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July 14, 2009, 08:16 AM
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Cricket Savant
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Join Date: April 18, 2007
Location: Dhaka
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Tough Grades After the First Test and My XI for the Second Test
Post Match Grades, First Test versus West Indies, No Curve.
Being a Bangladeshi still savoring a long awaited delight, I’m as emotionally moved as the other guy, but tried not to get carried away here. No slack, no curve, and the bar set as high as it should be for a test playing nation.
1. Tamim Iqbal: Managed to turn a corner in the second innings, and positively impact the outcome of the match with his maiden test hundred. As colossal as that particular feat was, not being sarcastic here, it was streaky. With two lives and at least twice the number of half-lives in edges, barely missed edges, and the occasional wild swing out of the blue, Lady Luck was with him BIG TIME. Quality matters and the only reason he gets a B+ and not a B, is because of the character and grit he showed through it all. Easily the most talented LHB Bangladesh have produced to open their innings, he did something positive with those breaks unlike many in the fraternity of Bangladeshi players ... B+
2. Imrul Kayes: Looked great before falling to yet another A. Shocka classic in the first innings. The technically compact young opener didn't do as well as expected in the second, but did wear-out the new ball and made it easier for Junaid Siddique to survive the shoddy technique we find ourselves seriously alarmed about ... B-
3. Junaid Siddique: Was patient in the second innings and made important runs in spite of those bad habits we know too well. The dashing young left hander committed his front foot early but not as much as usual, showing a patience yet to be matched by his issues. He needs to visibly rectify those ASAP before others challenge him with sustainable success. Until and unless he does just that, he will continue to disappoint his fans of many years, including this one, and fail to go beyond the 70s on to a maiden hundred of his own ... B
4. Raquibul "Da Rock" Hasan: Is still technically more sound than genuinely scary players like Rajin Saleh and Tushar Imran in the past, but continued to make his nick seem euphoric at best, and ridiculous at worst. Once again he did not stick to what he knows best and put his team on the back foot in the process. Maybe this hardworking young man is a couple of years in the A Team away from becoming the "anchor" his adulators fantasized him to be. He should be benched before hurting himself too much, but I'm not sure if Mehrab Hossain, his probable replacement under those unlikely circumstances, is capable of doing any better over a stretch. Instead, we are more than likely to see him ride the coattails other people’s success in the name of a “winning combination”. If Nafis Iqbal or Aftab Ahmed perform well in the near future, and demonstrate the ability to learn from their illustrious underachievement, they can replace him for good due to better talent, application and experience at this level. Big "ifs" but not as big as some ... F
5. Mohammad Ashraful: Hit a spiraling new low, even by his own stellar standards. The once-iconic-now-disgraced former Skipper continued to string together one failure after another, as that ever elusive blue moon remained obscured behind stationary clouds. But to his credit, he did contribute with the ball and helped Shakib Al Hasan, the accidental Skipper, find the “inner Captain” of his own after Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s unfortunate injury. Maybe he can become a specialized bowler over time, but if Shahriar Nafees or Alok Kapali perform well in the near future, and demonstrate the ability to learn from their own bungled opportunities, either one can replace him with consistent performances. If all goes well, each is capable of scoring at least 30+ with regularity with the occasional 100 here and there. He gets an F for his alleged batting and an A for contributions on the field ... D-
6. Shakib Al Hasan: Looks like he is more than ready to be Captain and Captaincy will enhance his overall game. Caught by the other umpire suffering from temporary Ashokanitis in the first, he prevented an impending slide, and scored important runs in the second innings. His departure was due to a shot he pretty much had to risk under those circumstances. His bowling, field setting in the second innings, and bowler management were A+ in anybody’s book. This remarkable young cricketer from Magura is a breed apart from everyone else before him ... A
