Bangladesh seek rebirth of spiritb

Bangladesh seek rebirth of spirit

This time last week, England's return to Chittagong was being viewed with the sort of FA Cup-style angst that accompanied Arsenal on their recent trip to Leyton Orient. On paper it was clearly a mismatch, with England having emerged victorious in all but one of their 22 previous fixtures, in all three formats of the game. However, in light of their calamitous three-wicket defeat against Ireland, the contest was being earmarked as a make-or-break moment in England's campaign. Another slip-up here, and the quarter-finals would surely be out of reach.

That, however, was before two extraordinary results redressed the shift towards Minnow Power in a remarkably unpredictable Group B. First came Bangladesh's capitulation to 58 all out at the hands of West Indies in Dhaka, as a game that could have hoisted them right into the reckoning for the knock-outs instead sent the team's morale spiralling, with the nation's mood following suit amid dark and reprehensible scenes outside the stadium.

Then, two days later, came England's incredible comeback against South Africa in Chennai, as the team somehow found the will to defend a limp total of 171, with all ten of South Africa's wickets tumbling for 102 in a thrilling six-run victory. The net effect of those two results has been to draw much of the sting from this Chittagong contest. It's certainly not out of the question for Bangladesh to progress to the next stage, especially with Netherlands among their remaining opponents. But right when it most matters, their bubble of optimism has been cruelly pricked, while at the same time, the fear of embarrassment that might have undermined England's approach has been significantly eased by their dispatching of one of the form teams of the tournament.

Nevertheless, these two teams know each other inside-out, with the first half of 2010 including four Tests and six ODIs, split home and away - and the shorter the format, the smaller the gulf between the teams. Bangladesh could and should have claimed the second ODI in Dhaka 12 months ago, only for a nerveless Eoin Morgan to seal a two-wicket victory with his maiden England century. Then at Bristol in July, the Tigers finally pounced, with Shafiul Islam's last-over dismissal securing an epic five-run victory.

The perverse logic of England's campaign also helps to fuel the prospect of an upset. At some stage, surely, they are going to have to break the cycle of underachievement whenever they've been burdened with the favourites' tag, but having been given extraordinarily close shaves by Canada in a warm-up match and then by Netherlands in their Nagpur opener, the Ireland defeat was an accident waiting to happen. Thrice bitten, four times shy? You'd assume they'd have to learn sometime.

Following that abominable effort against West Indies, Bangladesh will doubtless feel liberated with their expectations back at rock-bottom. The intervening days have been devoted to speculation about Shakib's position as captain, with a media furore accompanying a photo apparently showing him gesturing to the crowd during the post-match presentations at Mirpur. At times such as these, the safest place is often the middle of a cricket pitch. A decent start and a pumped-up crowd, and who knows what could be possible.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)

Bangladesh LWLWW
England WLTWL

Watch out for...

England have had a rough time with injuries in the past few days, with Kevin Pietersen's hernia proving too much for the player to deal with, and Stuart Broad's side strain forcing him home early for the second time this winter. But the undeniable bonus is the return of Eoin Morgan, arguably the most innovative one-day batsman in the world game at present, and a man around whom England had built all of the strategies that have been so conspicuously absent from their suck-it-and-see approach to date. The broken finger he sustained in Australia has healed more quickly than anticipated, and he had been back in the nets with Middlesex before his SOS from Andy Flower. The aforementioned Dhaka century was a masterful example of how to finish a one-day innings. He's ready to start out again.

A calm 70 against India set the tone for Bangladesh's World Cup campaign, a violent 44 made the difference in a tight contest against Ireland. But never has Tamim Iqbal's importance to the Bangladeshi cause been so starkly demonstrated than during that debacle against West Indies. From the moment he chopped Kemar Roach to second slip in the first over of the match, the atmosphere was sucked clean out of the Shere-e-Bangla stadium, and with it the belief of all his team-mates. Against England, his role can only be amplified. He has smacked the small matter of three hundreds, two eighties and a pair of breezy fifties in his 11 matches to date, and by the end of the Tests in England, the bowlers' strategy was simply to wait for the hurricane to blow itself out. While he's still at the crease, Strauss and his men know they can't relax for an instant.

