Serial Losers: No place in test cricket?

[ashkale]

<style></style>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/simon_barnes/article5218885.ece

Serial losers who have no place in the Test arena
So let’s have a moan about terrible results in cricket. No, nothing to do with England; we can always give them a kicking next week if they seem to deserve it. Let’s talk about teams that shouldn’t be playing top-flight international cricket at all, and yet they do, and there is no stopping them.
Bangladesh lost a Test match again last week. Bangladesh are the Polly Garter of international cricket. Polly, the loose woman in Under Milk Wood, was regarded by some as a saint: “She was martyred again last night.” Bangladesh were martyred again last week, this time at the hands of South Africa, who won by an innings and 129 runs. Now this sort of bad result happens to all teams at some time or another, but it happens to Bangladesh every time. They have won one Test match out of 56. Against whom do you think that was?
All right, put your hands down, it was indeed Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s cricket has already gone from bad to worse; now it’s progressing smoothly to shatteringly inept. Sri Lanka beat them by six wickets in a one-day international last week and then in the second match bowled them out for 67, knocking off the runs in 18 overs.
And any side can have a bad trot, as Kevin Pietersen will be the first to agree, but these two processions of calamity do no good to anybody. There is no joy for the winners, only embarrassment. There is nothing to be learnt by the losers, other than that humiliation tastes bitter.
The first rule of any governing body is to provide the most compelling sport it possibly can. But cricket has neglected that, because of the power game at the heart, and the splitting of the game on colour lines. Bangladesh play Test cricket because they vote for India whenever asked.
It’s a win every way you look at it for India. Those who lose are those that matter least in sport: the audience and the athletes.

[Eshen]

Can't refute what Barnes wrote.

Without the opportunity of participating in a decent FC league, you can't expect a player to develop skills and attitude required for Test cricket. Reasonable thing for BCB to do would be to withdraw ourselves from Test arena and to concentrate on developing a decent FC league first.

[AsifTheManRahman]

Bangladesh play Test cricket because they vote for India whenever asked.If only the BCB understood that, we would have SN, Alok and Dhiman playing for us today.

[cricket_king]

LOL. We got owned rather hard...

[RazabQ]

As myself:
Eshen - please get over such a defeatist attitude. I'm seeing a lot of it lately. Yes we need a competitive FC. But that ain't gonna happen overnight. Why _should_ we withdraw from Test cricket? The other day Vettori pointed out that after all these year's NZ has been playing Test cricket, they've had just had Martin Crowe with a 45 avg. No one else comes close. Think about that! I hate it that after every big defeat we have legions of uncle Tom wannabe apologist who will go: "yessa... massa be right ...we be 2nd class and we deserves the beat down"
How can the national team grow a pair when we ourselves (the general population) seem so sorely lacking?

[Rifat]

As myself:
Eshen - please get over such a defeatist attitude. I'm seeing a lot of it lately. Yes we need a competitive FC. But that ain't gonna happen overnight. Why _should_ we withdraw from Test cricket? The other day Vettori pointed out that after all these year's NZ has been playing Test cricket, they've had just had Martin Crowe with a 45 avg. No one else comes close. Think about that! I hate it that after every big defeat we have legions of uncle Tom wannabe apologist who will go: "yessa... massa be right ...we be 2nd class and we deserves the beat down"
How can the national team grow a pair when we ourselves (the general population) seem so sorely lacking?

perfectly put!

[Spitfire_x86]

Without the opportunity of participating in a decent FC league, you can't expect a player to develop skills and attitude required for Test cricket. Reasonable thing for BCB to do would be to withdraw ourselves from Test arena and to concentrate on developing a decent FC league first.
If prospect of a spot in the test team can't make the players take NCL very seriously, what would happen if we stop playing tests? If BCB doesn't have enough money now to make NCL a financially lucrative option for players, how will they get the money to do it when we won't play tests?

Withdrawing from test cricket is no way to increase quality, Zimbabwe is the proof.

[kalpurush]

Can't refute what Barnes wrote.