7. Mushfiqur Rahim: Didn't blow opportunities behind the stumps because those simply didn't present themselves that much to challenge his suspect and noisy presence there. His range is still a big issue and bad appeals irritating. An in form Shahin Hossain or Dhiman Ghosh may be a better keeper than he is, but his courageous batting at clutch situations, and the ability to repair damage are essential in tests and ODIs. Run out by Mortaza in the first innings and being a tad too cautious in the second, denied him the couple of scrappy test 50s he seemed destined to get ... B-
8. Mohammad Mahmudullah: Gets an F for his alleged batting and A for his match winning bowling, especially in the second. He was brought into the team as a useful consolidator down the order but his performance with the bat was anything but. Although quick learner Nayeem Islam may be far better equipped to bat here, Mahmudullah’s emergence as a strike bowler keeps him in the test team as far as I am concerned ... C+
9. Mashrafe Bin Mortaza: Did not impress with his pedestrian bowling off the gates, and quick reversion to a cringe inducing, Habibul Bashar-like 1 slip only defensive field setting -- but he started to bend his back before re-aggravating that unfortunate knee injury. Until that point in the match, he was getting a C for bowling, D for his short-lived captaincy, but a solid A for his rescue in the first innings with the bat ... INCOMPLETE
10. Shahadat Hossain: Bowled better with his usual "erraticisms" than we feared but not as well as we hoped. His grunts at that semi-gentle pace are beyond laughable at this point. They are embarrassing. If he cannot back his vocal cords up with visible improvement soon, it will be a simple matter of time until he is replaced by better bowlers like Talha Jubair, Shubhashish Roy or Suman Saha. Roy, tall and muscular, is aggressive and significantly quicker than Hossain, and can generate better bounce. But he is not any less erratic at this point. I have a feeling that Champaka Priyadarshana Hewage Ramanayake, the amazing bowling coach at the Tigers’ disposal, can make him overcome that issue with relative ease. Saha is as tall and lanky as Hossain but more disciplined. He generates better bounce and swing to add to his attributes, but could be more aggressive. The resurgent Jubair, though not as quick as he was before a potentially career debilitating injury, is wickedly aggressive, and the most accurate of the lot with intelligent and well-scripted variety to boot. Hossain gets a C for his bowling and B- for his surprising and critical contribution with the bat in the first innings ... C+
11. Rubel Hossain: Is the real deal. Known to his adoring fans, including this one, as Royal Bengal Express (RBX for short), he has impressed the likes of Tony Cozier and Ian Bishop with his genuine pace and aggression. This young man from Bagerhat in southern Bangladesh can swing it both ways and reverse. Still very early in his career, he has shown himself to be a quick learner. Properly nurtured, this highish slinger will get better faster than we anticipate and leave his predecessors in the dust. Nattering nabobs of negativism, and fans of mediocrity over talent will only be too happy to see him succeed. That said, I simply don't get this disturbing resentment for those who have ability. The fact is: talent, applied at its best can do what overachievers with limited ability never can. Also the assumption that somehow talent equates underachievement is total BS. There is the glaring example of Ashraful to point to, but one should also look at Al Hasan, Iqbal, and now RBX as better examples to the contrary. Jinxes? Don’t buy it ... B- for his first innings spells after the former Skipper settled him down, and latter spells in the second.
The upcoming second and final test gives Bangladesh the rare opportunity to sweep a series abroad. This group of West Indian batters have exposed their vulnerability to quality slow bowling, and the insertion of quality SLA Enamul Haque in place of the sidelined Mortaza should be a no-brainer irrespective of pitch conditions. We have seen Windies batters struggle against slow bowling no matter what. It is not only the turn that bogs them down, but also 1) use of drift, 2) bounce, and 3) variations in flight, trajectory, angles, torsion and pace. With the probable presence of moisture in the air and prevailing seasonal winds dominating the conditions, classic cracks and roughs on the pitch will be an added bonus but not essential.
My XI for the Second Test, batting order:
Quote:
1. Tamim
2. Imrul
3. Junaid
4. Mushfiq (WK): Grittier and sights pace better than Mehrab.
5. Mehrab
6. Shakib (C): He likes it here, and we need him here to prevent possible disaster.
7. Ashraful (VC, THIS TOUR ONLY): Because there's nobody else! Nayeem would have been good here. Needs to continue his contribution with the ball. But I thought long and hard about making GoBoy VC and playing Pavel as the WK here.