Team news

So many permutations for England to consider, with a new opening batsman needed to take over from Pietersen, and a replacement bowler needed to fill in for Stuart Broad. The one given is that Morgan will revert to his favourite No. 5 position, where he and Ravi Bopara could form a potent combination in the latter stages of an innings. Earlier in the week, Ian Bell was talking like a man who'd been told to renew his first-wicket alliance with Andrew Strauss, although Matt Prior could yet be asked to take up that challenge once again. There is some speculation about England playing three spinners, with James Tredwell a potential addition alongside Michael Yardy and Graeme Swann. But Ajmal Shahzad, who claimed Tamim for a duck when England last played an ODI in Chittagong, is the likelier replacement for Broad.

England (probable) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Ian Bell, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ravi Bopara, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Matt Prior (wk), 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Michael Yardy, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Ajmal Shahzad, 11 James Anderson.

After a result such as the one they endured last week, the temptation might be to throw the baby out with the bathwater. However, Bangladesh have limited room for wholesale changes, and besides, the players who got their team into this mess ought to be the first to have to front up and get them out again. The one potential change is Mohammad Ashraful for Mahmudullah. Though Ashraful was picked primarily as a batsman, his allsorts spin bowling has proven to be the far stronger of his two suits to date. Mahmudullah, who is an offspinning allrounder, has a solid record against England including two Test fifties.

Bangladesh (possible) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Junaid Siddique, 4 Raqibul Hasan, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 6 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 7 Mahmudullah, 8 Naeem Islam, 9 Abdur Razzak, 10 Rubel Hossain, 11 Shafiul Islam.

Pitch and conditions

The weather has been dry and hot, though not unbearably so. The pitch promises to be a typical Chittagong strip of tarmac - dry and flat, with a touch of turn and low bounce. It was the livelier of the two surfaces on England's tour in 2009-10, though that is not saying much.

Stats and trivia

England and Bangladesh have only faced each other once in previous World Cups - at Bridgetown in 2007, when England ground to an unconvincing four-wicket win.
• Tamim Iqbal has scored 730 runs at 48.66 in his 11 matches against England, including a run of six half-centuries in seven Test innings. His highest score against England, 125, came in his first match against them, the first ODI in Dhaka in February 2010.

• Andrew Strauss has never played an ODI in Bangladesh, having been rested for last year's tour. He scored 154 in his last match against them, at Edgbaston in July 2010.

Quotes

"The boys will be a bit tense, but we know if we play our best cricket, we can beat any side. They are confident enough to do the right things."
Shakib Al Hasan expects an improved performance from his team.

"It's been great to be involved in some thrilling games. Personally I would have liked them to be a bit easier, I'd probably have a bit more hair on my head at this stage of the tournament. But we have shown a lot of character in a couple of those games certainly, and we want these last two games to be less close, to be honest."
Andrew Strauss is hoping for a quieter match this time around

Bangladesh players asked not to write columns

Cricket Board has asked the Bangladeshi players and those associated with the team to not write columns in newspapers during the World Cup. This directive comes after Shakib Al Hasan wrote a column expressing his displeasure at criticism from former players after his side was bowled out for 58 against West Indies. The Daily Star reported that all the team members have been sent a letter asking them to stop writing columns and also "observe protocol when speaking to the media". Coach Jamie Siddons, too, was pretty harsh in his assessment of former players' views when he spoke at a press conference two days ago.

However, the newspaper also reported that the national contracts do not have a clause that can bar them from writing in newspapers. The BCB chief Manzur Ahmed told the paper that the board will make sure the renewed contract has such a clause.

In his column Shakib had suggested the former players had faced much more humiliation than the current side has encountered. Siddons said that the said former players don't "have the balls" to say things to his face, calling them "not courageous". Khaled Mahmud and Aminul Islam, former captains, have been vocal in their criticism of the current team, in particular the lack of fight shown.

Bangladesh are devastated - Siddons

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	Jamie Siddons said the Bangladesh public need to realise the players were the ones most upset by the loss to West Indies © AFP Enlarge
Related Links News : Tamim says Mirpur incidents won't affect Bangladesh Players/Officials: Jamie Siddons Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Bangladesh

Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, has said that his team are devastated and shell-shocked after their loss to West Indies in Mirpur. Bangladesh were bowled out for 58, their lowest total in ODIs and the lowest by a Full Member in all World Cups, on a decent batting track. "Devastated. Everyone is still a little shell-shocked. Very embarrassed by the performance," Siddons said of how the team took the defeat. "Disappointed for the public, but more importantly it's a World Cup, and we need to play good cricket."

That defeat was followed by some unfortunate incidents in Mirpur: the team buses were pelted with stones by angry fans, and Siddons appealed to the public to realise the people most hurt by the performance were the players themselves. "The public have been very good the whole time, but they were disappointed after the last game. The public needs to realise, and I think they do realise, that the players were the most devastated, most embarrassed, and most upset by the result. They don't go out there to play cricket like that. We are very keen to bounce back from that performance."