Without the opportunity of participating in a decent FC league, you can't expect a player to develop skills and attitude required for Test cricket. Reasonable thing for BCB to do would be to withdraw ourselves from Test arena and to concentrate on developing a decent FC league first.

As myself:
Eshen - please get over such a defeatist attitude. I'm seeing a lot of it lately. Yes we need a competitive FC. But that ain't gonna happen overnight. Why _should_ we withdraw from Test cricket? The other day Vettori pointed out that after all these year's NZ has been playing Test cricket, they've had just had Martin Crowe with a 45 avg. No one else comes close. Think about that! I hate it that after every big defeat we have legions of uncle Tom wannabe apologist who will go: "yessa... massa be right ...we be 2nd class and we deserves the beat down"
How can the national team grow a pair when we ourselves (the general population) seem so sorely lacking?

If prospect of a spot in the test team can't make the players take NCL very seriously, what would happen if we stop playing tests? If BCB doesn't have enough money now to make NCL a financially lucrative option for players, how will they get the money to do it when we won't play tests?

Withdrawing from test cricket is no way to increase quality, Zimbabwe is the proof.


Nothing I see to add.

[mahbubH]

If only the BCB understood that, we would have SN, Alok and Dhiman playing for us today.
I have seen these players many years . I think current players are as good as these.

If BD need support it is BCCI who vote for us none of AUS,NZ,ENG would vote for us.

[Eshen]

As myself:
Eshen - please get over such a defeatist attitude. I'm seeing a lot of it lately. Yes we need a competitive FC. But that ain't gonna happen overnight. Why _should_ we withdraw from Test cricket? The other day Vettori pointed out that after all these year's NZ has been playing Test cricket, they've had just had Martin Crowe with a 45 avg. No one else comes close. Think about that! I hate it that after every big defeat we have legions of uncle Tom wannabe apologist who will go: "yessa... massa be right ...we be 2nd class and we deserves the beat down"
How can the national team grow a pair when we ourselves (the general population) seem so sorely lacking?
Defeatist?! I think the appropiate word is realistic.

45+ ?! I will be very happy to see someone after Bashar reaching 30+.

Why should we withdraw from Test cricket? Because our team ain't worth sh!t in this version. In Test arena, the question is not whether Bangladesh will be able to avoid a defeat, the question is whether Bangladesh will be able to avoid an innings defeat. All those thrashings help our players gain nothing but their match fees.

The players can develop herniated pairs if they like, but I don't see how that may help them for a format they are simply not prepared for.

[Sovik]

as long as we don't start to perform there will be no shortage of these sort of articles. i am not really bothered about this but BCB should. they should start to think whats the best for our cricket. we need competitive NCL. We need talent hunts. We need to organize cricket league in every district. in My town Sirajganj we never had regular first division league, last time we had that didn't come easy. we had to protest and rally with banners. we have few good cricketers in our district but they are never going to get any exposure and i think that would be the case with many towns.

[Eshen]

If prospect of a spot in the test team can't make the players take NCL very seriously, what would happen if we stop playing tests? If BCB doesn't have enough money now to make NCL a financially lucrative option for players, how will they get the money to do it when we won't play tests?
I have wrote in another thread why NCL is an inherently flawed league that may never turn into an effective professional FC league.

http://www.banglacricket.com/alochona/showpost.php?p=782886&postcount=9

I don't believe pouring more money into NCL will do us any good. What BCB needs do is to figure which are the appropiate leagues and series where to spend its time and money, instead of overcrowding the both international and domestic schedules with too many matches.

Money-wise, not being able to host 2-4 Tests per year should not hurt BCB that much. If BCB can implement proper planning, it should have enough money for development funds from the dozen or so ODIs it hosts yearly.

Withdrawing from test cricket is no way to increase quality, Zimbabwe is the proof.
By withdrawing from Test cricket, I am not asking BCB to mess up the national team, domestic leagues, the cricket academy, and school leagues in ZC style. So, I am not sure how relevant is Zimbabwe's example in this case.