8. Riyad: His bowling makes him essential, and creates this opportunity to bat better.
9. Enam: SPIN, WEST INDIES ... HELLO????!!!! ...
10. Shahadat
11. RBX
H20 Man: Pavel
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__________________
"And do not curse those who call on other than GOD, lest they blaspheme and curse GOD, out of ignorance. We have adorned the works of every group in their eyes. Ultimately, they return to their Lord, then He informs them of everything they had done." (Qur'an 6:108)
Last edited by Sohel; July 15, 2009 at 12:39 PM..
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July 14, 2009, 08:50 AM
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Cricket Savant
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My grades: (Grade scale A - F)
Tamim: A. A century is a century. MoM.
Imrul: B.
Junaid: B. A fifty is a fifty.
Raqibul: C.
Ash: FFF and some. He is not a batsman. He is puting pressure on rest of the team. A walking wicket. "The no care" attitude is the problem and corrupting others. Not trying and not even contemplating. 2nd/3rd down can't have that. As for replacement, anyone within the 15 would do better than him. Even Shahadat and we saw. Mehrab is a perfect replacement with Saki and Mushi up the order. Yes, Mehrab can give few overs as well.
Saki: A-. Room for improvement.
Mushi: B. He would have gotten a B- but his annoying chatting aggitates opponents and that counts at least 3 points.
MUllah: B+. 5 wkt haul, 8 wkt overall on debut unheard of for BD. This win doesn't happen without him.
Mash: Didn't see him bowl. For batting he did good except the runout. There shouldn't be any foul runouts in Test cricket. B-.
Shahadat: B. He showed heart. Beshen Bedi would be proud. Took the shine off. Did his job. The wicket was flat.
Rubel: A-.
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Last edited by Tigers_eye; July 14, 2009 at 08:56 AM..
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July 14, 2009, 08:54 AM
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Cricket Savant
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My playing 11 for 2nd test:
Tamim
Imrul
Junaid
Raqibul
Mushi
Saki
Mehrab
MUllah
Enam
Shahadat
Rubel
H2O Pavel.
Ash sent back home immidiately.
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The Weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the Strong." - Gandhi.
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July 14, 2009, 09:04 AM
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Cricket Savant
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If MaMu were OK, Ash would've gone home for sure in my world, but with Raquib. It was not only Da Rocks's low scores, but more importantly, the way he has been batting for a while now. I doubt that Mehrab could possibly do any worse than him.
I have him in as a bowler who can also provide assistance to his captain when necessary in this tour. After the tour, no matter how he does, he needs to be benched for a long time unless he performs consistently WITH THE BALL in A Team cricket, not just our crappy NCL and DPLs. I've given up hope for him as a batsman completely, but will be happy to have him prove me wrong.
__________________
"And do not curse those who call on other than GOD, lest they blaspheme and curse GOD, out of ignorance. We have adorned the works of every group in their eyes. Ultimately, they return to their Lord, then He informs them of everything they had done." (Qur'an 6:108)
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July 14, 2009, 09:18 AM
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Cricket Legend
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Team should be unchanged. Ashraful should get another chance. In place of Mashrafe either a pacer or spinner which is totally depends on the pitch condition. Let's management decide it.
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July 14, 2009, 09:37 AM
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Cricket Legend
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Imteaz
Team should be unchanged. Ashraful should get another chance. In place of Mashrafe either a pacer or spinner which is totally depends on the pitch condition. Let's management decide it.
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Totally Agreed......
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July 14, 2009, 09:43 AM
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Cricket Sage
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Rubel should be kicked out ( I hate himmmm)
Rokibul is fine scoring 32 in total, facing 73 balls. He can only improve.
Tamim - A (com on MoM with a century, what more do you want? His blood?)
Rokibul - C
Ashraful (E/F) - how long does he play test for? He is not worthy for a D. Crap on the fields too a few times.
