Should Bangladesh Play First Class Fixtures Against Zim, Ire, Afg etc

[Jezroy]

Just a thought with Ireland taking it to Bangladesh in the first ODI - would it help or hinder Bangladesh to play the Intercontinental Cup teams in first class fixtures? Maybe play half as many tests as they are now, more at home than away, and then play some first class games against Zim, Ire, Afg, Neth etc.

Will it help Bangladesh develop in the longer form with (hopefully) some wins against (supposedly) weaker opposition, or will it hinder their growth even more? - even though there is improvement in the team, they still haven't looked close to consistently troubling the major teams enough for people to stop questioning what they are doing there.

The other side of the coin is if Bangladesh get beaten by these other teams, will that say to the ICC drop Bangladesh down, or will it show them that some of these other teams do deserve the chance that Bangladesh got, and maybe haven't fully taken advantage of yet.

It's been ten years of pretty severe beatings for Bangladesh for all their improvement - 68 tests, 59 losses, 34 by an innings, only wins against weakened Zim and WI sides - and with some of the Associates looking pretty strong, maybe this is the best way to gauge where they are at? We have seen where Bangladesh are at against the top 8 nations, it would be very interesting indeed to see where they are at against the 4 or 5 below them.

 

[NZ Guy]

Yea reckon its be good to see where the likes of Ire and Afgh are at, if they do well Id have no problem with them gaining test status and Ire, Afgh, Ban and Zim playing each other quite regularly then getting WI and/or NZ to play but not really playing Eng, Aus, SA that much

 

[Jezroy]

Yea reckon its be good to see where the likes of Ire and Afgh are at, if they do well Id have no problem with them gaining test status and Ire, Afgh, Ban and Zim playing each other quite regularly then getting WI and/or NZ to play but not really playing Eng, Aus, SA that much

The main problem I see is that because of the FTP, series get planned up to 10 years in advance, so if Bangladesh were to really cut back playing against SA, Aus, Eng etc for the next 10 years, but have made real improvements in 5 or 6 years, it might make for a tricky situation.

 

[Somerset]

I doubt such a proposal will go through - if the ICC was to limit the matches at true international level Bangladesh play and increase their involvement in games against associates, then I'd imagine that it would've already happened. In saying that, I think your recommendation is sound and see it as beneficial to not only Bangladesh, but to the associates which the Bangladeshis would face.

 

[NZ Guy]

Yeah couldnt see it happening tbh and I could see people hating it as it would 'cheapen what a test is' but that really is a stone age opinion

 

[Hurricane]

If you made this suggestion to me 12 months ago I would have said yes in a heartbeat as I was getting sick of Bangladesh and the thought of less test matches would have appealed. But they seem to have improved for now.

I think the proposal is a step backwards for Bangers. I don't think beating the Netherlands is going to help them.

My other issue with it is that - lets say Ireland beat them 4 times in a row. It is going to get to the point that we have to let Ireland into test cricket. I am opposed to expanding test cricket even further. Zimbos are probably going to come back and I think that is enough.

The winners of the proposal are Ireland and the associate nations as it gives them a chance to claim that they are test quality themselves.

 

[Jezroy]

I agree that the ICC will never let it happen.

I also have to say that the IRE vs BANG matches etc wouldn't have Test status, just first class.

My ideal would be that (at the moment anyway) there could be 9 test teams, and 9 intercontinental cup teams, and the 9th test team played off against the best Intercontinental Cup team in a promotion relegation battle.

Unfortunately, that will never happen because the FTP is not flexible enough to allow it.

 

[Hurricane]

My ideal would be that (at the moment anyway) there could be 9 test teams, and 9 intercontinental cup teams, and the 9th test team played off against the best Intercontinental Cup team in a promotion relegation battle..

I will play devils advocate (I actually think your proposal is quite solid) if we let Bangers get relegated it could be the end of Tamim's progression - same for Shakib. Would be a shame to see them in the cricketing wilderness for several years before they can win their way back. We have taken a gamble to Bangers so far why not continue to back them as being the next success story.

Jezroy - how good do you think Bangers will be 5 years from now.