[Zeeshan]

As myself:
Eshen - please get over such a defeatist attitude. I'm seeing a lot of it lately. Yes we need a competitive FC. But that ain't gonna happen overnight. Why _should_ we withdraw from Test cricket? The other day Vettori pointed out that after all these year's NZ has been playing Test cricket, they've had just had Martin Crowe with a 45 avg. No one else comes close. Think about that! I hate it that after every big defeat we have legions of uncle Tom wannabe apologist who will go: "yessa... massa be right ...we be 2nd class and we deserves the beat down"
How can the national team grow a pair when we ourselves (the general population) seem so sorely lacking?

Razab bhaiyer sathe kono kotha hoy nai....ei koidin BC-te thakar por.... but i follow ur many post and eibaro.... pura puri fataye falaisen...

i think you and al-furqaan bhai should team up together....a lethal combo :applause:

[al Furqaan]

Defeatist?! I think the appropiate word is realistic.

45+ ?! I will be very happy to see someone after Bashar reaching 30+.

Why should we withdraw from Test cricket? Because our team ain't worth sh!t in this version. In Test arena, the question is not whether Bangladesh will be able to avoid a defeat, the question is whether Bangladesh will be able to avoid an innings defeat. All those thrashings help our players gain nothing but their match fees.

The players can develop herniated pairs if they like, but I don't see how that may help them for a format they are simply not prepared for.

well there simply is NO other way. everyone here understands that we aren't ready for test cricket, but not playing is no solution. in fact, it will cricket.

bangladeshis play/follow cricket in the hope that one day they will come to be a force to reckon with, take the hope away, and thats it.

to be honest, our ODI record is not very good either. shouldn't we also give that up.

and while we're at it, bangladesh as a nation is poor, corrupt, ill-managed, and filthy. since we obviously aren't at par with the US or EU, shouldn't we give up our sovereignty as well? we obviously don't deserve or know how to run a country either.

[bujhee kom]

that's craazy talk...! this man needs to get his screw tightened (currently screw super dhilaa)...! who is this guy anyway..?

[GuruTM]

Great arguments from both point of view. al Furqaan's argument have great substance, sounds much like a resilience with a lot of elasticity attached to it. And BC fans can stretch this logic as much as they want to. The fact will remain the same. That elastic material is getting thinner. Its not just about bad performance, its also about the way BD gets treated in Test arena, its also about attitude and ethics. Denial is a negative attitude, you can only go this far with this attitude. Sadly that's the strongest trait with BD cricketers and fans alike.

[Tintin]

Why should we withdraw from Test cricket? Because our team ain't worth sh!t in this version. In Test arena, the question is not whether Bangladesh will be able to avoid a defeat, the question is whether Bangladesh will be able to avoid an innings defeat. All those thrashings help our players gain nothing but their match fees.


Bangladesh is hopeless in Tests under certain circumstances (playing South Africa away is one of them) and competitive in some others (NZ at home, for eg). What the management should do till the team improves is to minimise the former and maximize the latter. This is just not happening.+

[Dhakablues]

We don't need to be US/UK to be a better sporting country,, nor is a dientologist sporting body needed for its development. Srilanka is not a rich sport body,, it relies on India's money. In fact, Bangladesh board is richer than SL cricket.

There is a difference between ODI and Test. Our records in the last 5 years or so in ODIs are much better and promising. We are consistently beating major countries and getting used to it.. Why are we better in ODIs? Because, we play many ODIs and our domestic structure assist ODI players more than FC players. However, for Test cricket we have shown very little improvements and in fact most of it is due to self-deprecating decisions and policies than infrastructure or reasons.

We have discussed many times why we suck at Test cricket. There are numerous reasons but one primary reason we see clearly is the class of difference between players. Ashraful vs. Smith, Ntini vs. Shahadat, Styen vs. Mashrafee. We have good players but do they reach that height? The technique, stamina, mindset, strategy,, everything is simply wrong when it comes to playing Test cricket. And its simple... you bring a 19 year old to play a game where experience is needed. If the 19 year old is so good then why couldn't he score runs against domestic teams like Sylhet or Chittagong? Heck, even Barisal bowlers can restrict these players in 30 odd runs..Talent is one thing but experience is whats needed for international test matches and we against experienced players in our national team. Like or hate it thats our selection policy. We will not tolerate any players above 29 to be in our national team. Simply put, its a crime, its an embarrassment and its not Test cricket.

