**Official Bangladesh Domestic Cricket**

[Jungle Jumbo]

As Chubb already has a Zimbabwean thread I thought that the Bangladeshis also deserve a thread. I am not Bangladeshi myself nor do I have an link with Bangladesh, I meerly have an interest in what was until recently the worst first class league in the world. The player summaries are probably full of mistakes so if anyone can fill in the gaps please let me know.

As far as I know, the Bangladeshi National Cricket League (and One Day League) is played between the 6 divisions (equivalent of counties/states/provinces), though most of the players originate from Dhaka. The four day first class league runs side by side with the 50 overs one day league. Pitches tend to be substandard, and the gulf between the test players and club players enormous (Mashrafe Mortaza plays as an all rounder). Previously Tests and ODIs have prevented international players from playing, but with the Australians not touring until next year, we should see more higher quality cricket. The club and commercial Dhaka leagues also contain the test players plus some overseas players (Steve Tikolo, Yasir Arafat, Zahoor Elahi, Saleem Elahi), and these run during the main season. Epyllion and Beximco play in the final of the GrameenPhone Corporate Cricket League on Thursday. The National League kicks off on 19 November. And now, the divisions:


Dhaka Division

Traditionally strong side, Dhaka are probably favourites for the title this year. Their top order appears very strong, while Rafique is easily the best bowler on the Bangladeshi circuit.

Last Year

First Class: 1st
Top Run Scorers: Mehrab Hossain snr 674@48, Khaled Mahmud 440@55
Top Wicket Takers: Arafat Sunny 27@27, Khaled Mahmud 24@22

One Day: 4th
Top Run Scorers: Mehrab Hossain jnr 240@40, Rashidul Haque 236@26
Top Wicket Taker: Ashraful Khan 15@17, Mehrab Hossain jnr 10@23

Ground: Fatullah Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium, Dhaka

1. Javed Omar (Vice Captain, 28, Bangladesh opener)
2. Rashidul Haque (26, opener, occasional medium pace bowler)
3. Al Sahariar (27, former Bangladesh opener)
4. Mohammad Ashraful* (Captain, 21, Bangladesh batsman, occasional leg spin bowler)
5. Sanwar Hossain (32, former Bangladesh batsman, occasional off spin bowler)
6. Mehrab Hossain jnr (18, Bangladesh A all rounder, slow left arm bowler)
7. Anwar Hossain Piju+ (21, wicket keeper batsman, opener)
8. Khaled Mahmud (34, former Bangladesh captain, all rounder, medium pace bowler)
9. Mohammad Rafique (35, experienced Bangladesh slow left arm bowler)
10. Shahadat Hossain (19, Bangladesh fast bowler)
11. Anwar Hossain Monir (23, Bangladesh seam bowler)

Reserves:
Talha Jubair (19, former Bangladesh fast bowler)
Mohammad Riyad (???)
Arafat Sunny (19, slow left arm bowler)
Mosharraf Hossain (bowling all rounder)
Mohammad Sharif (19, former Bangladesh medium pace bowler)
Sajjad Kadir (30, wicket keeper)
Mahbubul Alam (bowler)
Kamrul Islam (???)
Ashraful Khan (bowler)


Sylhet Division

Sylhet struggled last year, and on seeing both their batting lineup and bowling attack, it's not hard to see why. They will be heavily reliant on internationals Saleh and Kapali to provide the runs, but in Enamul Haque they have a spinner only matched by Rafique. At the top of the order Golam Rahman is hugely talented, a name to look out for.

Last Year

First Class: 6th
Top Run Scorers: Golam Rahman 825@52, Moniruzzaman 625@42
Top Wicket Takers: Nabil Samad 37@27, Alok Kapali 27@21

One Day: 2nd
Top Run Scorers: Ejaj Ahmed 235@39, Golam Mawla 232@58
Top Wicket Takers: Hasibul Hossain 17@18, Ashiqur Rahman 8@17

Ground: Sylhet Divisional Stadium

1. Golam Rahman (talented teenage opener)
2. Moniruzzaman (29, former Bangladesh batsman, opener)
3. Sadiqur Rahman (17, batsman, occasional off spin)
4. Rajin Saleh* (Captain, 21, Bangladesh batsman, occasional off spin)
5. Alok Kapali (Vice Captain, 21, Bangladesh all rounder, leg spin bowler)
6. Golam Mabud+ (wicket Keeper)
7. Golam Mawla (batsman)
8. Tapash Baisya (22, Bangladesh medium pace bowler)
9. Rezaul Haque (22, left arm medium pace bowler)
10. Nazmul Hossain (18, Bangladesh medium pace bowler)
11. Enamul Haque jnr (19, Bangladesh slow left arm bowler)