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July 14, 2009, 10:14 AM
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Moderator
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Guys, do not bring Mehrab in next crucial test, Enamul will be there in place of Mash. Mehrab did not played a single match yet in WI, at least Rakib, Ash has few innings under their belt to feel uesed with WI condition. I am not sure how he will do against bouncy + fast pitch. Lets not bring a new man in the middle in this important test even knowing Ash, Rakib might fail again.
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July 14, 2009, 10:21 AM
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Cricket Legend
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the pitch for the second test will be greenier than the one used in the first test. so there is no way we can take a spinner in place of Mashrafe. We have to pick three pacers from RbX, Maria, Robin and Naz.
Rockibul did bad in the first test but he should get another chance. He is a better bat than Mehrab. I want the same team for the second test only a pacer in place of Mash (if Mash cannot play).
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July 14, 2009, 10:27 AM
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First Class Cricketer
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How come Rock get C grade? He was horrible. He nicked a couple of times before getting out in the 1st innings.
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July 14, 2009, 10:28 AM
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Cricket Legend
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I agree with Sohel's lineup. We need to replace Mash with a spinner, and enamul should do the trick.
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July 14, 2009, 11:06 AM
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Cricket Guru
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Sohel
I agree except the C grade for Riyad. His batting justified his no.8 position, but where he is supposed to shine, he did just that by picking 8 wkts in the match. This is by far the best I have seen him bowl. His length and line was consistently good. He got more bounce than Sakib ( maybe the height helps ) and desperately want him to keep improving and manage to hold on to his spot in the team, for no other reason but the desire to see an offie partnering with Sakib in the spin department, instead of the never ending parade of triple slow left arm attack. The variety in the spin department is something I always craved. When he bats at no.8, I don't expect much from his bat, and its his bowling that he has to leave a mark with.
I am all with you about Rubel. The disturbing resentment of talent among some fans has been noticed by me for years. Thanks for pointing that out. I expect him to be a key bowler for us in years to come, provided he learns and manages to improve many aspects of his game. But, for a starter, he has the raw elements for the solid foundation.
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July 14, 2009, 11:43 AM
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BanglaCricket Staff BC - Bangladesh Representative
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If Mash cant play, most probably Enam jnr would get a chance.
Saying so,I'd expect the next pitch to be pace friendly, lots and lots of grass.
Grass should not be a problem in the Caribben!!
But then again, this is WICB we are talking about. Anything is possible.
Last test pitch seemed to be tailored made for our team.
Ash should be there.Period.
The team is already inexperienced enough, then if you take both the most experienced players out, it would be a practically under 19 team.
Ash needs to be there and so he would.
Could not agree with Sohel bhai's few grading.
But then again, every man to his own.
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Last edited by Rabz; July 14, 2009 at 12:11 PM..
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July 14, 2009, 11:50 AM
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Cricket Guru
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Robin for Mash, if he can't go. Other than that, I will play the same eleven, and I do anticipate a more green top for the next match. Agree with Rabz here. Ash will play the next match. Mehrab can be considered for Rakibul, but just a consideration. I will stick with Rakibul again.
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July 14, 2009, 12:06 PM
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Cricket Savant
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rabz
...
Ash should be there.Period.
The team is already inexperienced enough, then if you take both the most experienced players out, it would be a practically under 19 team.
...
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After period new sentence begins. New script.
And we overcame the shortage of Mash's experience, didn't we? Hindsight we don't know. May be we play too well and the match is drawn.
We can overcome Ash's absense. His experience can be neutralized by performance of the replacement with ease. A total of 40/50 in two innings looks huge beside the two single digits he is producing (no partnership and immense pressure on others) and I recall it is about time for him to get a duck as well.
Just as Saki picked up the slack as you mentioned in another thread, the replacement will be fine.
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The Weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the Strong." - Gandhi.
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July 14, 2009, 12:08 PM
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Cricket Legend
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On a green and bouncy pitch, Id rather much have robin.