[smashyboy]

There is a difference between ODI and Test. Our records in the last 5 years or so in ODIs are much better and promising. We are consistently beating major countries and getting used to it.. Why are we better in ODIs?


Are you sure?

http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/team/25.html?class=2;filter=advanced;opposition=1;oppos ition=2;opposition=3;opposition=4;opposition=5;opp osition=6;opposition=7;opposition=8;orderby=defaul t;template=results;type=team

[nzfan]

You win one day matches for the same reason New Zealand does. They are only one day long, a test match is 5 days and you have to do consistantly well over all days to win it

[RazabQ]

Eshen, so let me ask you this. An India vs. Australia match is going on Sopcast and a Abahoni vs. Mohammedan 4-day match is going on the same time and also available on Sop (highly doubtful to start with)? You telling me you'll stay up late to watch the latter? Now let me change the last option to a Bangladesh vs. Windies Test match in Guyana that is available on Sopcast (way more probable). Any change?

Perhaps it will be easier if you stop following the Tigers. Clearly you have lost the appetite for the fight.

Again as myself of course and not intended to cause any disrespect.

[Dhakablues]

In ODIs only,,We have a 52% win rate in the last 4 years ( http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/team/25.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=default;sp anmin1=31+Mar+2004;spanval1=span;template=results; type=team) compared to 3% ( http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/team/25.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=default;sp anmax1=09+Nov+2004;spanmin1=31+Mar+2000;spanval1=s pan;template=results;type=team) fr the 4 years prior. Yes, some wins are against the minnows but we used to lose against them not too long ago... If you think about the tours we are having and in every tour we are winning one match every so often.. thats what I meant. I mean think of it this way,, how many people were on the streets when we beat NZ this time? None..We are a competitive side for ODIs and there is no denial to that..even from likes of Tony Greig..

[RazabQ]

By withdrawing from Test cricket, I am not asking BCB to mess up the national team, domestic leagues, the cricket academy, and school leagues in ZC style. So, I am not sure how relevant is Zimbabwe's example in this case.And pray tell what would be the apex of this organizational pyramid? A-team tours????

[Murad]

In ODIs only,,We have a 52% win rate in the last 4 years ( http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/team/25.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=default;sp anmin1=31+Mar+2004;spanval1=span;template=results; type=team) compared to 3% ( http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/team/25.html?class=2;filter=advanced;orderby=default;sp anmax1=09+Nov+2004;spanmin1=31+Mar+2000;spanval1=s pan;template=results;type=team) fr the 4 years prior. Yes, some wins are against the minnows but we used to lose against them not too long

Its actually 34.6% win rate not 52%.

[Russell2k7]

All Bangladesh needs to do is win just 1 out 10 matches against top teams in ODI. And just freakin compete in test.

[Eshen]

And pray tell what would be the apex of this organizational pyramid? A-team tours????
Not sure I follow you. I have not asked Bangladesh to withdraw from ODIs, in this version the team always entertain us a chance for a win. In the longer version, yes, our team is yet ready to face teams stronger than A-teams from other Test playing countries.

To answer your previous post, no, I have not lost appetite for fights. Unfortunately, at this point Bangladesh team is not capable of putting up any fight against other Test teams.

[uss01]

The solution is to privatize the NCL, like the Dhaka Premier league is already. The same owners of Mohammadan, Abahani, etc will probably have teams in the NCL because they're already sort of in the business. And because the owners will have their money invested in the teams, the players will get their *****s kicked every time they take stupid shots or throw their wickets away. This will make the players more mature. Not only that, the players will probably get a bit more money than the 10,000 tk / match fee. And the infrastructure problem that siddons talks about will also be taken care off as the private teams will have more incentive to train their players and buy bowling machines, etc. BCB can lease the stadiums to the individual teams and make money on that too.

The result will be more mature players, better coached players, and hopefully more wins for BD at the international level. The best thing BCB can do is to get out of the way and facilitate this to happen.