According to reports in local newspapers, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan's parents' house was stoned too. Siddons, however, said the people of Bangladesh were still behind his team. "Some people react. Things happen in every country in the world, after crazy performances like that. These people are very big supporters of the Bangladesh cricket team. I saw nothing different when we drove in today [Sunday], or yesterday [Saturday] from the airport; there was still unbelievable support for us. Everyone was disappointed by our performance, but everyone needs to realise these are the best 15 players in Bangladesh, and they are doing their best. If they have bad performances, that's the way it is. We are trying, we are doing our best. We'll play good cricket against England, Insha Allah."

It's in everybody's best interest - apart from the authorities - to forget what happened on Friday night. And that includes the Bangladesh cricket team. Siddons spoke of the need to not over-analyse that game. "Three or four dismissals were repetitions of mistakes I see in the nets every day, and those weaknesses were exposed in that game. The boys are working on them, they have been working on their faults for the last two or three years. They certainly came out under pressure, and played some shots that we know are our downfalls. The boys have promised me that there will be an improved performance in the next game. Not much more you can say about 58. You can't over-analyse that."

Siddons agreed that similar mistakes were made in the game against Ireland, which they won thanks to a spirited show in the field to defend a meagre total. "We know what we are working on and what we have to do to play well. It just fell apart that one day. I don't want to over-analyse because that will not get us anywhere. But we need to learn from it, and the players are aware of that. They need to change a few things and stick to our team plans, which they didn't do so much in that match, and not even against Ireland. They went away from what has been successful for us for some reason."

Siddons said Bangladesh had batsmen in the XI who can stick around and build an innings, as opposed to the reckless show they put up in the two previous games. "Imrul [Kayes] and Imrose [Junaid Siddique] are the two players that are expected to play long innings. Mushfiqur [Rahim], batting at No. 4, is expected to do that as well. He has done it in domestic cricket; he has done it before at No. 6; and we have pushed him up to No. 4 to do that job. Imrose was playing a lot of shots, and I have spoken to him about that. That's not his role in the team. As I said, these are the best 15 players for the job. There is no-one outside that can do a better job. So we stick with these players, and we make sure that they do better next time."

Siddons admitted that their performance has left them short on confidence. "The boys are still shell-shocked. They are sad by what happened and by the performance we put up. I am flat. My confidence is a bit dented as well. But we'll move on. I don't expect anybody else to forget it, but we need to forget it and move forward to the next game."

Tamim says Mirpur incidents won't affect Bangladesh

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	Tamim Iqbal scored a quick 44 in Bangladesh's win against Ireland but was out for a duck in the loss to West Indies © Associated Press Enlarge
Related Links News : Bangladesh are devastated - Siddons News : Shakib, Siddons hit back at criticism from former players Players/Officials: Tamim Iqbal Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Bangladesh

Three days after the 58 all out fiasco against West Indies, Bangladesh's practice session at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium on Monday began with a loud game that involved every member of the team. The squad, including the support staff, was divided into two groups who competed at a sort of relay race, which also involved cricket balls. Every member was involved; there was loud cheering, fighting, banter, sledging, celebrations, and noise. The plan for Tuesday is to spend the day away from cricket and have Tamim Iqbal, one of the most popular people - if not the most - in Chittagong, take the team out.

Bangladesh's next game is against England on Friday, and they know they can do with some time off to help release the pressure that the performance against West Indies, and the reactions of some of the fans, has brought. "It was just to take our mind off the last game," Tamim said of the unusual training session. "We have been trying to do that since yesterday [Sunday]. We played some soccer and a few things today; the team is feeling better and the players are mentally fine now. We are looking forward to doing something special in the coming games."

The last game and its aftermath won't be that easy to forget, as Jamie Siddons said yesterday. West Indies' bus was hit by some stones, and there were reports that captain Shakib Al Hasan's house was also attacked, incidents which Tamim condemned. "It was only one stone I think that was thrown at his [Shakib's] place, and that became a very big issue. It's disappointing because he is the best player in the country and the No. 1 allrounder in the world. He doesn't deserve this treatment. I will request the public of Bangladesh to not do this silly stuff. We win one day, we lose one day, these kinds of things happen in cricket. So they need to support us in good times as well as bad times."

Tamim said that the reaction will not affect his or his team's game. "We have seen enough of this kind of thing, so it won't play any role on my mind. I know one thing: if we do something special on March 11 everything is going to be fine."