Spin friendly, might as well try enamul
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July 14, 2009, 12:12 PM
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Cricket Sage
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my thoughts
my thoughts, as Sohel bhai's grades are almost spot on:
tamim - solid...will be our best opener in all formats of the game, but how good is the question. i want to see him push his Test average past 30 - against top sides - within a year. he can do it, and no one on BC disagrees. his legside batting has improved quite a bit these days.
imrul - was impressed with his technique and compactness. before this tour i thougth he was a crap batter in the mould of the tushar imrans of bangladesh. i was wrong. i hope he continues to develop, and even if he doesn't a good anchor for the more aggressive TI Khan is fine.
junaid - terrible technique, but if he can score consistently, i see no reason to drop him. he's got a big 50 here - should have converted - 60+ scores in the seaming conditions of NZ, two 50s against Steyn-Morkel-Ntini attack both home and in RSA. he can't be getting lucky all the time. terrible technique, but he's done far more than more technically gifted BD batsmen in the most hostile of cricket pitches. if he improves he will be great, if he doesn't he'll the the poor mans "chanderpaul" ugly technique, but somehow [relatively] succesful.
raqib - i am still a believer. he's just going through a bad patch, and i really want to see a 50 or two in the next test. he does have some issues to work on tho. good fielder, and that gave us the breakthrough in the 2nd innings
ash - nothing to say. maybe i'm crazy, but the next test should be his last to prove himself. failrue to hit at least a 50 means permenent drop (should still bat in ODIs)
sakib - marvelous...could be our "rich man's" ganguly as skipper and potential batsmanship. tight bowling spells are as certain as the sunrise.
riyad - expect 20-25 as a batting average and improved bowling. for this match, he did a remarkable job.
rahim - continues to score with the bat, and really could have gotten a couple 50s. WK remains a concern.
mash - solid new ball bowler, and now we have rubel and to a lesser extent shahadat who can manage the older ball. finally, the days of 2 headed pace attack is over!
shahadat - good batting, twice as good as we can hope to expect. bowling has improved since the 2nd SL test last year. good economy rate. bowling on flat tracks is hurting him. want to see him back in early 2008 form, but with the lack of Tests BD plays, its doubtful he can get into that rhythm.
rubel - ditto what Sohel bhai and beamer feel about him. his reverse swing is amazing. quite erratic with the line and length though, but once he settles down and makes the batsman play at even 3 balls per over...this guy should be a wicket machine. now i see why he has FC bowling average of 50 despite oozing with raw potential
Misc - in the near certainty that ash loses his spot permently, mehrab and naeem are front runners to take his spot. i don't know who is the better batsman, but whoever it is should win the spot. come new years 2010, SN may be the best option as he has the mindset and skillset to play in the middle order and his proficiency against quality spin is amongst the best in the country. ideally aftab and alok would also be candidates here, but their batting in longer versions is highly suspect...enam should get a game as well. buts hard to see where he would fit in this lineup. but riyad with an 8-fer did as well as one can hope, and thats excellent production coming from a second spinner. don't want to see nazmul play in whites, but if mash is out for ODIs, nazmul and rubel should share the new ball, with razzak and shakib taking spin.
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July 14, 2009, 12:13 PM
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BanglaCricket Staff BC - Bangladesh Representative
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Mijan bhai, we can argue our cases.
But the fact still remains fact.
Ash is playing next match.
So, why bother?
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Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest [Al-Qur'an,13:28]
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July 14, 2009, 12:26 PM
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Cricket Guru
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rabz
Mijan bhai, we can argue our cases.
But the fact still remains fact.
Ash is playing next match.
So, why bother?
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Mijan bhai er loge rongbaji? Haven't you seen what he did to Beamer bhai due to some minor disagreement?
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Fans need to stop DUI (Dreaming Under Influence)!
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July 14, 2009, 12:31 PM
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BanglaCricket Staff BC - Bangladesh Representative
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Are bhai, mia bhai er shathe kon shahose rongbaji kori??
I'm just too tired and will log off in a couple of minutes..
so just trying to avoid the reasonings....
