A good article about Bangladesh Cricket

[mb444]

A good and reasoned piece from the Guardian newspaper in support of Bangladesh and ZM.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/st...438497,00.html


The cricket test

The empire is long gone (but some sports commentators haven't noticed)

Steve Busfield
Wednesday March 16, 2005
The Guardian

During the 1999 cricket world cup, as England were losing to South Africa at the Oval, a couple of gents sitting in front of us were discussing another game being played that day between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. "Of course," said one, "it's really Rhodesia versus Ceylon."
Since 2002, Zimbabwe has won only two test matches, and both of those were against Bangladesh, the newest team to international cricket. Zimbabwe's cricket team, like the country, has been ripped apart by politics. Last April, all the white players in the national cricket team withdrew in protest against alleged political interference in team selection, and there were calls from British commentators for Zimbabwe to be stripped of its international status.

Bangladesh, too, has suffered at the hands of British commentators who claim that they should be barred from test cricket - for not being good enough.

It is true that Bangladesh, which joined the international elite in 2000, did not win an international game until their 35th test match. But historically it has been hard for new teams on the international cricket circuit to establish themselves. India did not win until its 25th test match.

Telling the little countries what they can and can't do is sometimes dressed up as being for the greater good of the game, as with Bangladesh, sometimes as pseudo-political posturing, as Zimbabwe discovered. It is notable that when Zimbabwe's white players returned to the team this month - including the former captain Heath Streak, the most vocal of the rebels - there was no rejoicing in the British press.

Every nation deserves its chance to play. That is why the Olympic games allow all countries to compete and all are free to play in the football World Cup qualifiers. Cricket needs as many teams to compete as possible: after all, few locations outside the areas that used to be pink on imperial maps have taken much interest in this sport.

It takes time and experience to improve. The Bangladeshis are clearly better now than they were when they started out. And nobody suggests that England should be disqualified from playing against Australia because the result has been a foregone conclusion for almost two decades.

In a short time, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will be equal competitors with their more established rivals. Instead of carping, we should celebrate the fact that cricket in Zimbabwe has once more become a multiracial sport, and look forward to the day that Bangladesh's 140 million populace produces 11 top quality cricketers - which they will if they are given the exposure and finances to grow.

The game's governing body, the International Cricket Council, recently decided to move its headquarters from Lord's in London to Dubai. The decision has been portrayed as one based on tax concessions. Money certainly came into it, but so did the growing interest in cricket in the Middle East among a large migrant population from the Indian subcontinent.

Even more important is the shift in power away from the old colonial base. The new ICC decided that it no longer wanted to be tenants (of the Marylebone Cricket Club).

When the ICC was formed by England, Australia and South Africa in 1909 it was called the Imperial Cricket Conference. As new members joined, the founding members retained the right to veto ICC decisions. But the game's new rulers come from the former colonies.

It is time parts of England realised that the days of empire are over; that Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are new, but equal partners; and that what England says doesn't necessarily go any more.

steve.busfield@guardian.co.uk


Edited on, March 17, 2005, 12:27 AM GMT, by Tintin.
Reason: Fixed the link

[couger]

Three cheers for Steve Busfield. Finally an English journalist with some sense.

[couger]

Originally posted by mb444
A good and reasoned piece from the Guardian newspaper in support of Bangladesh and ZM.

It is notable that when Zimbabwe's white players returned to the team this month - including the former captain Heath Streak, the most vocal of the rebels - there was no rejoicing in the British press.

steve.busfield@guardian.co.uk

Just goes to show that those pseudo journalists are only interested in airing dirty laundry. Yellow journalism at its best (or worst?).

[RazabQ]

well Guardian _is_ the "commie" rag Joking aside, it is my belief that the Telegraph is the most rightist of British newspaper - they once had the piece that claimed subcontinental teams get better deshi food in England than at their own ownes. Likewise, the Guardian is the most leftist leaning one ot there. Can any of our UK brethren confirim?

[couger]

Originally posted by mb444
A good and reasoned piece from the Guardian newspaper in support of Bangladesh and ZM.

It is time parts of England realised that the days of empire are over; that Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are new, but equal partners; and that what England says doesn't necessarily go any more.

steve.busfield@guardian.co.uk

It'll be a while before that happens. Just a couple og days ago one of the British Cabinet ministers (I think foreign minister) said that the Brits don't need to be apologetic about the colonial times, in fact they can be proud of it (I'm paraphrazing).

[Arnab]

Yeah, The Guardian is left if your median is the American median, which has shifted to the right since Reagan. But it is also very normal, if your median is the world median.

Edited on, March 16, 2005, 11:50 PM GMT, by Arnab.

[Tintin]

all are free to play in the football World Cup qualifiers.

There is elitism in cricket but it is all socialism in football ? Never knew that. It is time that we invite the national teams of Brazil or France for a couple of matches.

[RazabQ]

Originally posted by Tintin

There is elitism in cricket but it is all socialism in football ? Never knew that. It is time that we invite the national teams of Brazil or France for a couple of matches.

Do you really want the see the goal-nets at BNS being ripped to sheds? Look at NZ vs. Togo islands for reference

[AsifTheManRahman]

Originally posted by Tintin
There is elitism in cricket but it is all socialism in football ? Never knew that. It is time that we invite the national teams of Brazil or France for a couple of matches.

are u nuts?

do u really want that or would you rather play maldives/pakistan/bangladesh/nepal?

