i'm back and ready this time

[aosaif]

Don't want to make it a big deal. I gave up all hope last night, after watching the nightmarish collapse of our batsmen.

But I realized that this team means way too much to me. It's not just cricket, but it's for our nation. It's a part of our nation's development. Our team promotes our nation in the international arena - a way of forming bonds or sharing something in common, e.g. the only thing aus and bd have in common is cricket. In this global society, we need as much help as we can get from other countries.

This team's been one of the main means through which i've remained patriotic to my country. I love it too much, even if i've hardly spent any time living in that beautiful country.

And so I love this team too much. And yes, they will frustrate you. But the fact that they are giving 110% keeps me 110% with them. You got to admire a boy who repeatedly tries year after year to pass his exams and fails despite his efforts. As long as our team try, I am with them.

Hopefully, next time they trip on another banana skin, I'll be sympathetic to their cause instead of giving up hope. They are fighting for everything. Even fighting for my hope, for you hope. For the joy of 150 million. I was tremendously inspired by Bashar's comments in The Daily Star, where he didn't blame ash for going for that shot that brought about his downfall, and also with his optimism and support for his rookie bowlers. He must feel much worse than any of us do, yet he's doing well to hide it. And he's doing that for his team.

Anyways, it was important I said this before the 2nd day's play began, so that no one can accuse me of being a hypocrite. That is, whether bangladesh get sri lanka all out for below 300 or if sri lanka end up 500/4, at the end of the day, i'm still striped black and orange - like our beloved bengal tiger.

Hopefully my newfound loyalty will last. I reckon if it can stand last night's harikiri, it can stand whatever comes our way. And honestly, how boring would life be without banglacricket members to talk to, to insult, to commend, to argue with, to finally unite in joy when victory is ours. Hopefully, this time, this loyalty, is a smart and patient loyalty. I will wait for the tigers to bring home the goods. Till then, I am with them, We are with them.

[aosaif]

Now....to the bizness at hand:

Spinners are the order of the day. Rafique (rag-er bhai) and enamul (jnr) are our strike bowlers now.

Bashar must not neglect rajib and rasel. I don't think he will. They've showed enough potency to trouble the lanka batsmen, which is a relieving sign for all of bangladesh cricket. When the going gets tough, bashar ought to turn to them and set attacking fields. It seems that those of you who predicted that this situation might be a blessing in diguise, might actually be spot on here. Imagine, if by the end of this tour, bangladesh has 4 test quality pace bowlers. A possible long-standing quartet. It would take the pressure of masrafe, and should prolong his career and improve his performance.

As for the fielding. Hopefully Aftab's superb catch can lift the team in that department. Hope they do some catching practice before the start of the 2nd day.

There should always be at least 2 if not 3 slips.

[sasharif]

Thanks for such a wonderful comment.

[al Furqaan]

aosaif bhai,

your words brought tears to my eyes. i too had the same (much worse feeling) almost a year ago.

i had really started following bangladesh only from the 2003 WC. i endured the loss to canada, the 4 wickets taken by vaas in the first over (!!!!), the 200 run loss to india and the injury to mashrafee. add to that the failures of ashraful. all this and yet before every coin toss, i was excited beyond anything i have known in my 22 years of existence. and i never expected a win.

then came the ODI home series against New Zealand. after those worthless performances, i remember walking back to my dorm at about 2 am. i spent an entire 5 minute walk cursing our players. i may even have cursed them not merely as players but as humans too. i vowed that i would never follow a BD cricket game as long as they sucked (which i thought to be forever).

but i too changed. actually i didn't 'recant' or anything. i just went back. like you, the team's hold on me was too strong.

and immediately after that series, BD has had the most succesful time ever. 1 test win, and 5 ODI wins in that span.

keep the faith aosaif...ulitmately you will not be dissappointed.

[CricTiger]

aosaif
Very recently I joined this forum. Although I have been following crickets for a long time. One thing perplex me is that all of us are very avid BD fan and you would hardly find fans like us quite a few in current Cricket world.

We do not hesitate to give our 2 cents in any place sometimes without knowing too much or thinking for a sec. Nothing wrong about this but still I would say we should check our emotions and take the reality bite.

BD has been playing Test cricket for about 5+ years now and if I look back I see Progress and Success first then see difficulties in coping with the test playing nations. Some times we spark and that spark (success) gave our cricket loving fans something to cheer about for a long time and raise our expectations a lot. It also corrupts us and takes us away from the reality.

The reality is we are still in learning mode and until unless we find at least a pair of good bowlers and batsman we will see these type of slide the way we saw it recently.

Our BD players have to go through this painful and slow process and learn from their mistakes. And as BD fans only thing we can do just support them positively and tell them we are with you from the beginning and we will be there for our future supporters and cricketers.

Someday some one surely will appear on the spot light and save us from this roller coaster journey. We are the first generation of our Test Playing country and definitely we have to be with our players unconditionally.

This is the fact and whether we like it or not and this is the naked truth and reality for us.

So we should be positive and hope for the best but still ready for the worst.

[ReckmyBack]

We haven't done that bad on first day , we need to restrict them in another 100 runs , and we go to the crease then we have to play like a football match then we will have the match on . Not to worry , now cheer up .

[aosaif]

CricTiger,
I completely agree with you. And I already know what you know. But indeed, I'm a tad impatient. Anyway, after the events of last night, I'm gonna try be more patient with the team. I don't deny, that win over the aussies really had an affect on me. Bit of voodoo i think.

