Bangladesh & Zimbabwe Improving?

[BoyBrumby]

Bangladesh have made some small improvement since we last toured. Took both tests to the final day and, with slightly less dire umpiring, might even have secured a first innings lead and at least draw in the second.

They won't start winning tests regularly tho until they produce some tracks with a teensy bit of assistance in for their seamers (Rubel Hossain is raw, but does reverse the old ball at a decent lick, so there is material to work with) and get a proper captain. God bless Shakib, but he was rank. Whether it's a product of too much limited overs cricket or just a naturally conservative nature, his field settings and changes were sub-schoolgirl, tbh.

 

[grecian]

"sub-schoolgirl"

I think I have that DVD, TBH.

Yeah, what others have said they're a lot better outfit then before, and I think the dropping of Ashraful has a big part to play in that. Accepting his pishness could not be tolerated any more is a big step. Shame that their best players (apart from Tamim) all look to be spinning all-rounders. I wonder if that's because Rafique was perhaps their only test-match standard player?

 

[Aritro]

"sub-schoolgirl"

I think I have that DVD, TBH.

Yeah, what others have said they're a lot better outfit then before, and I think the dropping of Ashraful has a big part to play in that. Accepting his pishness could not be tolerated any more is a big step. Shame that their best players (apart from Tamim) all look to be spinning all-rounders. I wonder if that's because Rafique was perhaps their only test-match standard player?

Mushfiqur Rahim is, in a rather loose sense of the word, a wicket-keeper, but he's the best batsman of the lot I reckon.

He's been averaging 40 odd over the last 13 tests which is an extended period of test standard performance that no Bangladeshi has ever matched other than Habibul Bashar in his first 13 tests.

As for the spin bowling all-rounder thing, not sure it's got anything at all to do with Rafique. However, our U/19s team has continued to regularly get through 8 bowlers in an innings, usually two seamers and 6 spinners, so it's a trend that's likely to continue.

 

[jeevan]

"sub-schoolgirl"

I think I have that DVD, TBH.

Yeah, what others have said they're a lot better outfit then before, and I think the dropping of Ashraful has a big part to play in that. Accepting his pishness could not be tolerated any more is a big step. Shame that their best players (apart from Tamim) all look to be spinning all-rounders. I wonder if that's because Rafique was perhaps their only test-match standard player?

You forgot Mushfiq who bats and keeps. It is extra-ordinarily fortunate for BD that their middle order also bowls and keeps better than, or at least as well as, any one else in the country.

If Kayes & Siddique (two players who have played at least one decent knock this year) can fill out the top order, and they have some sort of 3 man pace attack.( Imagine a fit Mashrafe, a Shahadat who bowled like he did a year or two ago, and Shafiul debutant against India). That's not a bad test team and still leaves room for 2 passengers.

Most of these guys are sub-25 too.

 

[Aritro]

You forgot Mushfiq who bats and keeps. It is extra-ordinarily fortunate for BD that their middle order also bowls and keeps better than, or at least as well as, any one else in the country.

If Kayes & Siddique (two players who have played at least one decent knock this year) can fill out the top order, and they have some sort of 3 man pace attack.( Imagine a fit Mashrafe, a Shahadat who bowled like he did a year or two ago, and Shafiul debutant against India). That's not a bad test team and still leaves room for 2 passengers.

Most of these guys are sub-25 too.

Rubel's had all sorts of problems adjusting to international cricket but he's got bags of talent and bowled wonderfully in the second test against England.

I think the away series against England could really launch his international career.

Shafiul's stats don't reflect the decent performances he's put in with the ball. He's fairly adept with the new ball, and has a lot of variety with a couple of different slower balls, yorkers and a genuinely excellent bouncer. Clever bowler who seems to bowl with plans in mind too.

These two could develop into a decent attack.

Shahadat is the main worry. If he can bowl the way he did in his first 20 tests, we'll be doing more than pushign teams to the fifth day at home.

Sadly though, right now we've only got 4 international quality cricketers and loads of ifs and buts.

 

[jeevan]

Rubel's had all sorts of problems adjusting to international cricket but he's got bags of talent and bowled wonderfully in the second test against England.

I think the away series against England could really launch his international career.

Shafiul's stats don't reflect the decent performances he's put in with the ball. He's fairly adept with the new ball, and has a lot of variety with a couple of different slower balls, yorkers and a genuinely excellent bouncer. Clever bowler who seems to bowl with plans in mind too.

These two could develop into a decent attack.

Shahadat is the main worry. If he can bowl the way he did in his first 20 tests, we'll be doing more than pushign teams to the fifth day at home.

