Bangladeshi's set for a rough ride
September 25 2002 at 08:00PM
source:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click...23361&set_id=6
By Jermaine Craig
"They've come to collect their whipping," was the rather crude remark of a passerby as the Bangladeshi cricket team touched down at Johannesburg International on Wednesday.
Nasty perhaps, but the sheepish faces of the team as they made their way through the airport terminal suggested there was every chance the remark could be an accurate one.
The Bangladeshi's looked a little nervous ahead of a tour of two Tests and three one-day internationals against South Africa, which they know won't be the nicest of propositions for them, on the field anyway.
As far as morale boosters go, their performance recently in the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka also wouldn't have helped their confidence much.
A nine-wicket loss to the Australians and another by 167 runs against New Zealand, a game where they were bowled out for 77, certainly doesn't suggest that they're a team in any sort of form.
"Everybody knows our team's a new one and it will be difficult for us here," said captain Khaled Masud, "but we're looking forward to the tour. We're a very young team, with an average age of around 20 and we're building for the future."