[fchud84]

One thing to remember we won first test after 35 matches, NZ after 45 so look at NZ now, as well as this we should be proud how our batsmen played Sri Lanka's pacemen only two wickets lost to them, but worryingly enough 7 to spin, and anyway s**t like this is not a rarity in test matches. Pakistan were bowled out against Aus last year below 100, England twice below 200 in first test of ashes, so dont be disheartened.
We got three wickets in first day, God willing, we may get two quick wickets and the match is on, if we can get 300-odd against England against their first team pace line-up, we are more than capable.
By the way....we are a 100% more of a test playing nation than a ODI nation.
Aosaif congrats in the renewed faith.GO Bangladesh!

[alam7770]

Hi guys....Just wanted to put in my vote for all of your feelings for our Cricket Team.

I sit all night in front of the screen just to watch our BDTigers play. The fact that they are out there with only a few elite countries in the whole wide world gives me enough reason to feel proud of them.

From Omar to Jr. with every fall of wicket, I am hopeful the next man in will make it for us....yes at the end of the 9th wicket all hope fades quiet often but I prepare myself for another day when our tigers will show us the victory flag!

:fanflag:

[aosaif]

fchud84, i totally agree with you. I think in many ways we're more suited to the test version. Perhaps becoz we find it difficult to push the run rate during ODIs

alam7770, i really like your spirit. It's ppl like you who keep me going, coz I know i'm not the only one who desperately wants to see bd do well.

[shaoun]

yesterday was a decent day because of bashars performance and the bowlers, also i thought our fielding was good. we will miss masrafee but i dont think we will miss taposh in this series. rassel and rajib will do a fine job. i dont think our pace department will be our week wink, our batsman maybe. the callaps yesterday was the worst one i saw from any cricket team. i just couldnt believe wickets after wickets that they lost. murali is a great spinner but our batsman just gave their wickets away. if we get some consistancy in our batting i think we will do good in this test series.

[sasharif]

I think I mentiooned about my daughter in another thread last year. I can not help mentioning her again. She is now 12. Born in Zambia. Spent her early years in South Africa before moving to Aus. When she was little - she knew Cronije, Rhodes, McMillan (she used to called them Cronije uncle, Rhodes uncle etc). That is her passion for cricket.

She only spent 5 month of her life in BD on three ocassions to spend holidays. Last time she took many photographs while in BD. On returning back she organised exhibition of her photos in Melburne titled "Bangladesh in my heart". This is her passion for BD - a country she barely knows.

So many nights she spent sleepless nights with me following BD cricket on TV or on the net and got frastrated and disappointed.

Then came the glory against India while we were in BD. She was ecstatic. Then came Cardiff. She was proud. She held her head high in her school. She is not satisfied when we won against Zim. She is now waiting for our next win. I hope it comes soon.

This is the image of our love and passion for our mother land. Disappointment and fraustration will comes its way and it is understandable. But we are right behind Habibul Bashar, Khaled Mashud, Javed Omar, Mashrafee, Ashraful, Rafique and the boys.

[akabir77]

good to have you back remember don't expect anything from bd team. watch the game like you r watching a golf match :P

[aosaif]

my gosh, akabir....that's impossible. Can u really compare cricket and golf like that?

[zia]

Let's place our hands on our hearts and pledge to our beautiful country, Bangladesh.

My Bengal of gold, I love you

Forever your skies, your air set my heart in tune

as if it were a flute.

In Spring, Oh mother mine, the fragrance from

your mango-groves makes me wild with joy,

Ah, what a thrill!

In Autumn, Oh mother mine,

in the full-blossomed paddy fields,

I have seen spread all over sweet smiles!

Ah, what a beauty, what shades, what an affection

and what a tenderness!

What a quiet have you spread at the feet of

banyan trees and along the banks of rivers!

Oh mother mine, words from your lips are like

Nectar to my ears!

Ah, what a thrill!

If sadness, Oh mother mine, casts a gloom on your face

my eyes are filled with tears!
:fanflag:

[aosaif]

Originally posted by sasharif
I think I mentiooned about my daughter in another thread last year. I can not help mentioning her again. She is now 12. Born in Zambia. Spent her early years in South Africa before moving to Aus. When she was little - she knew Cronije, Rhodes, McMillan (she used to called them Cronije uncle, Rhodes uncle etc). That is her passion for cricket.

She only spent 5 month of her life in BD on three ocassions to spend holidays. Last time she took many photographs while in BD. On returning back she organised exhibition of her photos in Melburne titled "Bangladesh in my heart". This is her passion for BD - a country she barely knows.

So many nights she spent sleepless nights with me following BD cricket on TV or on the net and got frastrated and disappointed.

Then came the glory against India while we were in BD. She was ecstatic. Then came Cardiff. She was proud. She held her head high in her school. She is not satisfied when we won against Zim. She is now waiting for our next win. I hope it comes soon.

This is the image of our love and passion for our mother land. Disappointment and fraustration will comes its way and it is understandable. But we are right behind Habibul Bashar, Khaled Mashud, Javed Omar, Mashrafee, Ashraful, Rafique and the boys.

i'm amazed. extraordinary. :bravo: :fanflag:

[israr]

I've always been with our team through thick and thin. Believe me, surely Ash and other grooming cricketers of Bangladesh will not let us disappoint at all in the future.