Sadly though, right now we've only got 4 international quality cricketers and loads of ifs and buts.

Is Mashrafe that comlpetely written off? He is pretty young too, isnt he. Shahadat had one productive innings vs India, but he was not really the best pacer even on that day.

I watched some of the BD-India, Shafiul clearly can become test standard. Rubel has good pace, but didnt seem there was much else to trouble batsmen.

 

[Langeveldt]

In 2007, they Bangladesh played 5, lost 4 and drew one. In 2008, Bangladesh won 0 matches (out of nine matches, and they drew one). In 2009, Bangladesh won 2 matches (out of the three they played. It's worth noting, they only lost to Sri Lanka).

Overall, I've noticed a large difference in Bangladesh since 2005. Despite what the stats say, I've noticed a huge improvement.

As for Zimbabwe, I have noticed a bad decrease in the little skill they had, and I can only blame the government and economy of Zimbabwe because of this. In one match with Zimbabwe competing in it, inflation was that rapid, that printing out tickets had to be cancelled, because it was worked out that the inflation would cause an almost certain loss in money. Spectators were then let in for free. The political situation is that bad, that no one's played an international test there since 2005/06.

Irrelevent now, largely.. They use US dollars in Zim now.. I guess the main barrier would be people not being able to afford to get in in the first place

 

[BoyBrumby]

You forgot Mushfiq who bats and keeps. It is extra-ordinarily fortunate for BD that their middle order also bowls and keeps better than, or at least as well as, any one else in the country.

If Kayes & Siddique (two players who have played at least one decent knock this year) can fill out the top order, and they have some sort of 3 man pace attack.( Imagine a fit Mashrafe, a Shahadat who bowled like he did a year or two ago, and Shafiul debutant against India). That's not a bad test team and still leaves room for 2 passengers.

Most of these guys are sub-25 too.

Needs inverted commas, IMHO.

He's not great...

 

[Aritro]

Is Mashrafe that comlpetely written off? He is pretty young too, isnt he. Shahadat had one productive innings vs India, but he was not really the best pacer even on that day.

I watched some of the BD-India, Shafiul clearly can become test standard. Rubel has good pace, but didnt seem there was much else to trouble batsmen.

In his first 20 test matches, Shahadat took wickets on all sorts of surfaces around the world including Sri Lanka, New Zealand and our docile pitches at home. The highlight came when he cleaned up South Africa in Dhaka and took a 6-fa. At the end of that period, he had a test strike rate of 53 which is a statistical achievement most bowlers would be content to have against their name, and one which painted an accurate picture of his capabilities as a test standard wicket-taker.

Sadly, since then there's been some disastrous tinkering with his action and he now bowls slower than most first grade club bowlers, with absolutely nothing in the way of swing/seam movement.

I hope this decline can be reversed, because for a while he was well up to test standard.

Rubel showed early on that he could swing the new ball, and reverse the old one. Sadly, for the next year, he was absolute rubbish, and got no movement at all, which is why he averages close to 100 with the ball in test cricket, but he seems to have found his feet and will hopefully launch his career. His main weapon is swing FWIW.

And yes, Mortaza is written off. He's intending to become a short-form specialist, although he'll need to shed about 10 kilos if he wants to be any sort of international cricketer at all. Put on a lot of weight when he was injured.

 

[Gowza]

ashraful is being considered for the t20 tournament so if he gets the nod there then don't be surprised if you see him back in the ODI and test sides shortly after. as far as spinning allrounder go they've got a few others coming through e.g. shuvo who just made his debut, nasir hossain who got called up to the ODI squad against england for the last 2 matches, mahmudul hasan the u19 captain and a very very exciting leg spinner/batsman prospect in shabbir rahman.

when it comes to pacers BD have some talent, obviously rubel and shafiul, shahadat at one time looked really promising, mash is a good bowler when fit, there is a bunch of good pacer prospects they just need the proper coaching and match play (robin, emon ahmed, sajidul islam, dolar mahmud robiul islam, subashis roy, abul hasan, alauddin babu).

in regards to mash, i doin't know what the story is going around the board and the players and the coaching but quite a lot of fans want him to become a shorter format specialist because they don't want to lose him completely by him playing test cricket and ruining his body. they prefer to suffer in tests to keep him around for the shorter formats, they have a point as well because his body breaks down pretty regularly these days.

 

[Aritro]

He's said he's putting his test career on hold for a while to focus on the short-forms, which is more or less an admission that his test career is over IMO. He's never going to be fit enough to play all three forms.

 

[jeevan]

Needs inverted commas, IMHO.

He's not great...

His ranking as a test standard keeper is higher than his team's ranking as a test standard team.