The biggest problem facing our batsmen

[capslock]

As we bask in the glory of whitewashing Zimbabwe let us remember that in this series, none of our batsmen really scored any runs other than Nafees and Mehrab. If we can't even dominate an attack that is as weak as Zimbabwe then I have to say that our WC hopes are looking fainter and fainter. While our bowling attack has improved by leaps and bounds, our batting never seems to go anywhere, especially in one day matches.

This is not something new, in fact, if we look at our history of one day matches, it appears that we have crossed 250 very rarely, even when winning matches against very weak opposition such as Hong Kong, Namibia and Kenya and Zimbabwe (the 2006 incarnations). Why is this?

Pretty simple, the batting culture in Bangladesh is over reliant on boundaries and sixes, and not on singles. Meaning we get cameo innings like 16 from 20 balls or 32 from 40 balls padded substantially with boundaries. And when our batsmen are asked to curb down on this instinct instead of taking singles they simply start blocking balls and going for the almighty heave only when they're sure that the shot will clear the boundary.

What this does is slow down the run rate, and create pressure on the batsman until he is forced to play a shot and get run out. In fact, I am shocked that Whatmore has not worked on this at all with our players, as a result our players are unaware that there is a middle ground between playing flamboyant strokes and simply blocking ball after ball. The top teams turn dot balls into ones, ones into twos and twos into threes, this is what keeps the scoreboard ticking, whether setting a score or chasing, and until we can learn to the same we should forget scores above 250.

[Protic]

LOL.. "OTHER" batsmen rarely got to play..isnt it?
Only 3rd match..and 5th..so what you expect?
Ashraful scoring a ton coming at 35th over? or Bashar scoring a 100 when we have 4 down at 120 ..needing 70..Yeah they failed..but they didnt got enough chances aswell.
Nafees and Mehrab scored..cause they got chances..all 5 matches..same with Aftab.

[capslock]

Originally Posted by Protic
LOL.. "OTHER" batsmen rarely got to play..isnt it?
Only 3rd match..and 5th..so what you expect?
Ashraful scoring a ton coming at 35th over? or Bashar scoring a 100 when we have 4 down at 120 ..needing 70..Yeah they failed..but they didnt got enough chances aswell.
Nafees and Mehrab scored..cause they got chances..all 5 matches..same with Aftab.

You read my post, but didn't understand it.

[Protic]

I did..but i was commenting on the batsmen on this series.

[sadi]

Good post capslock. Yeah it was a good series win but batting definately need improvement. Sakib looked like the only one who could play on singles other than maybe Ash.

[cricketboy]

WHat is so special about Brent that he took 4 wickets for 22 runs. Our batsman is not good enough or what?

[uss01]

Good post capslock. You hit the nail in the head. The main problem is the batsmen don't know how to play defensive and take singles at the same time. They either block or score 4's or 6's. It's hard to understand why it's so hard for them to take singles or two's, because it's the basics of cricket. I hope Whatmore can teach them about that. Because it's not too hard.

[Zobair]

Yes indeed Capslock.

The problem is compounded when it comes to batting first and setting a target. The team thinktank will do well to come up with a more effective approach to help the batsmen in the middle make decisions about the nature of the pitch, a feasible total, and how to go about getting those runs in Real time.

[BangladeshFan]

i guess batsman are taken in bd team because they can hit flamboyant shots but taking 1s and 2s are very important and its also an art. putting pressure on some slower fielders if u can steal runs, it makes the fielding team uneasy. fielders tend to come closer and then if u get a loose ball, u can spear it thru them. see how the australian batsmen do these things. in the end this may add extra 30-40 runs to the total.

a coach cant teach this all on a sudden, this needs to be in the psyche of the batsmen . batsmen also need good understanding and depend on each others calling.

[baisab]

Originally Posted by cricketboy
WHat is so special about Brent that he took 4 wickets for 22 runs. Our batsman is not good enough or what?

He got the ball to bouce unusually low in some deliveries on a bouncy pitch, probably found a crack, the batsmen didnt expect them to stay that low, hence getting lbw's and bowled's.

[Thunder]

its true that our batsman dont know how to take singles and doubles. i think we should hire a batting coach before the world cup who's going to work with each player and teach them how to bat!

[Ejaj]

Lets give credit where it is due. Brent bowled exceptionally in the last match. His bowling could have troubled any batman in the world. The ball kept low, sometimes getting sharp turn and bowled straight in line. There were hardly any scope for batman to steal even singles. It happens. Brent may not be Bond or Mcgrath, but, on a day, anyone can become like them. Its true. Sometime, I even think, Mash bowls much better than Many of the bowlers from the leading test playing counties.

[Imteaz]

Originally Posted by capslock
As we bask in the glory of whitewashing Zimbabwe let us remember that in this series, none of our batsmen really scored any runs other than Nafees and Mehrab. If we can't even dominate an attack that is as weak as Zimbabwe then I have to say that our WC hopes are looking fainter and fainter. While our bowling attack has improved by leaps and bounds, our batting never seems to go anywhere, especially in one day matches.

This is not something new, in fact, if we look at our history of one day matches, it appears that we have crossed 250 very rarely, even when winning matches against very weak opposition such as Hong Kong, Namibia and Kenya and Zimbabwe (the 2006 incarnations). Why is this?