Reserves:
Hasibul Hossain (28, former Bangladesh medium pace bowler)
Ejaj Ahmed (???)
Zakwan Ahmed (???)
Rana Miah (26, batsman)
Imtiaz Hossain (all rounder)
Ashiqur Rahman (???)
Junaid Siddique (batsman)
Saif Mahmud (???)
Golam Mortaza (25, wicket keeper)


Rajshahi Division

Despite pefroming well last year, Rajshahi are going to struggle to reproduce similar results this year. Their batting appears the weakest of all the divisions, while their bowling attack lacks a cutting edge. Khaled Mashud should provide some motivation though.

Last Year

First Class: 2nd
Leading Run Scorers: Farhad Reza 769@43, Hasanuzzaman 722@45
Leading Wicket Takers: Alamgir Kabir 45@19, Saifullah Khan 27@27

One Day: 1st
Leading Run Scorers: Farhad Reza 340@34, Ansiur Rahman 312@35
Leading Wicket Takers: Mushfiqur Rahman 15@18, Mohammad Shahzada 11@21

Ground: Rajshahi Divisional Stadium

1. Jahurul Islam (opener)
2. Nuruzzaman (opener, medium pace bowler)
3. Farhad Reza (batsman)
4. Naeem Islam (batsman, occasional medium pace bowler)
5. Hasanuzzaman (Vice Captain, batsman)
6. Mushfiqur Rahman (25, former Bangladesh all rounder, medium pace bowler)
7. Khaled Mashud+ (Captain, 29, Bangladesh wicket keeper and former captain)
8. Alamgir Kabir (24, former Bangladesh medium pace bowler)
9. Shafaq Al Zabir (19, left arm medium pace bowler)
10. Mohammad Shahzada (19, medium pace bowler)
11. Saifullah Khan (34, slow left arm bowler)

Reserves:
Anisur Rahman (28, batsman)
Shamimul Haque (wicket keeper)
Kamrul Islam (???)
Rezwanul Islam (32, off spin bowler)
Jubair Ahmed (???)
Moniruzzaman (batsman)
Sumon Saha (bowler)
Rafiqul Islam (28, former Bangladesh batsman)


Khulna Division

After last seasons average displays, Khulna look set to challenge Dhaka closely this year. With a powerful middle order led by Bashar, and perhaps the best balanced attack, they are my tip to take Dhaka all the way, and to win the OD league.

Last Year

First Class: 3rd
Leading Run Scorers: Jamaluddin Ahmed 617@44, Monirul Islam 590@45
Leading Wicket Takers: Jamaluddin Ahmed 22@35, Ziaur Rahman 18@30

One Day: 3rd
Leading Run Scorers: Asadullah Khan 217@36, Shafiul Alam 183@26
Leading Wicket Takers: Manjural Islam 17@14, Masharafe Mortaza 11@8

Ground: Khulna Divisional Stadium

1. Saghir Hossain (19, wicket keeper, opener)
2. Sajjidul Hasan (27, opener)
3. Tushar Imran (21, former Bangladesh batsman)
4. Habibul Bashar (Captain, 33, Bangladesh captain and batsman)
5. Hasanuzzaman (30, batsman, occasional medium pace bowler)
6. Jamaluddin Ahmed (28, former Bangladesh all rounder, off spin bowler)
7. Manjural Islam Rana (Vice Captain, 21, Bangladesh all rounder, slow left arm bowler)
8. Abdur Razzak (23, Bangladesh slow left arm bowler)
9. Mashrafe Mortaza (22, Bangladesh fast bowler)
10. Syed Rasel (21, Bangladesh left arm medium pace bowler)
11. Manjural Islam (26, former Bangladesh left arm medium pace bowler)

Reserves:
Monirul Islam (batsman)
Shafiul Alam (20, all rounder, off spin bowler)
Ziaur Rahman (18, medium pace bowler)
Saghir Hossain (19, wicket keeper, opener)
Al Amin (medium pace bowler)
Debabrata Barua (24, medium pace bowler)
Rezaul Islam (???)
Shamsur Rahman (17, batsman)


Chittagong Division

Chittagong appear only likely to be challenging Rajshahi for the wooden spoon. There is an awful lot of pressure on Nafees and the ageing Akram Khan, while the bowling attack appears inexperienced and unpredictable.

