The main focus of the cricket world is currently in England (despite certain embarrassments for India in ODI cricket) where the question of the future of Bangladesh is being asked once again. Should they be playing test cricket? What of the the other aspiring nations?
This short test series has given some observers hope. Certainly the performance of the tourists was much improved from 2005 when they were beaten soundly inside 3 days in each test match. The batting was much better with the explosive rise of aggressive-opener Tamim Iqbal who scored two centuries. There were also notable contributions from other batsmen that suggested a growing willingness to spend time at the crease. The bowling was only slightly better than the previous tour and suffers mainly from a lack of any kind of fast/strike bowler
Having noted the improvements it is still plain to me that Bangladesh will struggle to ever become successful at Test Level. Iqbal will lose form and his temperament will get him out cheaply (like in the second innings at Old Trafford) and meanwhile the other batsmen, while showing better patience, still suffer from 2020-illness in terms of their shot selection.
More importantly, a lack of a strike bowler will doom them to never taking the 20 wickets required to win a match. Their spinner will keep them competitive at home but when their best pace-man is a 125-130 kph they haven't a chance elsewhere; seriously the guy is only going to get wickets when the batsmen trip on their own stumps laughing at the way he yells like Brett Lee but bowls like Paul Collingwood
The sad thing is that this reality might be sinking in given the speed with which the team resolve appeared to die as these matches progressed. The BBC was rightly critical of their 'defence' of 160 at Lords and I expect similar criticism of their poor 123 at Old Trafford. Both performances revealed a depressed sense of the inevitable and is not part of any equation for success in test cricket - that's why it is called test cricket! It challenges your mental and physical durability over 5 days - something you cannot practice for in 2020 cricket (see my opinions on the effect of 2020 cricket on minor nations in my post of May 8th 2010 - the end of the dream)
The only thing that is proven to drag a side up the test rankings is to produce a world class bowler like Hadlee, Imran Khan, Kapil Dev and Chamindaa Vaas. The careers of these four men saw their respective teams achieve success in overseas test matches and earn the respect of the cricketing world. If Bangladesh can produce a similar bowler they can do the same and teach a new generation of fast bowlers. The only danger here is if the standard is not maintained and the next bowlers do not live up to the standard of whoever it will be. Imran Khan managed to foster his successors but the same cannot be said for Hadlee, Dev and Vaas.
I find this an interesting concept worth pursuing and looking at how these bowlers fortunes lifted their teams and their retirement perhaps hurt them. Look out for this discussion over the next few weeks
NEWS
- Former chief executive of the ICC, Malcolm Speed has taken apart some of the arguments against the John Howard’s nomination, in particular the ‘because he’s a politician’ attack by Zimbabwe (supported by South Africa) as pure hypocrisy given their cries against mixing politics with sport in their own case. Speed also cited a former president that wasn’t a member of Pakistan’s cricket board in the face of Sri Lanka’s criticism
- Canterbury Cricket is likely to delay their outfitting of a Test cricket venue due to the upcoming council elections
- The Australian reported the possibility of separate 2020 and Test teams that could play at the same time (i.e. a test series in Australia while a 2020 series happened in another country). This sounds like bowing to the inevitable to be honest; of course it may solve the player burnout problem. Ian Chappell points out the problem with this is one-dimensional-cricketers and the disappointment of someone like Steven Smith only playing one form
- Australian Cricket is also looking to restructure their domestic 50-over tournament after the success of their 2020 Big Bash has taken the crowd and excitement out of their current system
- There are increasing calls for Steven Smith of Australia to play test cricket. I’m biased here, as are a few in that country, because cricket needs leg-spinners
RECENT RESULTS
- ENG beat BAN 2-0 in their test series after the tourists collapsed to lose by an innings at Old Trafford – a far cry from the bravery of their batsmen at Lords a week before
- IND beat SRL with Rohit Sharma making his 2nd consecutive ODI century
- SRL then thrashed ZIM
- ZIM beat IND again! Again it was comfortable
- SRL beat IND to kick them out of that series
- SA won their series against WI 5-0. I apologise for stating last week that the series was 3 matches long. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THOUGH. Why is it necessary to have five ODIs as well as two 2020s?
ARTICLE OF INTEREST
If you have got this far through the post this week I will not make you read another long article. Instead enjoy this footage of former South African fast bowler Alan Donald:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaJ8-4jrCWQ&feature=related
LOOKING BACK
The first week of June seems to be filled with anniversaries - normally I only pick one but it is more amusing to list them all:
June 1st (2002) - the death in a plane crash of disgraced South African captain Hansie Cronje
June 4th (1993) - anniversary of the Gatting Ball that drifted outside leg stump and turned sharply to beat Gatting's defence and begin the legend that is Shane Warne
June 6th (1994) - Brian Lara made 501* on this day - the highest first class score
Also note that his week marks the birthdays of the following people:
- Steve and Mark Waugh, twins that in 100+ tests together defined the Australian team for a decade
- George Lohmann, 112 wickets @ 10.75 in 18 tests – enough said
- Wasim Akram - the greatest left-arm fast bowler to play the game
- John Reid - captain and all rounder for New Zealand
- Walter Hadlee - New Zealand captain and father of a couple other Hadlees that played cricket
- Eric Hollies - bowled the most famous googly in history to dismiss Bradman for 0 in 1948
- Mike Gatting - in 1993 his birthday must have been a quiet affair after being dismissed by Warne two days before in such dramatic fashion
- Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson - England's fastest and most frightening bowler
Well that's it from here and I hope you join me again
It's good bye for now
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