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Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest [Al-Qur'an,13:28]
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July 14, 2009, 12:41 PM
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Banned
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sohel NR, i agree almost everything u said here. well analysis and great articles.
only disagree: how could u give mahmudullah riad C, he got 8 wkt in his debut match, when we lost mashrafe due to injury, we had only sakib. rubel and shahadat wasnt that effective. at that crisis, riad step up and played a vital co leader role. he played his heart out. even he was strong contender for MOM. i think he deserve A alongside with tamim and sakib
and u give mushfiq, rubel and imrul B, when riad got C, this is not fair grading.
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July 14, 2009, 12:43 PM
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Banned
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apa hasina bolse, tar baba agei janto emon hobe, bangladesh will kill west indies
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July 14, 2009, 12:49 PM
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Cricket Legend
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I concur with Sohel's knowledgeable assessment in the main; with two exceptions.
I would drop Shahadat and replace him with Alam. I have seen very little of Alam but what I saw in South Africa , for me, is better than what I see of Shahadat, all hurly-burly at 75 mph !! [ 90 mph - really ? !!
My reasons are as follows:
I would select somebody primarily as a wicket taker. Rubel fits the bill perfectly despite his waywardness and this rather irritating no-balling habit which must be cured soon ! He is our Mitchell Johnston !
If you cannot do that, then the next best option is unerring accuracy. As they say, if you can't bowl 'em out, bore 'em out. Glenn McGrath was really the second type of bowler. So was Shaun Pollock. Alam is the poor man's McGrath. He should be persevered with. I see nothing in Shahadat to fit either of the above points.
Mashrafe to be replaced by Enam notwithstanding Greneda is likely to be more pace friendly.
I had thought of tinkering with Ashraful for Mehrab. However, not only did WI lose the first test - so did Ashraful. The much vaunted and arrogant boast that Bangladesh can never win anything without him has been ground into the dust. Even his successful partnership breaking balls owed more to Shakib's intelligent bowling changes and captaincy.
I do hope this does wake him up. Yet again not only did he fail twice - they were two awful shots coming from the seniormost player. I am so glad that the torch has been passed !
I will not have a vice captain - except let it be known that should Shakib be unavailable, Mushy will take over ! The torch should be seen to have been passed !!
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July 14, 2009, 12:59 PM
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Cricket Sage
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Join Date: September 16, 2004
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Here is my simplified grading
A+ = Tamim for his match winning batting performance
A = Ryiad for his match winning bowling performance (even though he failed in Batting)
A = Shakib for Over all performance. Batting (C+), Bowling (A+), Captaincy (A++)
B++ = Juniad for his batting in 2nd Innings
B+ = Rahim for batting and above average wicket keeping
B = Mashrafee for his batting and over-all captaincy (off the field)
B = Rubel for his bowling
C+ = Shahadat For his 1st Innings Batting
C+ = For his effort and staying in the field while batting.
D = For his bowling mainly. Otherwise its an F
D = For his runout that stopped WI's agressive batting. Otherwise its an F
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July 14, 2009, 02:23 PM
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Tamim Iqbal - A (Match winner)
Imrul Kayes - B (Solid but could not convert starts in both innings into big scores)
Zunaed Siddique - A (Got the runs doesn't matter how. An average of 50+ in the match)
Roqibul Hasan - C- (Poor batting display but sharp fielding effort)
Mohammad Ashraful - C (Poor batting display but makes up with a decent bowling effort)
Shakib Al Hasan - A- (Batting was ok. Good bowling and great as on-field leader. Extra credit for rising to the occasion)
Mushfiqur Rahim - B+ (Gritty batting saved our blushes in the first innings. Sharp behind the stumps and chief motivator as always)
Mahmudullah - A (Match winner)
Mashrafe Mortaza - NA
Shahadat Hossain - C (Good bowling effort but should have done better considering he was the premier pacer of the team)
Rubel Hossain - C- (Disappointing. Bad line and length throughout the match. Very few decent deliveries.)
My XI:
Tamim Iqbal
Imrul Kayes
Zunaed Siddique
Roqibul Hasan
Mohammad Ashraful
Shakib Al Hasan (c)
Mushfiqur Rahim +
Mahmudullah
Shahadat Hossain
Rubel Hossain
Mahbubul Alam/Enamul Haque jnr (decided on the day after reading the pitch)
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