[Beamer]

Why do we even bother starting a thread every time someone decides to write something in a foreign newspaper throwing a fit about our test status? Why do we even bother to react? Its always the same write-ups and we go on spending a few days arguing about it. I have been through decades of Eighties and Nineties rooting for teams and players that were not our own. Oh.. I wished we had a team playing test matches back then. I suspect a lot of our fans here are post test status Bangladesh fans. Be careful what you wish for! Once our status is gone, you will be nostalgic about 158* and 12 wkts in a match. Sure, I hate to see my team getting pasted every time we set foot overseas in a test series, but, the sheer reality of just watching our team competing ( some might disagree with that word ) outweighs the negative results or not playing at all. Do ponder for a second what will happen if there are no more Bangladesh next morning. I am not prepared to root for an alien team ever again. Grow some thick skin, be tone deaf, put the blinders on, do whatever you have to do, but do remember that the presence of our team at the top flight is million fold more important then the perceived Western sanctity of the game- from our point of view. Defend , defend and defend our case even if it is irrational at times. Don't also forget that a mass consisting of a new generation of cricket culture has been established simply because of our status. We lose status and we lose the future pundits, writers, bloggers etc who forward the culture and aspire the next generation. Vacuum is worse than misery on field. Innings defeat is better than goats grazing on Mirpur greens for now.

[RazabQ]

Nice retort Beamer. Eshen - you have not answered my question regarding viewing Sopcast - and Beamer's piece drives home that point even more. Plus exactly how does a cricket pyramid that has ODIs as the pinnacle improve our ability in the longer version?

[mahbubH]

thanks Beamer, nice post. Cricket will lose me as a follower if there is no BD team (who cares!). Yes, I also used to follow other teams in test cricket before 2000. Now it is so much different even though we loss almost every time.

[Tigers_eye]

... Denial is a negative attitude, you can only go this far with this attitude. Sadly that's the strongest trait with BD cricketers and fans alike.
what up G? shoil'da bhala?

Dear Eshen,
I love you man. I really do. Had you asked for no away test to Australia, SA and may be England for next two years, we all could digest (swallow our pride) and stand by you. But no test at all don't make any sense. Even if we upgrade our standard (NCL) that would take another generation usually minimum of five years to produce quality players who can contribute consistantly any where in the world. Australia, SA, NZ all three almost lost a test. If England travels now I am not sure if Flintoff is still capable of single handedly take the game away from us. Subcontinent teams will always perform at our backyard especially SL. Yet I see they are in deep trouble. WI here we come in 2009 get ready.

[al Furqaan]

Are you sure?

http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/team/25.html?class=2;filter=advanced;opposition=1;oppos ition=2;opposition=3;opposition=4;opposition=5;opp osition=6;opposition=7;opposition=8;orderby=defaul t;template=results;type=team

how many top teams did bangladesh beat in the period of 1986-2003? how many did they beat from 2004 onwards? what are the ratios? how many matches were close in each period?

how many minnows beat bangladesh in 1986-2003? how many minnows have won since 2003? what are the respective ratios.

typical bakwas like "we drew 12 of our first 25 tests and were thus competitive" without even bothering to realize that you got [edit]azz smoked in those 12 matches too.

since you're so good at selective analysis, why don't you quit your job as a snake charmer or rat milker and go into politics?[edit]

[al Furqaan]

Are you sure?

http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/team/25.html?class=2;filter=advanced;opposition=1;oppos ition=2;opposition=3;opposition=4;opposition=5;opp osition=6;opposition=7;opposition=8;orderby=defaul t;template=results;type=team


no he's just making it up...kind of like how we have sticky thread on how bangladesh is really the the top side in world cricket.

[smashyboy]

how many top teams did bangladesh beat in the period of 1986-2003? how many did they beat from 2004 onwards? what are the ratios? ]

Let me break it down for you. win-loss against top teams.

1986-2003

against top teams

63 played 60 lost 1 won 2 no result

win 1.5% loss 95%

2004 1-14
2005 1-8
2006 1-7
2007 2-13
2008 1-21

In essence

69 played 63 lost 6 won

win 9% loss 91%

Agree. Good improvement.

[Dhakablues]

What is a "top team" ?

