World Of Cricket

Galle: Bangladesh achieved their first ever draw against Sri Lanka in a record fest.

“We wanted to give it back to them” Rahim © AFP

Day 5 of this run fest was no different to the previous days as it saw two more centuries which took the tally to a total of eight in the match equaling the world record locked in West Indies and South Africa in Antigua in 2005. Being their first ever drawn test match against Srilanka, the Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim called it “a huge achievement”.

It was the first time Bangladesh posted a total over 600 in a test match and batted 196 overs, the longest they have advocated since getting their test status, back in 2000.

“Our past record against Sri Lanka definitely motivated us. For instance, they have scored 19 or 20 centuries against us. We stressed on the fact that this is a big opportunity for us. We thought this is a chance for us to make them work hard on the field as we batted on and on.

“The team that often keeps you in the field for days that beat you regularly, we wanted to give it back to them. I think they are shocked, because they couldn’t imagine we would play well.” Said, the Bangladesh captain.

Pitch was nothing more than batting paradise, as 1613 runs were scored for just 19 wickets. . It was the first time Kumar Sangakara posted 2 tons in a test match. Srilanka placed a respectable 570/4 dec in the first innings, and 335/4 in the second innings respectively. Assigning a target of 268 that was to be chased in one session. First wicket of Anamul Haque came early, but the game was later on controlled well by Jahurul and Mohammad Ashraful who took the score to 70 by 4pm, The game was later called off as expected.

“The team that often keeps you in the field for days that beat you regularly, we wanted to give it back to them. I think they are shocked, because they couldn’t imagine we would play well.”

The captain pointed out the different players who had made contributions, mostly with the bat, an end result that is relatively new to him in Tests. “We need a pen and paper to write down the positives in this Test. We had the team’s highest score, Ashraful and my highest scores, Mominul’s debut fifty, Nasir’s maiden 100. I think this was also the highest score in Galle.” Said the Bangladesh captain.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board had also announced allurements for the team players for drawing Tests and taking games into the fifth day. The team will now get an $1250 for drawing the Galle Test apart from their match fees. Mushfiqur Rahim was awarded as Man of the Match. “It is really enjoyable, the team is playing very well together. We didn’t really bowl well first up, so we had a chat that we need to show character and then our batsmen did really well. The draw is huge, it was also the first time we took lead against Sri Lanka.” He added.

This test match again showed the massive improvement of Bangladesh since Asia cup. But Credit goes to Bangladesh players for showing immense patience that is needed to survive in Test Cricket. All in all a moral victory for Bengal Tigers.

The first test between Bangladesh and Srilanka ends in a draw after it witnessed eight centuries in it.

Mushfiqur Rahim beacame first Bangladeshi to score double century © AFP

Many thought that after first innings Srilanka’s score of 570 it will only be the matter of time before Bangladesh folds, but it was not the case. The first test match became a paradise for batsmen as there were eight centuries scored in the match.

Srilanka won the toss early in the test and choose to bat. Their batsmen proved the desicion right as Srilanka compiled a huge 1st innings score of 570. Sangakkara, Thirimanne and Chandimal scored centuries for them.

It looked a one sided match from there on but Bangladeshi boys had other plans. Their openers left the middle but after that Bangladesh walked towards the record. They scored over 600 runs for the first time in Test matches. Their main contributers was their captain Mushfiqur Rahim who scored his first test double century. Ashraful and Nasir Hossain also scored their centuries.

In the second innings Srilanka tried to attack and win the match but it was not possible. But their were 2 more centuries still to come as Dilshan and Sangakkara made 126 and 105 respectively.

Srilanka declared their innings at 335 and left 268 runs for Bangladesh to chase. Bangladesh scored 70 for 1 in their second innings and the match ended in a draw. Bangladesh would be feeling proud of their efforts as they made Srilanks sweat.  Mushfiqur Rahim for his fine innings was declared man of the match.

Galle: Mushfiqur Rahim became the first ever Bangladeshi player to score a double-hundred as his team piled stacks of runs.

Rahim lead from the front as Bangladesh posted 638 © AFP

Bangladesh cricket achieved new heights on Monday against Sri lanka at Galle, continuing from where they left they added exactly 200 to their total to get to their highest ever total in Test Cricket, 638 beating their previous best of 556 against West Indies.

Mohammed Ashraful and Mushfiqur Rahim put 267 for the fifth wicket, before Ashraful fell to Rangana Herath looking to get close to a double-hundred. he added only a single run to his overnight score and fell on 190.

But this did not disturb Rahim’s concentration even a bit as he continued to torment the very ordinary Sri lankan bowling and was joined by Nasir Hossain, the newest sensation of Bangladesh Cricket. Nasir looked aggressive from the word go as both the players looked to add quick runs to the total.

