Benj Moorehead: Count against Bangladesh
January 22nd, 2010 by Benj Moorehead in England, International, Test cricket
Played 62, won 3, drawn 6, lost 53 (32 by an innings). Bangladesh’s Test record since their debut in 2000. Damning numbers. And no matter how deep your statistical research, there is almost nothing to suggest that England will be challenged when they play two Tests in Bangladesh starting on March 12.
Looking at the team that battled well against India, there is a prevailing sense of vulnerability. The average age of the team is a shade under 22 – even Mohammad Ashraful is still 25 (the oldest) despite his 51 Tests. Excluding Ashraful, the team have played just 112 Tests between them.
The seven top-order batsmen have an aggregate of eight hundreds (five belonging to Ashraful) and not one has an average above 30. Despite his centuries, Ashraful, supposedly the star batsmen, averages 22.92. The team as a whole fail to use home advantage. In 29 home Tests on flat pitches, Bangladesh have been dismissed for less than 200 27 times (which works out to every other innings), passing 400 on four occasions.
The bowling is harder to measure, given a lack of Test matches played by those currently in favour. Shakib Al Hasan is the great Bangladeshi hope, his left-arm spin producing 55 wickets at 27.83 to date. Shakib is standing in as captain for the other trump card, fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza, who should return from injury for England’s visit.
Bowling is definitely Bangladesh’s stronger suit: in 2008 New Zealand were dismissed for 170 at Chittagong and a couple of months later South Africa made 171 at Mirpur. And this week, formidable India were bowled out for 243 in the first-innings.
But Test cricket demands sustained excellence, and until now Bangladesh’s triumphs have been anecdotal (yes, there was a 2-0 series victory in the Caribbean last year, but this was against a West Indies b-team). The India Test was a prime example. Bowled them out cheaply in the first innings but conceded over 400 second time around. Similarly the batting. Failure in the first-innings followed by a tenacious – yet futile – fightback second time around.
England, too, are struggling to master the art of sustained excellence. But to see this upcoming contest as anything close to even would be ridiculous. To beat England, Bangladesh will have to defy an army of damning statistics. It wouldn’t be far off a miracle.
Benj Moorehead is editorial assistant of The Wisden Cricketer
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