[Tintin]

are u nuts?

do u really want that or would you rather play maldives/pakistan/bangladesh/nepal?

After the 1982 Delhi Asian Games which was very successful, Indian Football Federation suggested itself as a candidate to host the football world cup. But FIFA shot it down very early replying just like that


Edited on, March 17, 2005, 1:55 AM GMT, by Tintin.

[pagol-chagol]

Please click that link and make the reader counts go up. I would suggest to leave only the link here.

Articles like that need our support.

Edited on, March 17, 2005, 12:25 AM GMT, by pagol-chagol.

[PoorFan]

Originally posted by Tintin

There is elitism in cricket but it is all socialism in football ? Never knew that. It is time that we invite the national teams of Brazil or France for a couple of matches.

I think the article says "In football every country has their right to play qualifying round to participate world cup football"
Which is not likely the same in cricket.

[mb444]

Razabq........

Guardian is a centrists newspaper, it is very widely read and its columnists ranges from the right to the left. It is one of the papers which is not owned by a media mogul.

Telegraph was owned by conrad black - an infamous islamaphobe and a zionist hence the general raciest overtone of the paper.

The other non tabloid paper is the times which is owned by Rupert murdock hence is rightwing.

[couger]

Originally posted by razabq
well Guardian _is_ the "commie" rag Joking aside, it is my belief that the Telegraph is the most rightist of British newspaper - they once had the piece that claimed subcontinental teams get better deshi food in England than at their own ownes. Likewise, the Guardian is the most leftist leaning one ot there. Can any of our UK brethren confirim?

Guardian used to be left leaning a couple of decades ago. It can be compared to The New York Times these days, not in readership, in approach. So, its your call. I know people who think The Times is way too left and I also know people who think it is a reactionery's handbook. There you have it.

[Akib]

Very nice article.

[LateCut]

Now see what this former cricketer is saying. I contradicting himself in the same sentance!


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/4353603.stm

Richardson defends Test cricket

Twenty20 and one-day cricket might provide the funding to continue with Test cricket as it is

Mark Richardson
Former New Zealand batsman Mark Richardson is hoping the International Cricket Council does not damage the "holy of holies" that is Test cricket.
Richardson quit Tests in Decmber 2004 after playing 38 times for his country as a successful opening batsman.

The ICC is meeting in Delhi this week where it is expected to announce changes to the format of Tests.

Richardson told BBC Radio Five Live: "I hope they don't go for reducing Tests or compulsory declarations."

The ICC may decide to restrict the number of Tests played by Zimbabwe and Bangaldesh, who are routinely beaten in facile fashion by the other eight Test nations.

Richardson admitted: "That is an option - at the moment you have to look at Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

"It's a shame what's happened with Zimbabwe because they were actually a reasonably good side about four years ago but you don't want one-sided games."

But to exclude them altogether, or operate two tiers of Test nations could prove dangerous, he added.

Have Your Say on TMS
Do changes need to be made?
"You run the risks of the subcontinent sides saying we'll go out on our own and that might cause a problem as well."

But he said most of the other sides could use Test cricket "to have a good catfight amongst themselves and raise their own games".

Richardson went on: "You've got two very good Test sides in Australia and England and it's up to the rest of the world to raise their own games to play against them.

"I would love to see Test match cricket continuing.

"But if they want to keep Test cricket the holy of holies then they have to accept that Twenty20 and one-day cricket might provide the funding so we can continue with Test cricket as it is."

He said he enjoyed watching an eagerly-contested draw over five days as much as a tense finish in a one-day international.

[mwrkhan]

The Telegraph is my favourite British newspaper. It has become better since the departure of Conrad Black. The Times has dumbed down considerably. The Guardian is a left-leaning newspaper but The Independent is the true reactionary "commie rag".

[fy288]

great article, finally some support and acknowledgement of BD progress from a UK sports writer.

BD will show those UK journalists who still think BD are rubbish, how much they have improved as a team, i am not saying they are going to win the test series or ODI 's but they will give england a competitive series which will gear them up for the ashes.

Insha allah, more articles like that of the guardian will be written during the BD teams first UK tour.

[ibnul]

I like the article and send Steve a mail thanking him for the piece. We need media(neccessary evil) in this modern world. What America does not like is the rise of Aljazira and likes cause they can not control the news. I have seen a program in BBC where the controller apologize for reporting Bosra is taken by British forces Nine times (Eight times was a false news) as the Arab networks were in Bosra live.

[ibnul]

This is Steve's reply on receiving my email
"Thanks for reading the article and taking the time to share your thoughts.
I'm glad you found it positive.
Steve"

[bdmoderator]

[oracle]

The oldest sociaist daily is the morning star and socialist:
[http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/i...amples]morning star[/email]

it is "wholly" owned by readers and it is amazing that it has survived since 1930. I find it dull. But if you need firecrackers to feel alive and if you need countless more links to left and anarchist viewpoints feel free to U2U me ,

but this is getting off topic.

Edited on, March 17, 2005, 1:31 PM GMT, by oracle.

Edited on, March 17, 2005, 1:31 PM GMT, by oracle.

[fwullah]

I saw that Daily Star have published this article (of Guardian) in their sports page today (19th March 05).

[rana]

well said by Steve Busfield