Scotland targets Nafis

[Optimist]

Scotland aim to avenge earlier humiliation

By A Correspondent

Dhaka, February 29, 2004

Scotland will play Bangladesh for the second time in the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup in the Plate Championship semi-final tomorrow and they will aiming to erase the memory of a humiliating defeat in the group stage.

Scotland were skittled out for 95 in their last match against Bangladesh at the Fatullah District Stadium on 17 February. Bangladesh took only 12.2 overs to knock off the runs, wrapping the match up before the interval.

Since losing their first four games - including record defeats against India and Australia - Scotland have bounced back well. They narrowly beat Nepal in their fifth match and followed that up with a comfortable win over Papua New Guinea.

Scotland manager Alistair Scott has no doubt that his team will put up a better showing against Bangladesh second time around.

"We've done a lot of work since our previous match and our players are much more used to the conditions," said Scott.

"Cricket is a confidence game and the win against Nepal gave us a massive boost. I am sure that we will put up a better show this time around and I know we will be better-prepared to handle their spinners."

Scott picked out right-handed batsman Nafees Iqbal as the key man for Bangladesh.

"Nafees is their main threat and we will be aiming to get him out early. The pitch may keep a bit low so our opening bowlers have been instructed to bowl straight," added Scott.

The match will take place at the Chittagong Divisional Stadium on 1 March.

Hosts Bangladesh need to make the Plate Championship final to compensate for the disappointment of not qualifying for the Super League.

Source: cricketnext.com

[Edited on 29-2-2004 by Optimist]

[Optimist]

I think scotland got their priorities absolutely right. Beside Nafis none of the batsmen showed any class.

[Tehsin]

After this is over, we need to pack nafees up and send him over to Zimbabwe for the ODIs.

[Optimist]

Although BCB probably don't do that, I second Tehsin's proposal.

[billah]

Records show that Nafis fails when it counts the most. He has already delivered several heartbreakers for us. I think he needs to play with the big boys. This will quickly give him the temperament he needs. Enough playing with the kids.

[reinausagi]

Tehsin wrote:



After this is over, we need to pack nafees up and send him over to Zimbabwe for the ODIs.


I've been thinking that for a couple of weeks now but, hesitated to mention it for the fear of sounding too 'out of the box'.



[Edited on 29-2-2004 by reinausagi]

[FaltuRidwanBhai]

jaihok,
amar mone hoi na nafees ke akhoni pathano uchit. karon nafees ai matro akti boro dhoronet tournament shesh korchen. amar mone hoi tini klanto. ebong by the time he will join the national team i think he will even get more tired. so i think rest is better for him now. maybe in the next tournament we can think of including him in the team. but now our target is going to be to beat scotland and hopefully if in the other semi-final if anything unexpected doesnt happen then we will face australia. and then we can play a all-out match. because we will have nothing to loose anything in that much. and if we are able to beat australia then i think we will atleast be able to some of our sorrows we had.

[Hasib]

You r getting tired of writting in Bengali... ;)