Must improve on our number of Test and ODI venues

[fwullah]

We must improve our number of Test and ODI venues.

Currently, there are only 2 Test and ODI venues in Bangaldesh - Dhaka and Chittagong. And as far as I know, neither of the venues have good drainage system.

Zimbabwe also has only two venues, Harare and Bulawayo. Today, and possibly tomorrow, the International venue number 2 of Zimbabwe, Bulwayo, are going to be washouts (Today's Bangaldesh-Zimbabwe ODI match is already a wash out).

We must arrange for some more new venues in the areas other than Dhaka and Chittagong, because, like the West Indies', we can clearly change venues during the rainy season.

It goes to show the power behind a full test nation. Just calculate, Zimbabwe has been playing test cricket for more than ten years now, and yet, they have only 2 Test venues.

Whereas, the West Indies, one of the three oldest test playing nations, have 5 venues, including the Guyana one, where it will be in the middle of the rainy season when Bangaldesh goes on tour to the West Indies.

So, in order to go ahead of Zimbabwe, we must increase our test and ODI venue numbers. It will not only be more comforting for us, fans, it will also be helpful for cricket in Bangladesh, in general.

Bangladesh in West Indies 2003-04

Bangladesh Test switched to Jamaica

Wisden Cricinfo staff

March 6, 2004



Sabina Park in Jamaica will host two Test matches in the current West Indian season, after one of the two Tests against Bangladesh was switched from Georgetown in Guyana.

Zorol Barthley, the West Indies Cricket Board's chief operations officer, explained: "The Guyana Cricket Board has informed us that the timing of the tour coincides with their rainy season, hence the change."

St Lucia's Beausejour Stadium, originally the venue for the second Test, will now host the first one (May 28 to June 1), and the second Test will now take place at Sabina Park from June 4 to 8.

Bangladesh will also play three one-day Internationals against West Indies - at St Vincent's Arnos Vale Playing Field on May 15 and 16, and Grenada's Queen's Park Stadium on May 19. It will be Bangladesh's first full tour of the Caribbean, although their A team took part in the West Indian first-class competition two years ago.

Revised schedule:
May 15 - 1st ODI - St Vincent
May 16 - 2nd ODI - St Vincent
May 19 - 3rd ODI - Grenada
May 28-June 1 - 1st Test - St Lucia
June 4-8 - 2nd Test - Jamaica


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