Be warned: Bangladesh are no longer pushovers

[arsenalsri]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/c...s-1872023.html

Bangladesh have lost 52 of their 61 Test matches and 158 of their 215 one-day internationals. But they will be no pushovers for England when the sides meet in March and April in two of the former and three of the latter.

There is, at last, discernible improvement in Bangladesh's approach to the longer game and on their day they can beat anyone in the short form. In the current Test in Chittagong against India they bowled out venerated tourists for under 300.

True, the conditions were wintry and hardly conducive to batting but Bangladesh were competitive. Their two star bowlers, the fast man Shahadat Hossain and the captain and left-arm spinner Shakib al Hasan, each took five wickets. The players showed their displeasure at being described as ordinary by India's captain for the match by greeting every wicket, especially Virender Sehwag's, with excessive jubilation. They have learned a trick or two.

England may say otherwise but they would not have considered allowing their captain, Andrew Strauss, to take a break against any other country. His replacement, Alastair Cook, has a tough task. Conditions will be alien to many of his players (though Cook led England in an Under-19 World Cup in the country), pitches will be slow and Bangladesh better than they think, and in their 22-year-old captain Al Hasan, Bangladesh seem to have unearthed an authentic all-rounder.

Bangladesh won their most recent two Tests in the West Indies (albeit when the Caribbean's big names were on strike), so they have form. They have notable one-day victories, famously against Australia in 2005 but also in the last World Cup against India and South Africa. No pushovers, then, but they should be beaten.

[Tigers_eye]

The Last frontier. Won against everyone except England. We were very close in the World Cup 07. Prior willed his way. This BD team is better than the World cup team (even without Mash and Mo Rafique). Hopefully we will EARN our respect this time around. Flintoff's beating still hurts from the last visit.

No Strauss and no Anderson. Players we need to watch is Colly, Board and Swann.

[Naimul_Hd]

swann would be a deadly bowler in tht series !

[Nafi]

Originally Posted by Tigers_eye
The Last frontier. Won against everyone except England. We were very close in the World Cup 07. Prior willed his way. This BD team is better than

That wicketkeeper wasnt prior, it was some other baldy

[Purbasha T]

Paul Nixon.

[Tigers_eye]

Yes, yes, yes!! Nixon dashed all my dreams then. Now I have a new dream.

[Rabz]

Slowly, but surely, the boys are earning the world's respect.
Its upto them now to keep it up.

[akabir77]

England if waiting to get a shocker. Mark my word.

They will have no clue what hit them... Bd might win the series.

[Beamer]

We must make a spin paradise for this series. I can live with Onions taking ten wkts, but not Broad-Sidebottom and co. If the later happens, which can only mean we are booked under 150, but giving Onions the wkts, we can ensure we have scored 300+.

[revolver]

will be a cracking series..swann is the play 2 watch out for again as sonmeone else said

[Purbasha T]

I might just go to BD in Feb-March..let's see if I can catch a match or two live.

[bujhee kom]

Thank you dear arsenalsri bhai for this thread and the link to the article from the Independent, It definitely made me feel good about the progress and glory and joy of cricket in my Bangladesh!
Go Bangladesh!

[wiseshah]

I think English bowlers are not e tra ordinary

player to watch out

eoin morgan
keV pietersen
siidebottom

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