[smashyboy]

What is a "top team" ?

Regular Test teams.

[al Furqaan]

Let me break it down for you. win-loss against top teams.

1986-2003

against top teams

63 played 60 lost 1 won 2 no result

win 1.5% loss 95%

2004 1-14
2005 1-8
2006 1-7
2007 2-13
2008 1-21

In essence

69 played 63 lost 6 won

win 9% loss 91%

Agree. Good improvement.


good, now that you see that, can we see an end to the trolling? if not, remember i'm always here...

now to compelete the assigment, tell me how many games, both ODI and List A, bangladesh lost to associates who have never qualified for the world cup in 1986-2003, and how many from 2004-present.

lots of work i know, but let it stand as a reminded before biggoted posts spew from that keyboard of yours.

[smashyboy]

good, now that you see that, can we see an end to the trolling? if not, remember i'm always here...

now to compelete the assigment, tell me how many games, both ODI and List A, bangladesh lost to associates who have never qualified for the world cup in 1986-2003, and how many from 2004-present.
.

No thanks. I have made my point :) But don't get over sensitive. Try to look at other side of coin also.

[cricman]

\"Never argue with an idiot. He\'ll lower you to his level and beat you with experience.\"

try to comprehend this, this is very good advice

[GuruTM]

what up G? shoil'da bhala?



This is an experiment. I have stopped posting in BC for long time just to see what comes out. Hopefully by the time i will get my shoil bhala this time BD will end up losing test status.

[al Furqaan]

No thanks. I have made my point :) But don't get over sensitive. Try to look at other side of coin also.

1) we usually look at several sides of any issue, not just 2 or 3

2) what precisely is your "side" of this coin? please inform us explicitly.

[Akib]

Im seriously hoping we play WI soon. I know that they are still way better than us, but atm they are the bottom of the top test teams, and closest to us from the top 8. We should be playing some more against them instead of a suicidal series against SA away.

[bujhee kom]

serial killers: no place in society?

[al Furqaan]

Im seriously hoping we play WI soon. I know that they are still way better than us, but atm they are the bottom of the top test teams, and closest to us from the top 8. We should be playing some more against them instead of a suicidal series against SA away.

we play WI in april at home. time to prepare enam jr for them.

NZ i would say are the weakest test side, but its a toss up between windies and them. NZ has no class batsman after fleming left, as taylor is too inconsistent. but i guess u can include taylor. but windies have 3 very good batsman, world class with 40+ averages in gayle, sarwan, and chanders.

NZ have the advantage in bowling with vettorri, southee, martin, oram (he's a beast at home, but did he even take a wicket in BD?), and mills. WI have no one, except a furiously fast fidel edwards who will either take 5 wickets or get smacked.

[Tintin]

we play WI in april at home.

Are you sure ? WI is free after April 3 but there is nothing in http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/bangladesh/content/team/25.html?template=schedule

[Murad]

Are you sure ? WI is free after April 3 but there is nothing in http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/bangladesh/content/team/25.html?template=schedule

We do.

We are going to tour WI in April 2009 for 2 Tests and 3 ODIs, according to FTP 2006-2012

www.icc-cricket.yahoo.com/pdfs/ftp_2006-2012.pdf

[GuruTM]

Regardless of your being a supporter of BD test status or not, how much it hurts you to see BD lose tests like the one last night? Other than feeling sorry for the ones who are on the field or feeling sorry for your country, honestly, how much it has hurt YOU?

[cricman]

Heres a Blogger from the BBC defending us, probably gave AL some Ammunition

Those who say Bangladesh are devaluing cricket (http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/01/11/cricket_ed3_.php) should look back at the Test record of India in the 50s and 60s. Successive 5-0 defeats in England and West Indies and such a dreadful thrashing at home by West Indies resulted in four captains in one series.http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/mihirbose/2008/12/conlicting_views_on_state_of_c.html

[tiger_club]

what are we on about? Our stats says it all.. out of 57 tests, we've only won 1, tied 6 and lost 50.. guess what, 33 of them we lost by an innings.. that’s the most disgraceful record you could ever imagine.. why do we want to play more tests so we can be the biggest looser of all time..