Pretty simple, the batting culture in Bangladesh is over reliant on boundaries and sixes, and not on singles. Meaning we get cameo innings like 16 from 20 balls or 32 from 40 balls padded substantially with boundaries. And when our batsmen are asked to curb down on this instinct instead of taking singles they simply start blocking balls and going for the almighty heave only when they're sure that the shot will clear the boundary.

What this does is slow down the run rate, and create pressure on the batsman until he is forced to play a shot and get run out. In fact, I am shocked that Whatmore has not worked on this at all with our players, as a result our players are unaware that there is a middle ground between playing flamboyant strokes and simply blocking ball after ball. The top teams turn dot balls into ones, ones into twos and twos into threes, this is what keeps the scoreboard ticking, whether setting a score or chasing, and until we can learn to the same we should forget scores above 250.

A Very Standard Analysis. Well Said.

[Aritro]

At this stage, I would have hoped that Whatmore would have made significant headway in improving the team's ability to make runs in 1s and 2s.

It's a very basic cricketing skill but one that's essential in internationals. We are absolutely hopeless at it.

[mhferdaus]

hmm, I saw once against Zim in 2000/2001 season Habibul and Javed Omar actually played on singles !!! and took us very close to Zim total of 316, perhaps Habibul Should encourage the young stroke makers to change gear and take one's and two's once the field is spread, atleast four singles per over that is. I also Remember Minhazul Abedin Nannu was very adept at taking singles and doubles

[Sam]

Yes, capslock, very timely thread indeed. Batting is still remaining the main concern for our team. Although, in this series not everybody got chance to show their performance, but for the top order except SN and MHJr none of the batsmen could show us the ray of hope for the coming WC. Even Aftab goes for the trade mark big shots and does not care for the singles and doubles much. Our captain and "Ace" batsman HB is a total flop, particularly in the last ODI, where there were 2 run outs, while playing with him. We have to take all this seriously, if we really want to do better in the WC.

[uss01]

Here are my three guesses as to why BD batsmen don't take manysingles and two's.

1) I have a feeling the bd players are not fit enough to take singles and two's.
Running between the wickets require more energy and good fitness ability than hitting boundaries. Perhaps fitness is an issue with the batsmen that no one has realized, or they think they are fit even though they are not.

2) They are too lazy, so dont' want to run, so they just block or hit boundaries.

3) They don't know any better (i.e. coach needs to teach them or remind them about the importance of getting the scoreboard ticking with singles and two's).

Actually Khaled mashud used to be good at that, but he hasn't done that lately, he just blocks nowadays and scores 10 runs of 30 balls, then gets out.

[jeesh]

I agree the biggest weakness at this point is from overs 20 to 40 when the field starts to spread around. We do exceptionally when during fielding restrictions but get tied down and start losing wickets in the crucial 20 to 40 overs. Before you know it you just have 4-5 wickets left in last 10 overs.
This is an area where Dav Whatmore has to work hard on. You cant learn taking ones and twos in the nets. Whatmore should put the batsmen out in the middle and try and improve their running between the wicket, judgement and shot placement. All you need to do is just play in the gap with soft hands and take a run. Our batsmen play the ball way too hard and gets the placement absolutely wrong.
During overs 20 to 40 you should just milk the bowling taking 4-4.5 runs an over and keep wickets in hand. Very few batsmen in our current team can do that.

[capslock]

In light of the just concluded Scotland series this seems like a good time to revive this thread.

[roaring tigerz]

I remember Boycott talking about how they used to practice taking singles by putting targets around the field, and trying to hit the ball in between the targets. I am sure just like any other discipline, the skill of scoring 1s and 2s can also be enhanced by innovative practice drills.Although our batsmen seem more adept at rotating strike now than a couple of years earlier, they are still some way off the other international teams.Hoping that Whatmore is looking closely into this aspect our game.

[sislam2]

Originally Posted by cricketboy
WHat is so special about Brent that he took 4 wickets for 22 runs. Our batsman is not good enough or what?

Brent did the ver basic of bowling, keeping it in line and length, and let the bowl and pitch do the rest. But, i have to tell you i was disappointed at the capability of our batsman in manufacturing shots, especially work it on the on side or play delicately to the third man.

[capslock]

Originally Posted by sislam2
Brent did the ver basic of bowling, keeping it in line and length, and let the bowl and pitch do the rest. But, i have to tell you i was disappointed at the capability of our batsman in manufacturing shots, especially work it on the on side or play delicately to the third man.

This is something that I remember the 'old guard' being better at, the Akrams, Bulbuls and Abedins, in fact, that's how they scored the bulk of their runs. It's the new generation of slam bang players (Bashar, Ashraful, Aftab a little bit) that have really ignored the old fashioned way of really earning your runs.

I think the former players have a role to play in this regard.

[Rihaad The Man]

There's no biggest problem at all , if there is ; then it's only with the fans like you .

We never know better than the coaches & managements ...........

[capslock]

Originally Posted by Rihaad The Man
There's no biggest problem at all , if there is ; then it's only with the fans like you .

We never know better than the coaches & managements ...........

You certainly don't, that much is clear.

[jeesh]

Very much. We may have been able to whack our way out against Zimbabwe and Scotland, but wont be the same against stronger oppositions. Against them we will have to play proper one day cricket. Make good use of fielding restrictions, milk the bowling around from 20-40 overs, and then good old fashioned slogging. Against the big teams we always tend to falter in the middle 20 overs because our batsmen dont rotate strike well and put pressure on themselves and end up trying to play big shots and getting out. Thats what the discussion was all about, and yeah it is a problem!