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Originally Posted by billah
I would upgrade Shahadat to B even for the great show in his last over. "Never give up"! He showed us that. During the last 3 deliveries of that over, I was afraid Bashar was gonna run to Ponting to apologize for Shahadat's aggression.
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Billah that's brilliant! Bashar's "bangaila" meekness is perhaps the most infuriating part of his character and is diametrically opposite to his aggression when batting. So he does have aggression, just not always.
Carte, great write-up! My thoughts on the team:
JO: I like this guy, believe he gives us good starts and sees the new ball off. With Nafis Iqbal, you don't always get a steady score. Really torn as to when we should go with the NI-NS combo for good, I don't think so yet, however.
SN: So SN is now ready to open tests...until he fails again? One thing he seems to have learnt, and Aftab hasn't, is to curb the mindless aerial shots that got him out against SL.
Rajin: why was this guy dropped from the team to begin with? Someone who can play pace, open an ODI, digs in, can field - why did we try all those experiments at 4?
Aftab: needs more learning. I don't think we can say he doesn't belong on the Test team, he is too good of a batsman and will be great in the ODIs. But we may want to look at Kapali or Rahim for 6, need someone to hand around given the tail isn't doing much these days.
The tail's batting: obvisouly it's gone. Most worried about Pilot's batting whch has been non-existent for some time. That error in the second innings is a mistake I would make, not a Test class batsman. I thought he was really good behind the stumps expect for the missed stumping of Gilchrist in the first innings, ultimately costly. Also, I expect him to be mentally tough and talk to the bowlers even if Bashar won't!
Shahadat: So do we need to play Russell? I don't think so, its great to see a true pace attack at last.
I think Bangladesh played exceedingly well and what hurt were singular lapses of reason. Which one is bigger:
- Aftab's dismissal end of Day 1, taking with him our ability to press 500
- Pilot's missed stumping of Gilchrist, Aussie 1st innings
- Bashar's runout second innings, confirming the impending collapse
- Mashrafee's dropped catch off Pontingh (franlky, it was too late)