[AsifTheManRahman]

Next (http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/quote/magazine/index.html?skiplimit=20) http://img.cricinfo.com/MAGAZINE/features/blue_next_arrow.jpg
<!--
--> <script language="javascript"> function submitQuote(quote){ //alert(quote); var elmQuote=document.getElementById('quote'); elmQuote.value=quote; document.getElementById('widgetform').target = "_new"; document.widgetform.submit(); //alert(elmQuote); } </script> <form name="widgetform" id="widgetform" method="post" action="http://www.myntra.com/modules/affiliates/tshirtwidget.php"> <input name="quote" value="text to be printed (quote)" id="quote" type="hidden"> </form> <table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr> <td valign="top">http://img.cricinfo.com/spacer.gif</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td> "Bangladesh and Zimbabwe would battle to beat my local ski-boat club on a bad day. To hear players and coaches stating how well they played against these palookas is really pathetic. One has to question how much longer these farcical adventures can be allowed to continue."
Former South Africa international Pat Symcox pulls no punches
http://img.cricinfo.com/spacer.gif
Dec 8, 2008
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
Source: Cricinfo

Jalo agun jalo

[PlanetPak]

the signs of improvement are certainly there.

If you look back at the tests at HOME in the last 3 years then you have
1- Series against AUS- Almost pulled of an astonishing win.
2- Series against IND- Had the Indians worried for a while in the drawn game.
3- Series against SA- Did a fair job in the first test and were not too far away from a win.
3- Series against NZ- Once again almost scored a win in the 1st test.

Out of the 4 teams mentioned above three of them are the top 3 teams in the world rankings so the fact that BD have competed means that there is plenty of hope. Now it will be unfair to expect this team to do well in places like SA when far more experienced sub continental teams like SL, PAK and IND have been hammered there on numerous occasions, if i am not mistaken PAK is the only Asian to have ever drawn a test series in SA.

I just wish that this ICL/IPL issue is resolved ASAP so the likes of Nafees and Aftab can return back to domestic and international cricket.

[Zeeshan]

Next (http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/quote/magazine/index.html?skiplimit=20) http://img.cricinfo.com/MAGAZINE/features/blue_next_arrow.jpg
<!--
--> <script language="javascript"> function submitQuote(quote){ //alert(quote); var elmQuote=document.getElementById('quote'); elmQuote.value=quote; document.getElementById('widgetform').target = "_new"; document.widgetform.submit(); //alert(elmQuote); } </script> <form name="widgetform" id="widgetform" method="post" action="http://www.myntra.com/modules/affiliates/tshirtwidget.php"> <input name="quote" value="text to be printed (quote)" id="quote" type="hidden"> </form> <table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr> <td valign="top">http://img.cricinfo.com/spacer.gif</td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <table width="600" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr><td> "Bangladesh and Zimbabwe would battle to beat my local ski-boat club on a bad day. To hear players and coaches stating how well they played against these palookas is really pathetic. One has to question how much longer these farcical adventures can be allowed to continue."
Former South Africa international Pat Symcox pulls no punches
http://img.cricinfo.com/spacer.gif
Dec 8, 2008
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
Source: Cricinfo

Jalo agun jalo

he seemed to be pretty jolly during the ICL commentaries while interviewing DWs... dunno wats -------- him in --- by ----- with ----.

[tanim3960]

Mashallah

[RazabQ]

As myself only:
Hate to shoot the messenger, but, and I borrow directly from the Patsy SymbianCox style of hyperbole, this guy would have been hard-pressed to extract turn from a 50 over match ball on a classic Indian dustbowl pitch. When a Richie Benaud disses us, I get [বাংলা]মর্মাহত[/বাংলা]. When [বাংলা]যদু মদু কদু[/বাংলা] like our fella here yaps, I just recall the famous [বাংলা]বচন: "গনধোলাইয়ে লুলা কানাও ঠাপ্পর মারতে আসে"[/বাংলা]. Moreover he seems to be a tad hypocritical in that when getting the ICL's dough, he's happy to praise an erstwhile BD 2nd XI.