It is Tamim who the side will be looking to to provide them with a start that helps them forget the last match. It is personally a big match for him; a World Cup match at home. "It is very big for me, and also for Chittagong. It will take Chittagong to the next level I am sure."

Tamim knows his role is important but doesn't agree with the notion that the team rely on him too much going into every big game. "We have got a couple of very good players in our team. I know I need to perform in every game and that is my goal. But I don't think the team relies on just me. I need to give them a solid start, and after that they can build a foundation. Players like Mushfiqur [Rahim] and Raqibul [Hasan] didn't have a great game on Friday, but I am sure they are capable of making big scores and will do it in the next game."

India game behind us, says Tamim

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Bangladesh insist the opening defeat won't play on their minds © Associated Press Enlarge

Tamim Iqbal says that Bangladesh have put behind them the defeat against India in the World Cup opener, and are feeling good about their chances of making it to the quarter-finals. After a week of frenzied anticipation, Bangladesh went down to India in a disappointing manner, especially with the ball letting India to score 370 runs.

However, Tamim said, "We are not thinking about the India match at all. We still have five matches left, and we are looking ahead. Today's practice I feel was the best session we had in the last one-and-a-half months. Everybody was enjoying, and we were all very relaxed. We are now totally focused on the Ireland match. As a player I am very satisfied about how it went today."

As a player in the first game, though, Tamim struggled, and was the face of Bangladeshi surrender after the first two wickets fell. It was as if Bangladesh had decided early on in their innings that 370 was too much, and they would not even go for it. Before that happened, though, Imrul Kayes, usually the anchor to Tamims pyrotechnics, started aggressively, scoring 34 off 29. Tamim spoke about both the innings.

"The way Imrul struck the ball against India has been a huge benefit for the team," Tamim said. "I think if Imrul can play like that he can take his game to the next level. As for my innings I was not timing the ball well. Somehow the ball was not coming on to the bat that well. So I thought not to throw the wicket and hang in there. One thing I believe is that even if I play 20-30 balls more, I am capable of recovering my strike-rate later.

"Three-hundred-and-seventy-one was a huge target to chase. I thought if we got them somewhere around the 300 to 310 mark, we could have made a match out of it, considering their bowling attack and our bowling strength."

In one way perhaps, Bangladesh take confidence from having reached close to 300, for not every team will set them 371 to chase, and their bowlers are also expected to improve and be more effective against non-subcontinent sides. One of those teams will be Ireland, who have beaten them in the World Cups of both limited-overs formats.

"Against Ireland we have plans for each and every player in their side," Tamim said. "We have played quite a few matches against them, and its the same set of players they have got. We know their strengths and weaknesses. If we can execute our plans we will definitely win." Three of those quite a few matches against Ireland have come at home for Bangladesh, and they have won all three, which will give them heart.

Tamim, though, said there was no room for complacency. "In the World Cup there are no easy matches," he said. "You cannot relax. The moment you take something lightly you stand a chance of losing. We will approach all the matches the same way, similar to the way we approached the India match."

Bangladesh know that progress to the next round will only be possible if they beat both Ireland and Netherlands, apart from beating one of Test-playing teams in their group. A loss against Ireland can knock Bangladesh out. "If you take pressure, there are a lot of pressures," Tamim said, "[But] the boys are mentally very tough, and they are ready. We know we have to play our best if we want to beat any team we play against, whether it's South Africa or whether it's Ireland."

Mortaza's experience will be missed - Siddons

	Another knee injury has put Moshrafe Mortaza in doubt for the 2011 World Cup © AFP Enlarge
Related Links News : Mortaza injures his knee again Players/Officials: Mashrafe Mortaza | Jamie Siddons Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Bangladesh

Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons has expressed his frustration over the latest injury to fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza that has put him in doubt for the World Cup that will be held in the subcontinent next year. Mortaza injured his right knee while batting for his club Abahani in a Dhaka Premier Division League match earlier this week.

"A fit and firing Mash [Mashrafe Mortaza] was obviously our first preference for the World Cup and this is a huge disappointment for Mash and the team as well," Siddons told the Bangladesh newspaper Daily Star from Australia.

The final report of an MRI scan performed on Tuesday confirmed that there had been a near complete tear of the reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament graft on his right knee. Mortaza had surgery on his right knee in August 2009 after he injured it during the first Test against West Indies at St. Vincent in July that year.