Mushfiqur Rahim fell soon after lunch after becoming the first ever Bangladeshi player to score a double-hundred in test cricket. After Rahim’s dismissal the focus shifted towards Nasir as he impressed with quite exceptional strokes, which included a pull off Mendis and a lofted shot over Mid-on. It was the only occasion in Bangladesh Cricket that three players got to three figures in the same innings.

Just like his captain, Nasir also fell very soon after getting to his hundred. The tail-enders didn’t disappoint too as they added almost 50 runs too to get the total to 638 and Bangladesh finished up with a lead of 68 runs.

Sri Lanka did not get a great start to their second innings as Karunaratne missed out on a big score and hooked a ball straight to fine-leg giving Shahdat Hossain his only wicket in the match so far. After the early breakthrough Dilshan and Sangakkara made sure that they did not loose any more wickets and comfortably got through the session. They did present the Bengalis with a chance or two but the tigers failed to catch on.

With only one day left and Sri lanka leading by 48 runs, without a doubt the match is headed towards a draw but what Bangladesh have achieved in this match is something which will be mentioned side by side with the Bangladeshi Cricket.

Dubai: Guest team will visit at the end of April to play an ODI & a T20I, Bangladeshi officials said ‘yes’ after making a deal with PCB on the seat of vice-president of ICC : Sources. The meeting of ICC Executive Board will start from tomorrow in Dubai. In the light of Woolf report, it’ll be considered to reduce the influence of Test playing nations.

The objection of India raised doubts; is it possible that a single one out of 65 recommendations will be accepted because critics think that India is the most influential nation in the ICC.

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Bangladesh Cricket Team is agreed to tour Pakistan for playing small series of 2 matches. Guest team will visit Pakistan in 3 weeks. The efforts of the chairman Mr. Zaka Ashraf of Pakistan Cricket Board at last bore fruit.

Express paper added that in result of the efforts of PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf and CEO Subhan Ahmed and after meeting with them in Dubai, President of Bangldesh Cricket Board – Mustafa Kamal is ready to send his team on the brief tour of Pakistan.

Bangladesh Cricket Team will arrive in Pakistan in 3 weeks to play 2 limited-overs  matches (1 T20I & 1 ODI). With the arrival of the team, the international cricket will also return to Pakistan after 3 years. It must be remembered that the doors of international cricket in Pakistan are closed because of the March 03, 2009 terrorist attack on Sri Lanka Cricket Team.

On Sunday – April 15, 2012; Bangladesh Cricket Board formally announced that they’ll tour Pakistan at the end of April to play an ODI & and a T20I. The ODI is scheduled for April 29 and the T20I for April 30. Both matches will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Sources told that PCB officials have once again assured their counterparts of providing president protocol in terms of security to the guest team.

BCB officials have agreed on sending their team in result of a ‘deal’ with PCB on the seat of vice-president of International Cricket Council (ICC). funny or factPCB has fasten its seat belt for supporting Bangladesh for the seat of vice-president of ICC after the fresh assurance made by BCB.

In addition, the 2-day meeting of the ICC Executive Board will start from Sunday in Dubai, in which council will consider the recommendations of Woolf report to make big reforms in their current setup. In result of these reforms, the influence of test playing nations will be reduced, transparency will be created significantly in its matters and the process of accountability will begin. Less important recommendations of the report can be accepted.

In other matters of the meeting, the successor of Alan Isaac – vice-president of ICC may be elected. This candidate for this position is the current president Mr. Mustafa Kamal of Bangladesh Cricket Board.

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Strong test playing nation – India is the biggest hurdle in the approval of the recommendations of Woolf report who already rejected it. BCCI adopted the stance in the meeting held in February that there is no justification to change the current setup. The objection of India raised doubts; is it possible that a single one out of 65 recommendations will be accepted because critics think that India is the most influential nation in the ICC.

“If India objects to the main recommendations of the Woolf review, then there is next to no chance of the recommendations being enacted,” said Lawrence Booth, the editor of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack. “You are asking the powerful nations to cede their power. It just doesn’t happen.”

It must be clear that the report which consists of 68 pages emphasized the ICC to do complete overhauling, it says that ICC is now a governing body of cricket not the ‘club’ of test playing nations. In the best interest of the cricket which is an international sport, ICC should be empowered to promote and develop this sport.

The most important recommendation is to reduce the influence of test playing nations, it is suggested in the recommendations to rebuild and empower the executive board of ICC. The voice of the associate and affiliate countries must be made effective. Currently, 10 permanent members are part of board with voting rights but the suggestion is to give membership to 3 more independent countries and the chairman of the board should also be independent.