Last Year

First Class: 4th
Leading Run Scorers: Nazimuddin 713@59, Ehsanul Haque 580@58
Leading Wicket Takers: Gazi Alamgir 27@30, Elias Sunny 22@33

One Day: 5th
Leading Run Scorers: Faisal Hossain 270@27, Ehsanul Haque 211@26
Leading Wicket Takers: Ahsanullah Hasan 14@16, Elias Sunny 11@28

Ground: MA Aziz Stadium, Chittagong

1. Nafees Iqbal (Vice Captain, 20, Bangladesh opener)
2. Gazi Salahuddin (batsman, opener)
3. Nazimuddin (20, Bangladesh A batsman)
4. Aftab Ahmed (20, Bangladesh batsman, occasional medium pace bowler)
5. Akram Khan* (Captain, 37, former Bangladesh captain, batsman)
6. Faisal Hossain (27, former Bangladesh batsman)
7. Shabbir Khan (27, all rounder, off spin bowler)
8. Dhiman Ghosh+ (17, wicket keeper)
9. Elias Sunny (all rounder, slow left arm bowler)
10. Tareq Aziz (22, former Bangladesh medium pace bowler)
11. Gazi Alamgir (medium pace bowler)

Reserves:
Masumud Dowla (all rounder, opener)
Waiskarani Palash (???)
Waseluddin Ahmed (19, medium pace bowler)
Yasin Arafat (bowler)
Saju Datta (???)
Mohammed Rabbi (???)
Habib Mubalik (all rounder, medium pace bowler)
Niaz Morshed (all rounder, off spinner)


Barisal Division

With new blood in the shape of Shahriar Nafees, can Barisal perform better than last yaesr dismal finish? The top order looks extremely threatening, though the bowlers look compartivly week and could prove the difference between a good and exeptional season.

First Class: 5th
Leading Run Scorers: Shahin Hossain 645@59, Prosenjit Joy 414@46
Leading Wicket Takers: Mosharraf Hossain 30@28, Nadif Chowdhury 28@26

One Day: 6th
Leading Run Scorers: Imran Ahmed 301@33, Hannan Sarkar 199@22
Leading Wicket Takers: Mosharraf Hossain 10@28, Ali Arman 9@15

Ground: Abdur Rab Serniabad Stadium, Barisal

1. Imran Ahmed (24, all rounder, opener, off spin bowler)
2. Shahriar Nafees (Captain, 19, Bangladesh opener)
3. Hannan Sarkar (Vice Captain, 22, former Bangladesh opener)
4. Shahriar Hossain (29, former Bangladesh opener, occasional wicket keeper)
5. Shahin Hossain (21, wicket keeper/batsman)
6. Prosenjit Joy (Bose) (batsman)
7. Towhid Hossain (batsman, occasional leg spin bowler)
8. Nadif Chowdhury (18, slow left arm bowler)
9. Tariqul Islam (33, off spin bowler)
10. Anisur Rahman (34, left arm medium pace bowler)
11. Ishraq Sonet (18, medium pace bowler)

Reserves:
Nasiruddin Faruque (batsman)
Raquibul Hasan (16, batsman)
Humayun Kabir (24, bowler)
Ali Arman (all rounder)
Arif Hossain (18, bowler)
Ashikul Islam (???)
Golam Rabbani (???)
Sajid Islam (???)
Arafat Salahuddin (all rounder)


I'll bring score updates when I can!

Sources: cricinfo, cricketarchive

[PY]

Wow, what a first post.

Welcome to CW, long may your stay be.

[Kweek]

respect mate!

[steds]

Originally Posted by kwek

respect mate!

Agreed. R-E-S-T-E-C-P

[a massive zebra]

An earth shattering first post if ever there was one. Quite extraordinarily tantalisingly wonderful!!

[Chubb]

Fantastic work. Now we have a truly comprehensive forum.

[chaminda_00]

Maybe its time to bring out a Sri Lankan Domestic Thread to cover all bases.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by chaminda_00

Maybe its time to bring out a Sri Lankan Domestic Thread to cover all bases.

Go Kurunegala.

You got a fixture list, Jimbo? Oh, and you wouldn't happen to know what division Mushfiqur Rahim is gonna play for?

