April 10, 2006, 05:50 PM
|
|
Cricket Legend
|
|
Join Date: May 23, 2004
Posts: 2,845
|
|
Finally, a positive headline about Bangladesh cricket from an Indian paper. They havent cought up with day 2 yet.
'Cricket world should treat Bangladesh seriously'
| | Press Trust of India | | Posted online: Monday, April 10, 2006 at 1434 hours IST
Updated: Monday, April 10, 2006 at 1442 hours IST | |
| Melbourne, April 10: Australian coach John Buchanandis missed complacency as a factor after Ricky Ponting's men were flayed by cricket minnows Bangladesh on the opening day of their first Test in Dhaka on Sunday which was heralded by the tigers as the beginning of a new era.
Buchanan, whose bowlers were pummeled for 355 for five by a brash, aggressive Angladesh, denied Australia had underestimated its Opposition. "I don't think so. We just didn't adjust to the conditions all that well. We showed what we should have done in that first hour after lunch (when only 28 was scored)," Buchanan said.
The home team struck a staggering 144 for one in the first session yesterday at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium in outer Dhaka.
"The first session was a very good start for them but we reined them after lunch a bit. Nonetheless, it's fairly imposing score at this stage. It was a flat old wicket. The new ball did a bit this morning but we didn't use it that well. It's not a position that we want to be in but it is a position we'll have to deal with over the next four days,” he said
Bangladesh opener Shahriar Nafees, whose stunning debut century - his country's first against the world champion - led the tiger charge, said the result should quash once and for all questions about the legitimacy of his country's Test status.
"We always like to say that Bangladesh cricket is going upwards and we try to prove it and this is one of the best days for Bangladesh cricket. Scoring 350 against the Aussies is awesome," Nafees said on Sunday night.
The 20-year-old, who idolises Adam Gilchrist, said the opening day's result should serve as a warning to the rest of the cricket world that Bangladesh should be treated seriously. "Why not when we scored 350 against the best attack in the world in a day?" he said.
Former Bangladesh Captain Aminul Islam, who scored the country's first century, against India in their inaugural Test in 2000, said Nafees' century proved that Test cricket's youngest member was advancing well. “He played smooth cricket and all the brave shots against the world's best bowling attack. It was another sign of improvement for us," Islam said.
Nafees said he was not at all nervous about facing Australia's vaunted attack. "I was not nervous at any stage of the day, facing anyone. I decided to play the ball - what I like to do is wait for the bad balls," he said. "I am always inspired to play well against Australia, they bring out the best in me. It is always nice when you get a hundred in any kind of matches, whether it's with a tennis ball or a cricket ball. Scoring runs against the best in the world is always good," he added.
|
|