It is also suggested in the report to simplified the procedure of giving permanent membership to the associate and affiliate nations and the income of cricket should be distributed on the basis of necessity. The extra income of ICC must be divided in all cricket playing nations; currently permanent members get 70% of the income.

Various measures to take rid of corruption in test playing nations are also suggested in the report, it is also mentioned to take review of the ‘conflict of interests’ between the member nations and it must also be solved.

In compared to India, the reaction of the member nations is very low whereas Pakistan Cricket Board agreed to review some of its part. CEO of Cricket Australia James Sutherland said that the board would “be silly” to reject the recommendations of the Woolf report outright.

Transparency International also has weighed in, calling for the board to approve the ethics and anti-corruption measures and including a swift timetable for their implementation.

Karachi: Former skipper Rashid Latif asked Bangladesh Cricket Board president Mostafa Kamal to first send its team to Pakistan and then convince other cricketing nations to tour the country.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif

In an interview to the “Daily Dawn” newspaper on Wednesday, Kamal talked about convincing other nations to tour Pakistan and Latif said the BCB chief should first take a decision on their scheduled tour of Pakistan.

“I am really surprised by this interview by Mostafa Kamal. He is talking about convincing other nations to tour Pakistan and at the same time the Bangladesh board is unable to yet take a decision on whether to play in Pakistan or not,” Latif said.

“It is really strange I would think that if Bangladesh first sent its team to Pakistan as per program it would put Mostafa Kamal in a better position to convince other nations to tour Pakistan.

“Right now even if he talks to other nations like he says he will do the first thing they will ask him is why aren’t you sending your team to Pakistan?” he added.

In his interview, Kamal said if due to political reasons, the Indian team is not touring Pakistan, he shall try to convince the other boards like South Africa and England to send their teams to Pakistan.

“For how long can we neglect Pakistan? How long can they host their ‘home’ series at neutral venues?” he asked.

“We cannot ignore Pakistan like this,” Kamal said on his plans to talk to other boards while in India for the IPL.

He also said that Bangladesh does not have any issue relating to neutral or non-neutral match officials for the Pakistan tour, but the BCB obviously is looking for whole-hearted support from the ICC regarding the tour.

“Our team will tour Pakistan. I don’t know when it would happen. What if we go there only and other boards continue to ignore Pakistan,” he said.

“I shall take up this issue in the ICC board meeting. I want a full-fledged approval from the ICC for the tour,” Mostafa said.

Latif said the Pakistan cricket Board had done everything within its powers to convince the Bangladesh board to send its team to Pakistan for the one-day series.

“I don’t think the PCB can do more and what’s more the BCB has kept on changing its stance on the issue of sending its team to Pakistan. How can the BCB president expect ICC to give him any guarantees regarding the Pakistan tour,” he said.

Latif advised the BCB chief to stop playing games with Pakistan cricket and just give a clear yes or no on the issue of touring Pakistan.

“Pakistan has done a lot for Bangladesh cricket and today if we are facing problems it does not mean that other boards can play around with us.

“I don’t think we need any sympathy or support from any board including the ICC or Bangladesh in just words. If they sincerely want to help Pakistan cricket they should first send their team to Pakistan,” he said.

Latif also lashed out at the ICC saying it had not bothered to even once send its special task force to Pakistan to practically see the security situation on ground and constantly kept on assuring the PCB of support to revive international cricket in the country.

Dubai: Cricket’s governing body in Asia (ACC) on Monday rejected a complaint from Bangladesh that one of their batsman was obstructed by a Pakistani bowler in their recent Asia Cup final defeat.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had also turned down the complaint © AFP

The complaint was rejected on the grounds that it was not reported by on-field umpires, an official said.

Ashraful Huq, chief executive of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), said Bangladesh officially complained about the last over of the final, which Bangladesh narrowly lost.

“We had received Bangladesh’s complaint but since the incident was not reported by the on-field umpires nothing can be done,” Ashraful told AFP from Kuala Lumpur.

Bangladesh had appealed to the ACC to review the final over, accusing Pakistani paceman Aizaz Cheema of deliberately blocking batsman Mahmudullah Riyad from taking a second run.

Pakistan beat Bangladesh by two runs to lift the four-nation Asia Cup after a thrilling final on Thursday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board had expressed disappointment over Bangladesh’s complaint, calling it an “after thought” after defeat.

Ashraful, who also hailed from Bangladesh, said the International Cricket Council (ICC) had also turned down the complaint.

“It could have happened then and there, in the final but since umpires and match-referee did not take any action then, so the matter is closed,” said Ashraful.

“I think the Bangladesh team played so well in the whole tournament, beating India and Sri Lanka — World Cup 2011 finalists — was no mean achievement and although they lost the final, the Bangladesh team won millions of hearts.”