experience matters little if runs don't come. Bowling and fielding: Mushi again didn't live up to his standard in keeping. That first drop was in a crucial stage when England was not settled. The match slipped away since England kept attacking. It cost us a 50 partnership in no time.

England did field well. Their bowling is a concern. Cook was in excellent form. A fine knock with very good strike-rate. Colly and Morgan took England to safety after a mini wobble. I expect a better fight from BD in the next match with a different lineup. Raj hasn't gotten any wickets in how many matches now? Selectors, you do have these stats at your disposal, right?

Back again to criticize!!! That is what I can do since no one listens. 

The development of cricket solely depends on BCB and their proceedings. If you have noticed our NZ tour, the talent to compete against the big boys are there. The application is not there. Especially in the longer version. How can Tamim learn to control his temper and not try to hit two consecuetive sixes on one of the best SLAs in the world in his first two balls facing if he don't play domestic 5 day games? The trap was set but Tamim failed to see the trap and walked right in to it. Same with the boys in the pipeline waiting. They have no experience on the longer version of the game and BCB is curtailing these games each year.  The more these boys will play the longer version they more they will be aware of these traps!!

Dear BCB,

Did you hear the commentators Mark Richardson, Simon Doull, Ian Smith and finally our coach Jammie Siddons during the games and Dilmah Tea Party? They all in one admitted that these boys have what it takes to be successful but just not quiet experience enough to play with the big boys!!  

Continuous imprvement is what all successful business projects/program/process seek. Please have a look at the current National League structure and go back to home and away games with more number of games. I liked the idea of 2nd phase and finals. But each team must play more than just 9/8 or 5 games. With these number of games it would not fulfill the experience they need. May be local divisions can create their own leagues. Please look in to that. Home and away brings interest from crowd, sponsors!!! Revenue!! That would generate in improvement in standards as well.

Hats off to the BD team and coaching staff. I have problem with Tamim's attitude. No doubt he is one our premier players but his attitude puts a shame to Viv Richards, Shewag, Sanath and many more greats in the past. No respect for the bowlers at all. The word from the media he used was "Chalano" is bad and shows his ignorance. 120 overs 3.33 runrate don't need any "chalano". There are capable batsmen (AKA Shahadat) in the team who can do that for the team. Tamim's primary job is to play for the team not show off Vettori and be arrogant. Finally where is the fielding coach BCB? With out able to hold on to catches we won't win any games. Very simple equation.

Congratulations to Mahmudullah and Shakib for their effort. May you grow more and wish you all the success against England.

Durjoy, Jalal Younis, Mahbubul Anam are very well respected in the cricketing community. They have brains but they have to understand that feedback can only make the cricketing program better. Sometimes we can't see what our mistakes are. You guys are making a big mistake and a mess in the domestic structure. 

For Durjoy to say the have shortened the NCL format because they saw players fatigued at the end of the last year has no justification. One third of the National league players will play only 5 NCL matches. There will be many National team players and fringe players in those teams. How do expect these players to improve their skills for the longer version of the game with only 5 matches in the whole year? Where can they practice? How can you justify players playing in test cricket with only 5 4-day matches a year?

Let us talk about some numbers. Last year players got 10,000 taka per match and played 10 matches. All six teams players got 1,00,000 each. This year one third of the players will get 60,000 each. In which profession you expect employees taking a 40% reduction from their salary? For Durjoy, Jalal Younus and Mahbubul Anam: You guys are professionals. Would you care to share what percentage of pay cut you guys are taking for the year 2010?

This is happening when we read in the media that BCB members and MPs are traveling with the National team (with all paid expense) in away tours.

Finally, Mr. President Mustafa Kamal. I wish I could sit you down for a 4 hour course and let you know how to run an organization in the corporate world. This is not your political party that you would always try to use hardline tactics to get your point across. Do you have any idea of the international body of CWAB? Or you do not recognize that either? The CWAB is not a labor union. If you have personal conflict with the CWAB president then solve it outside the media limelight. Do what is best for the players. They are your lifeline. We want you to succeed. We want our team to become the best team in the world. With out the players there is no BCB. So behave like a professional. Run your program as everyone expects you to run without biasness. You fail, we all fail. Recognize your mistakes and correct them in the future. Otherwise you will be replaced when you can't keep the promise. Everyone is replaceable even the priministers, kings and queens.

 I am still waiting on the decentralization of BCB structure. Just a question to the BCB officials. So you removed the Home-away format to make sure no supporters come out to watch the National league? I mean I don't get it.

Mijan.

Dear BCB,

I understand you guys are the chiefs in developing skilled cricketers. Please answer the following questions.

1) Is longer version of the game (4 days) develop cricketers skills, application and patience?

2) Then why cheat these players by cutting down matches from 10 to 5 for some?

3) In creating a brand, an identity, a fanbase you guys are removing home and away games and playing these NCL games in neutral venues? Wow!! Hats of to you and your development committee. What vision. This is how you kill cricket in Bangladesh.

4) Have you guys tried COMEDY as a career? If not give it a try. I see a future for you guys in it.

Mijan.

Crowded schedule with the increase of T20 tournaments and games, players safety from injuries and burnouts, meaningless bi-lateral series is hurting Test cricket. To address these issues there have been calls for tier system from all corner of the globe. In my humble opinion that is not a feasible solution.

 To make Test cricket more appealing and interesting all bi-lateral series must have some value. Otherwise the inevitable slow death of Test cricket is eminent. With Star players early retiring to increase their financial resources by playing the shortest version of the game is a direct threat to the quality of test cricket. With the number of games Intl players are playing, keeping them fit has become a challenge for each team.

One way to solve all these issue is a test championship format. With two divisions of teams playing home and away among the division rivals would produce two top teams. They the top team duel out in a neutral venue. To make it interesting, one may even have top four teams playing as semifinal format in neutral venues. I am sure the sponsors would not have any problem with this either.

The divisional setup should be done as geographical regions. For instance, two divisions of North and  South. North would consist five teams of England, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. South would have Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe and West Indies. Another option would be creating division as East-West. East would have Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and India. Whereas, West would have Pakistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, England, and West Indies. These divisions can solve many problems and issues.

1) Weak team can not improve without playing the stronger teams. Division system gives them a chance of doing that.

2) Each country do not have to play all 9 other test nations in a championship cycle. That would significantly reduce the number of test matches a country would play.

3) Superiority and inferiority complex can be eliminated. Australians, English do not want to play WI or Bangladesh. Now each match has value and points towards the championship.

4) Weak teams are divided just as strong teams. That would reduce the number of one sided games as well.

 Outside the divisional play, teams can always schedule on their own and play each other. For instances, Australia-England can still have their own Ashes series if pit in different division. Ind-Pak can go at each other any time they want.

Any successful solution for test cricket is solely dependant on sporting pitches. Barren flat track is a turn off for everyone. ICC has to make sure of that. Bowlers are also cricket players. Give them something to play for.

 Comparing this format with Tier system what ever is being proposed out there, one can only see a win-win situation for the good teams and the bad teams. Shutting out the good teams from playing the bad teams (that is what Tier system would do) would only increase the monopolistic hold of the stronger nations. Then the concept of global expansion of cricket would die instantly.

So Test championship with two divisions can be an alternative solution. This can also free up time slots for T20 to expand and make local leagues (IPL etc.) happy. Status quo will hurt test cricket as we all can realize.

Mijan.