 

[Uppercut]

Could say the same of Eoin Morgan- although he can defect to England- maybe the Bangladesh players would do the same with their cricketing neighbours. Bangladesh aren't realistically any better than Ireland, or at least, not better by enough to justify the vastly preferential treatment they receive.

 

[Athlai]

Could say the same of Eoin Morgan- although he can defect to England- maybe the Bangladesh players would do the same with their cricketing neighbours. Bangladesh aren't realistically any better than Ireland, or at least, not better by enough to justify the vastly preferential treatment they receive.

Reckon Bangladesh do deserve home Tests now TBH. Tours? Na. Did they 2 years ago even? Na.

Being competitive at home FINALLY isn't that huge a success but I think I'll take it as a fan. Though the Irish could do the same at home IMO, it certainly wouldn't take them this long to be competitive.

 

[Uppercut]

Scaly's idea of home tests and overseas first-class or ODI tours strikes me as a winner.

I think the bottom line is that since Bangladesh and Ireland have become very close in terms of cricketing quality, whatever is the case for one should surely be the case for the other.

 

[Athlai]

Scaly's idea of home tests and overseas first-class or ODI tours strikes me as a winner.

I think the bottom line is that since Bangladesh and Ireland have become very close in terms of cricketing quality, whatever is the case for one should surely be the case for the other.

I still reckon there is a pretty large gap between the two in skill level, but Irish conditions are basically the epitome of all the weak points in the Bangladeshi team. I'd still see them winning most series held there.

 

[Uppercut]

Whatever it is that you've used to decide that Bangladesh are notably better, it certainly isn't their respective results.

 

[Athlai]

Whatever it is that you've used to decide that Bangladesh are notably better, it certainly isn't their respective results.

Watching them play.

 

[Uppercut]

Come now, when was the last time you watched Ireland play? I bet you could count how many times you've seen them on one hand. Maybe two.

 

[Athlai]

Come now, when was the last time you watched Ireland play? I bet you could count how many times you've seen them on one hand. Maybe two.

Na I watched all their world cup so it would probably be around the dozen mark overall. Your points taken but I maintain that Bangladesh have just shown me much more potential.

... Though not in the seam department.

 

[Uppercut]

Saying the team has improved since that World Cup is making an absurd understatement. They were all amateurs in 2007 ffs. That team isn't even remotely comparable to the one that's playing now. And they still outperformed (and beat) Bangladesh back then.

Ireland are currently much better at ODIs than they are in T20s. Much, much better. Am I right in assuming that you haven't watched a single ODI involving Ireland in over three years? I can't imagine where or how you would have. Yet you still claim to have concluded that they're not as good as Bangladesh by "watching them play". Hmmmmm. I call bull****.

At least you've given it some thought though. It's standard practice for cricket fans I've met in person to assume Bangladesh are better simply because they play tests.

 

[Athlai]

I saw the highlights of that James Marshall - McCullum ODI thrashing. Maybe I'm judging them a bit too harshly on their T20 performances but I just can't see some of these Irish players being that much better a few years down the track. The whole Bangladeshi team are kids and they've found genuine Test players like Tamim and Shakib, the Irish get a genuine Test player and he gets poached! It isn't fair but its the reality of the situation, Scaly's idea might be the way to stop it and I'm all for that.

But giving the Irish what Bangladesh have at the moment would be a wrong move.

 

[Uppercut]

And I assume you judged that Paul Stirling hasn't got much potential to improve by... watching him bat in an ODI?

I think you're forming an opinion on something you have no right to hold an opinion on. And ftr, Ireland didn't have any county cricket players for the McCullum thrashing. That side bears no resemblance to the side that's lining up (and doing fairly badly ) against Bangladesh today.

 

[Athlai]

And I assume you judged that Paul Stirling hasn't got much potential to improve by... watching him bat in an ODI?

I think you're forming an opinion on something you have no right to hold an opinion on. And ftr, Ireland didn't have any county cricket players for the McCullum thrashing. That side bears no resemblance to the side that's lining up (and doing fairly badly ) against Bangladesh today.

It was a really bad thrashing.