What are they thinking ?

**Tehsin** · #1 November 14, 2002, 06:25 PM

One-tier nat'l cricket league
Sports Reporter

The fourth National Cricket League will be played on single league basis instead of the two-tier home and away match format.

Shah Nurul Kabir Shaheen, a member of the BCB advisory council and in-charge of local leagues and tournaments, revealed this yesterday through a media release.

All the three previous editions were played on the home and away match format. The National League, involving Six Divisions will start from the last week of this month.

Six teams will play a four-day and a limited-overs match against each other and the top finishers will be declared champions.

The divisions have also been asked to take necessary preparations for the league. Divisions that have a prepared venue already are asked to apply to BCB by November 20.

Pundit · #2 November 15, 2002, 12:53 AM

I've personally met this guy, and pardon my language, but he is a big time moron - who lived in his teens in a country that has nothing to do with cricket - Zambia !!

Sham · #3 November 15, 2002, 02:45 AM

They aren't thinking Tehsin bhai. They lack that ability.

**Tehsin** · #4 November 15, 2002, 04:30 PM

That's five matches, barely over a month. For some of this players, that is all they are going to get, a month's worth of good (well, there's only 3/4 good teams out of the six) cricket for the regional players. We might as well not have the tournament if it is such an inconvenience for BCB.

If we don't have the national league, our only first class competiton, what good owuld a test status do ? Five first class matches a year just doesn't cut it. Now, if they have plans to introduce a 3/4-day tournament with the likes of Abahani, Mohammedan, Biman, Victoria, Kalabagan and 1/3 other teams, GREAT. If not, someone needs to go and have a face to face with Mr. Shaheen.

Pundit bhai, he doesn't need to know cricket, he knows his party, that's enough.

Sham · #5 November 15, 2002, 08:11 PM

Tehsin bhai, I think to have an effective first class system, we have to move away from the Abahanis and Mohamadans and make the region based structure more popular. The clubs are still the most popular teams but the problem is, the club system is too centralized around Dhaka. If we really want to take cricket to the grassroots, we have to make all the divisional towns, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna etc centres of cricket, and not just Dhaka.

However, you are definitely right about the amount of first class cricket. I don't know how we are to become a proper Test side with so little cricket. Each team should be playing atleast twelve to fifteen first class matches in a season. England has 18 first class counties, 9 in each division. Every county team plays all the other teams in their division at home and away. Thats 16 4-day matches. Add to that 3 day matches against the 3 (four from next year with the promotion of Loughborough) University sides that have first class status, namely Oxford, Cambridge and Durham Universities. Thats 19 first class matches folks. And we are planning to play 5!

**Tehsin** · #6 November 17, 2002, 06:54 PM

The reason I wanted the likes MSC, Biman and Abahani or a national league is to give it some importance. If you have noticed the last three national leagues, some of the matches were pretty useless and the competition was below Dhaka league level. Also, not many people cared about the league.

If you can get the big clubs, you will get the fan support and the competition that the league is lagging. Pick up the top 3/4 clubs and the top 3/4 Districts, have them play a two leg championship with a final and what do you get ? Something to talk about. (The districts will probably provide some new talents and you'll see them playing for the clubs next year. khek)

Instead, we get a five match league which amounts to nothing.

Another thing, we also need a second division to get more cricket.

Pundit · #7 November 17, 2002, 07:44 PM

Mixing regional/district teams with the Abahahis/Mohd. might create a lot of team selection issues.

Tehsin, when you say "not many people cared about the league" what group of people are you referring to - surely not the youngsters outside the big mohanogories ?

When we pick the big Dhaka clubs with the top 3/4 districts - we are giving the scheme a touch of elitism. The big picture of being able to harness talent ouside the spotlight areas will remain, er just a big picture. Put this in an even larger perspective of BD being given the opportunity to play TESTS - now , what was the real reason ??

Isn't their a 2nd division already ? I dont remember though !!

A true measure of the game's popularity is measured by how much teams such as
"nobodies" get to generate interests, by say causing an upset.

Even in Pakistan, whose domestic circuit comes closest to your model, there are regional teams playing the main "test like" games - not the banks, mind you. Its only that such leagues have taken the breath of cricket to the far reaches that has allowed them to bring in players from the Burwella or Multan villages.

**Tehsin** · #8 November 17, 2002, 09:48 PM

The big clubs don't care about the divisions or the National league. Why else would you think BCB dumbs down the competition ? Unfortunately, that was actually my reason to go for a mix.

I was really excited when Saber Chow started off the league but after following it for three years, it's evident that we need some money infused in the league and more exposure. Also, on the divisional sides, we previously had sub per perofrmers bulking up the sides. I'd rather see better players from other districts (mostly Dhaka) playing for those teams. If the competition is weak, the players will not get any benefit out of it.