BanglaCricket Preview - South Africa in Bangladesh 2007-08 : A real test for Siddons and Bangladesh

Miraz · #1 February 18, 2008, 06:08 PM

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Preview - South Africa in Bangladesh 2008 : A real test for Siddons and Bangladesh
Khondaker Mirazur Rahman
Recently every Bangladesh series starts with some promise and ends with some frustration. Bangladesh seems to end up with more questions to answer after some inexplicable displays on the field. Will South Africa series be the beginning of the end of this unpleasant cycle?
BanglaCricket previews the upcoming series between Bangladesh and South Africa.

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Ajfar · #2 February 18, 2008, 06:18 PM

i hope our batsman can score sum runn...soo rafiq can do his thing..for one last timee..

cricket_pagol · #3 February 18, 2008, 06:20 PM

I feel that we have momentum on our side... the performance in the practice match has been decent.

Miraz · #4 February 18, 2008, 06:34 PM

An interesting comment from someone very close to Bangladesh team. I am sharing it with the members.

Quote:

You've made a point. The onus is on the players and on the captain and his deputy in particular. No one's gonna accept excuses and that's quite interesting really.....South Africa are South Africa and everyone here is only thinking about beating them in the Test and ODI series.......a bit unfair too on our boys!

Ajfar · #5 February 18, 2008, 08:52 PM

miraz bhai who is this someone??

al Furqaan · #6 February 18, 2008, 09:01 PM

haven't read it yet...but Miraz bhai has for some now taken over my "job" of writing up previews.

i'll go ahead and do the post-mortem...ugly job but someone's gottta do it.

i get a chance to update my WEIR ratings too at the end of the series, woohoo!

al-Sagar · #7 February 18, 2008, 09:21 PM

its the perfect time for the batsman to start scoring runs consistently.

2 tests 3 odi against SA and also 3 ODI against ireland and all at home.

the home advantage should be taken by the batsmen

Beamer · #8 February 18, 2008, 10:28 PM

Assuming he plays, and it looks like he might yet again despite promising nothing of late, the real test awaits for none other than Bashar. Rafiq has announced he will go and he will be void of any pressure. Other than Bashar, the rest of the players are young and will have many chances in the future to pass their tests. Siddons is new and will be here for at least two years. It is Bashar who will face the real test.

Miraz · #9 February 19, 2008, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Preview
South Africans were once dubbed as the “Bunnies of Spinners”; they have come a long way and recently enjoyed success in the spinner friendly conditions, but still have weaknesses against the quality left arm spins. Bangladesh’s recent triumph in 2007 ODI world cup, which is their solitary success in all forms of the game against the Proteas, in Guyana was scripted by the SLA trio who strangulated them in the middle. Mohammad Rafique and Enamul Haque Jr. duo are able to generate similar asphyxiating feeling in suitable conditions and they will be Bangladesh’s main weapon against the formidable South African batting line-up. If the new ball duo Mashrafe Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain can create some early breakthroughs, spinners will be able to utilize the conditions and dominate the play. But first of all the batsmen must score some runs to create a sense of competitiveness.

Omission of Enamul Jr. is a big surprise. Now I have to edit the bold faced line of the preview.

I have got a feeling that Siddons will play Shakib as the second spinner. Rafique and Shakib....

Rabz · #10 February 19, 2008, 04:49 AM

Excellent preview once again, Miraz bhai.

I think the prime battle is with ourselves.
Its us who can decide the fate of the match, more precisely, our batsmen.

If we can manage to put up some good runs on the board, we have enough firepower to bother the Saffers in our turning tracks.

Miraz · #11 February 19, 2008, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miraz
Omission of Enamul Jr. is a big surprise. Now I have to edit the bold faced line of the preview.

I have got a feeling that Siddons will play Shakib as the second spinner. Rafique and Shakib....

Done.

Miraz · #12 February 19, 2008, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
haven't read it yet...but Miraz bhai has for some now taken over my "job" of writing up previews.

i'll go ahead and do the post-mortem...ugly job but someone's gottta do it.

i get a chance to update my WEIR ratings too at the end of the series, woohoo!

Glad to hear that you are taking the responsibility to write the post-mortem. Thanks.

I will appreciate your feedback after reading the review.

Miraz · #13 February 19, 2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rabz
Excellent preview once again, Miraz bhai.

I think the prime battle is with ourselves.
Its us who can decide the fate of the match, more precisely, our batsmen.

If we can manage to put up some good runs on the board, we have enough firepower to bother the Saffers in our turning tracks.

Thanks Rabz.

Nobody is ready to hear the excuses again.

Dhurr · #14 February 19, 2008, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miraz
Thanks Rabz.

Nobody is ready to hear the excuses again.

Ki bolen Miraz bhai? Khela shuru howar agei excuse shuru hoiya gese.

Miraz · #15 February 19, 2008, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dhurr
Ki bolen Miraz bhai? Khela shuru howar agei excuse shuru hoiya gese.

Fans are dudh bhat, they are allowed to give excuses.

But no excuses from players will be accepted.