An ankle problem ruled Mortaza out for most of the recent home one-day series against New Zealand which Bangladesh won 4-0. He came back for the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe but said after the first two games that he needed more match practice to get his rhythm back. While Siddons was confident that the bowling attack would be able to cope should Mortaza not be fit in time for the World Cup, he said that Mortaza's experience would be missed.

"The inclusion of Rubel (Hossain) or Nazmul (Hossain) would change the dynamics of the opening attack but I believe that though it would be different it would not be weakened significantly," he said. "The loss of Mash will be seen in his leadership and experience. We cannot cover this aspect of his loss."

This injury is the latest in the long line of injuries for Mortaza. He has undergone six knee reconstructions in the space of eight years, and is currently undergoing a non-surgical treatment for his knee, involving physical therapy and use of a knee brace.

Bangladesh reduce preliminary WC squad to 23

Bangladesh have reduced their preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup to 23. Nazimuddin, Shamsur Rahman, Sahagir Hossain, Mithun Ali, Nasir Hossain, Shuvogoto Chowdhury and Enamul Haque Jr are the players who have been left out. The remaining 23 players will be of a preparatory camp that begins on January 9 at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Mirpur.

All 14 teams participating in the tournament have to announce their final fifteen before January 19.

Preliminary Squad: Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Roqibul Hassan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nazmul Hossain, Naeem Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Shahriar Nafees, Jahirul Islam, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Mahbubul Alam, Dolar Mahmud, Shabbir Rahman, Alok Kapali.

Kapali in Bangladesh preliminary World Cup list

ESPNcricinfo staff

December 15, 2010

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Bangladesh have announced their preliminary squad for the World Cup, and there were no major surprises in the 30-man pool. They have included allrounder Alok Kapali, who last played international cricket in 2008 before defecting to the ICL, and 21-year-old fast bowler Dolar Mahmud, who has not played for Bangladesh since October 2009.

With 65 caps, Kapali is an experienced player, but was erratic in his six years of international cricket, averaging 19.83 with the bat and 49.75 with his legspinners, before becoming part of the exodus to the ICL. It was that exodus that opened the doors for Mahmud to made his international debut, though he couldn't cement his place in the limited opportunities he got.

Bangladesh are riding high after two series wins on the trot - a 4-0 drubbing of New Zealand in October and a 3-1 victory over Zimbabwe in a series which ended on Sunday. They have no further international matches scheduled before February 19, when the global tournament starts.

Sri Lanka were the first team to announce their preliminary squad, doing so on December 13. All 14 teams participating in the tournament have to announce their preliminary line-ups by December 19, and zero in on the final fifteen before January 19 next year.

Preliminary Squad: Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Roqibul Hassan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Nazmul Hossain, Naeem Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Shahriar Nafees, Nazimuddin, Shamsur Rahman, Jahirul Islam, Sahagir Hossain, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Mahbubul Alam, Dolar Mahmud, Mithun Ali, Nasir Hossain, Shuvogoto Chowdhury, Shabbir Rahman, Alok Kapali, Enamul Haque Jr.

Bangladesh fast bowler

Bangladesh fast bowler Mashrafe Bin Mortaza sustained an injury to his right knee while batting for his club Abahani in an Ispahani Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2010-11 match at the BKSP on Tuesday.

Mortaza was taken to Apollo Hospital, Dhaka where he was examined by orthopaedic consultant and knee specialist Prof. M Ali.

Following an MRI, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) sports physician Dr Md Manirul Amin informed that the provisional report suggested partial tear of the reconstructed ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) of Mortaza's right knee.

"We will wait for the final report which is due tomorrow (Wednesday) before deciding on the next course of action. We will also consult orthopaedic surgeon Dr David Young in Melbourne," said Dr. Amin.

Dr Young had performed arthroscopic surgery on both knees of Mortaza in August 2009 after Mortaza had injured his right knee during the first Test against the West Indies at St. Vincent in July that year.

Bangladesh

Final report of an MRI performed on injured Bangladesh paceman Mashrafe Bin Mortaza on Tuesday (21 December) has confirmed that there has been a near complete tear of the reconstructed ACL graft on his right knee.

Following consultation between Dr. M Ali, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and knee specialist Apollo Hospitals Dhaka, Dr. David Young, orthopaedic surgeon Melbourne Orthopaedic Group, Dr Bidyut KR. Saha, consultant radiologist Apollo Hospitals Dhaka and Dr. Md Manirul Amin, sports physician BCB it was decided that a conservative management of the injury would continue.

This includes rest for 10 days, a review after three days, medication, administering ice on the affected area and constant monitoring.

Based on the progress of the conservative treatment the medical team will provide an update in due course.