[Jungle Jumbo]

Sorry no, I've tried several sites and can't get the lists, but it starts 19th November. I'll post them here straight away, but I think the divisions paly each other home and away. I don't think Mushfiqur Rahim has a division as yet, since his only first-class games have been in England. He is leading a Bangladesh U-19 team in the Afro-Asian Cup starting soon, and will also be involved in U-19 World Cup next year. I hope he does play divisonal cricket though, I was really impressed by him in the Lord's test.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by Jungle Jumbo

Sorry no, I've tried several sites and can't get the lists, but it starts 19th November. I'll post them here straight away, but I think the divisions paly each other home and away. I don't think Mushfiqur Rahim has a division as yet, since his only first-class games have been in England. He is leading a Bangladesh U-19 team in the Afro-Asian Cup starting soon, and will also be involved in U-19 World Cup next year. I hope he does play divisonal cricket though, I was really impressed by him in the Lord's test.

You should apply to write for CW about these things. Our Bangladeshi cricket coverage isn't exactly great

[Jungle Jumbo]

Just found some news on cricketbd.com

National One Day Cricket League starts 19th November, with the National Cricket League (first class and sponsored by Ispahani Mizapore Tea) starting 20th November. The season will run in 3 sections, intertwined with the Dhaka Premier League:
November 19 to December 7 (3 rounds)
January 18 to January 28 (2 rounds)
February 18 to March 23 (5 rounds)

Opening Fixtures: (OD 19/11, FC 20-23/11)
Rajshahi vs Barisal
Chittagong v Khulna
Dhaka v Sylhet

The six grounds will also be maintained by a BCB curator and are attempting to be "bouncy and grassy", hopefully making the standard of the cricket closer to the international level.

The Dhaka Premier League has just undergone a 3 day transfer forum, and here is below a qucik roundup on who the major players will be representing this year.

Sonorgoan Cricketers: Mohammad Ashraful, Mohammad Rafique, Naimur Rahman, Al Sahariar, Tapash Baisya
Biman Bangladesh Airlines: Shahriar Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahman, Sanwar Hossain, Syed Rasel, Javed Omar
Mohammedan SC: Habibul Bashar, Khaled Mashud, Aftab Ahmed, Talha Jubair, Hannan Sarkar,
DOHS: Khaled Mahmud, Manjural Islam Rana, Golam Rahman, STEVE TIKOLO,
City Club: Alok Kapali
Abahani: Anwar Hossain Monir, Faisal Hossain,
Brothers Union: Nafees Iqbal, Enamul Haque jnr, Nazmul Hossain

[magsi23]

oh do they play domestic cricket then? lol

[chaminda_00]

I guess Thomas Odoyo isn't playing in Bangla anymore, a bit dispointing, i was looking forward to see how he would go against the Bangla players.

[Jungle Jumbo]

BEXIMICO WIN GRAMEENPHONE COPORATE CRICKET LEAGUE

Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
Beximico won toss

Beximico 276-9 (50 overs) S Tikolo 53, Rajin Saleh 49, Al Sahariar 40, Mohammad Ashraful 32, Akram Khan 31; Yasir Arafat 3/48, Shahadat Hossain 2 wickets
Epyllion 226 all out (44.1 overs) Tushar Imran 60, Yasir Arafat 46; Mohammad Shazada 5 wickets

Beximico set a huge total thanks to their star-studded international lineup, with Tikolo sharing two large partnerships with Al Sahariar and Ashraful. In reply, Epyllion started well, their openers putting on 68 in under 13 overs, with Shahriar Nafees leading the charge, before Shazada took vital wickets. Tushar and Yasir brought them back into the frame as the run rate was maintained, but a daft run of Tushar by Tikolo changed the game, and Shazada returned to complete a clear victory. The match was watched by 4,000 specatators as well, certainly showing the Bangladeshi appetite for cricket.

Another result those of my fellow Englishmen might like to take note of:

Bangladesh High Performance Squad v England U-19, Bogra
Bangladesh HP Squad 217-9 (50 overs) Raquibul Hassan (Barisal) 61, Sirajullah Khadeem 32, Farhad Reza (Rajshahi) 21, Mahmudallah Riad 21, Golam Rahman 17; N James 3/17, A Shingler 2/15
England U-19 189 all out (47 overs) Moeen Ali 72, H Brown 35; Mosharraf Hossain 5 wickets, Farhad Reza 2 wickets, Shirazullah Khadeem 2 wickets

[chris.hinton]

this is good i am really impressed now for Kwek to do a Dutch season thread in the Summer