Dhakablues · #16 February 19, 2008, 03:34 PM

So what are the possible excuse? My top 7 by Ashraful will be:
1. Actually, adjusting from the NZ to Bangladesh has been tougher.
2. SA just beat stronger teams like WI, Pakistan and they had a good seam attack.
3. We are still learning from the new coach, give us some time. We did get some positives from this match.
4. Bowlers did their part but our batsman could not focus. We lost due to lack of concentration. When you have a young team, it happens. We will do better next time.
5. Actually, we let them go after we got that break, our feilding has let us down.
6. We got some bad decisions by Bucknor that went against our favor, otherwise....
7. Bhai.. Bhodro Manuser Ek kotha,, Oi ja bolchilam, NZ tour er pore Ajkeo tai bolbo.

Tigers_eye · #17 February 19, 2008, 04:14 PM

spot light on Ash. He already is thinking of a century at least. Captain shaab hope you get your wish come true, if not chapabaji bondho kortey hobay. Ar koto kal bashar'r moto excuse diben?

Miraz · #18 February 19, 2008, 04:19 PM

Bhaijanera preview article nia ekta duita kotha kon, bujhte partesinato series nia BC memberder expectation ta ki ?

Tigers_eye · #19 February 19, 2008, 04:26 PM

Preview was good.

As always fans are polarized. one very optimistic winning the test series at home. At least giving them a run for their money equals that feat. The other section as predictable as ever. Embracing for a heavy blow (once beaten twice shy).

If the warm-up match is any indication I say we will be doing great depending on if we select the best 11.

As for JS, I think it is still not time to evaluate his performance. More time is needed.

Ash, Mash, Bash must perform.

Gowza · #20 February 19, 2008, 04:33 PM

don't evaluate JS until the end of this year, it's going to take 6 months for the improvements to really start to kick in then another 6 months to see how much they've helped the teams performance. all i want is a good performance with the bat much like the recent BCB XI match, it was good to see the boys make some runs and hopefully that's given them the confidence (they were long overdue) to do it in the real thing.

SS · #21 February 19, 2008, 04:48 PM

As usual great preview. Our top and middle order need to be responsible and start scoring. period. As our top 5 batsmen rarely score and perform together, we had no choice but to go with five bowlers. Not sure who will be final eleven, but if Bashar playes he needs to realize he has to perform. When I last saw him in NZ, I understand it's NZ condition but the way he was batting, it was very hard to believe he was once the pioneer of BD batting. Mushfiq has to realize too that he need to perform along with our dashing batsmen Ashraful and Aftab. If our top order(first five) can contribute 250 runs in first innings we could manage to give some fight against SA. But only time will tell.

Bowler wise Mash (off form), Rajib, Rafique, Sakib will have long hours coming ahead. I hope it will not be overburden for these four bowlers to bowl 22+ overs for each.

Dhakablues · #22 February 19, 2008, 04:49 PM

I thought the preview was excellent overview. I kinda missed some spice about Bangladeshi players. For instance, the fact that Junaed made Javed Omar a name of the past, the management confidence in Mushfique, the Ashraful form factor....

Miraz · #23 February 19, 2008, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gowza
don't evaluate JS until the end of this year, it's going to take 6 months for the improvements to really start to kick in then another 6 months to see how much they've helped the teams performance. all i want is a good performance with the bat much like the recent BCB XI match, it was good to see the boys make some runs and hopefully that's given them the confidence (they were long overdue) to do it in the real thing.

It's not about evaluating JS, it's more about to see the real signs of developments under his guidance.

Miraz · #24 February 20, 2008, 06:23 PM

BBC preview

Reuters Preview :
South Africa expecting tough test series in Bangladesh

Miraz · #25 February 21, 2008, 10:56 AM

Cricinfo preview.

Bangladesh v South Africa, 1st Test, Mirpur
Bangladesh bank on home advantage
Cricinfo staff
February 21, 2008

With the controversial spat between South African coach Mickey Arthur and Cricket South Africa chairman Norman Arendse over team selection resolved, the action finally shifts to the field as South Africa take on Bangladesh in the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium starting on Friday.
Previous contests between the two sides have been rather lopsided in favour of the South Africans and going by current form, another series whitewash looms. After a successful away series against Pakistan, South Africa steamrollered New Zealand and overcame an early jitter against West Indies to record a 2-1 series win in the Tests and a 5-0 clean sweep of the one-dayers to round off a comprehensive home season.
Bangladesh, by contrast, suffered a predictable 2-0 defeat on their tour of New Zealand, where their frailties in the batting department were exposed yet again. Both Tests ended within three days as the batsmen wilted in unfamiliar conditions. A return to home conditions would be their best possible chance of competing better, especially now, after South Africa's scratchy bowling performance in the drawn three-day game against a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in Fatullah. The Test attack leaked 412 runs in just over 100 overs - conceding a lead in the process - but Arthur brushed aside the concerns and was confident that things would fall into place.
"We have spoken about what's expected from each player," Arthur said. "The stakes are high at this level and I expect everyone to raise the level of their performance."
Graeme Smith, the South African captain, hoped for a sporting pitch in Mirpur, though the indications are that his bowlers are in for a bigger workout. Despite the slow surface, the South Africans are unlikely to field two spinners, with offspinner Johan Botha the first choice ahead of Robin Peterson, the left-arm spinner. Andre Nel, down with a hamstring strain, remains a doubtful starter.
The mood was fairly upbeat in the Bangladesh camp and coach Jamie Siddons reflected on the positives from the tour game. However, Siddons, now in his first home series as coach, was quick to caution his players to expect a backlash.

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