*Official* England in Bangladesh

[popepouri]

Or do the easy stuff like making the only logical deision after winning the toss

The thing that frustrates me about Bangla cricket is not the losses, it's that they never seem to learn

Yeah. I think it applies not just on the field but in selection. It's obvious that the top order is incompetent leaving Shakib, Mahmadullah and Rahim to pick up the pieces. Usually most teams would bring in new blood but they consistently persist with the same people. How long did it take them to drop Ashrafal...scrap that, he had to drop himself.

 

[Pothas]

Good to see Bangladesh actually trying, definite improvement on the Ashraful days when if they had more than a day to bat out they'd all say "cbf" and nick a wide one.

There is no doubt there is improvement, although obviously they played horribly for the first two days, Tamim aside.

I think the good thing is that they are starting to get a core of players to work around with Tamim, Shakib, Mahmudullah and Rahim, if they can just find some kind of fast bowler that is a group of players to build a side around over the next 5 years or so.

 

[Furball]

If they can find another opening batsman to play alongside Tamim, there's the makings of a pretty decent top 6.

Tamim
A.N. Opener
Aftab
Rahim
Mahmadullah
Shakib

That's definitely a top 6 to build a team around.

I might be over-rating Aftab Ahmed, but I reckon he's got serious talent, and he's someone I rate very highly.

 

[Athlai]

Hopefully Nafees finds his form again. Aftab is kind of pants and Rahim would be batting 2 positions too high at 4.

He has backbone but 4 is faaaaar too early for the guy. Shame Raqibul packed a hissy fit as he would have been a superior option to Aftab and co. IMO.

Tamim
Nafees
Aftab
Raqibul
Mahmadullah
Rahim
Shakib
Naeem
Mortaza
Razzak
S Islam

Considering that Shakib and Mahmadullah are fine spinning options you could throw in another batsman to the team. Unfortunately that won't make a difference really.

 

[Uppercut]

I might be over-rating Aftab Ahmed, but I reckon he's got serious talent, and he's someone I rate very highly.

lolno. He's a joke. Try to imagine what your opinion of him would be if he were picked for England with his domestic record.

 

[Furball]

lolno. He's a joke. Try to imagine what your opinion of him would be if he were picked for England with his domestic record.

As I've said about Aftab previously, the first two occasions I watched him bat were against Australia in 2005 at Cardiff, and against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup, so that could explain why I rate him so highly.

 

[fredfertang]

Too many Bangladeshis seem to lose their way - great shame - Aftab certainly looked like a very bright prospect in '05

 

[Prince EWS]

Hopefully Nafees finds his form again. Aftab is kind of pants and Rahim would be batting 2 positions too high at 4.

He has backbone but 4 is faaaaar too early for the guy. Shame Raqibul packed a hissy fit as he would have been a superior option to Aftab and co. IMO.

Tamim
Nafees
Aftab
Raqibul
Mahmadullah
Rahim
Shakib
Naeem
Mortaza
Razzak
S Islam

Considering that Shakib and Mahmadullah are fine spinning options you could throw in another batsman to the team. Unfortunately that won't make a difference really.

Still think Enamul's a much better Test prospect than Razzak. His problem though will always be that his bowling is completely unsuited to ODIs and Bangladesh often go long periods between Tests, leaving him underdone and underdeveloped.

They really need to stop stupidly underbowling Mahmudullah in Tests too. Fair enough bowling Naeem more than him if you want to plug an end up in an ODI, but Mahmudullah's a serious offspinner who can bowl a genuine wicket taking ball, so he should definitely be getting preference to Naeem in Tests.

 

[pskov]

If they can find another opening batsman to play alongside Tamim, there's the makings of a pretty decent top 6.

Tamim
A.N. Opener
Aftab
Rahim
Mahmadullah
Shakib

That's definitely a top 6 to build a team around.

I might be over-rating Aftab Ahmed, but I reckon he's got serious talent, and he's someone I rate very highly.

Depends what you mean by 'decent top 6'. Assuming they do find an opener, that would be a decent top 6 for a county side but still well short of being a top 6 good enough to win test matches.

 

[Uppercut]

Depends what you mean by 'decent top 6'. Assuming they do find an opener, that would be a decent top 6 for a county side but still well short of being a top 6 good enough to win test matches.

I'm pretty sure Yorkshire got relegated (were they relegated? I forget. They were crap though) last season with a better top 6 tbh. That would be a decent top 6 for a second division county side, which is nevertheless a vast improvement on how bad they have been, so in that sense it's good to finally see some progress.

 

[pskov]

Yeah, had 2nd division in mind tbf. Should've stated that.

 

[Pothas]

I'm pretty sure Yorkshire got relegated (were they relegated? I forget. They were crap though) last season with a better top 6 tbh. That would be a decent top 6 for a second division county side, which is nevertheless a vast improvement on how bad they have been, so in that sense it's good to finally see some progress.

Yorkshire stayed up in the end, was Sussex that went down, not that makes any difference to your point.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Just watching the hightlight & I think I might be in love with young Finn. He clearly said "Effing spawny twatt" when Siddique French cut him for 4.

Most underrated adjective, spawny.

 

[Furball]

Depends what you mean by 'decent top 6'. Assuming they do find an opener, that would be a decent top 6 for a county side but still well short of being a top 6 good enough to win test matches.

Close to approaching Test class. Certainly no worse than New Zealand, or Pakistan post bannings.

 

[Woodster]

Fair play to the resilience shown today from Bangladesh, we knew they were capable of playing decent cricket albeit not for a consistent length of time, but Junaid Siddique and Mushfiqur Rahim were very disciplined in their partnership. Shakib got a rough one, can understand how Hill thought it hit the pad, but on replay was a bad one. Tamim was undone by another beauty this time from Swann and the ball that removed Kayes was another good one from Finn.

Thought Bresnan was our main threat today especially with the old ball, he demonstrated his skills and control with the old ball and has been good to watch. Problems with Broad today, seemed lacking in fitness either still carrying that niggle, or was affected by the heat and humidity.

Swann bowled a lot of overs today and I thought was overbowled, yes we haven't got that second specialist spinner but would probably have given Trott, KP a few more, must also be a problem with Colly as he's not got a sniff.

Expect us to wrap things up in the first session tomorrow but Bangladesh fought hard today.

 

[silentstriker]

Well, at least matches are going into the 5th day now...

Pretty damning thing though, after ten years.

 

[Goughy]

but second slip always stands forward of 1st slip

 

[Pothas]

Very good first hour this for Bangladesh, looking pretty solid against the new ball.

 

[vcs]

Can Bangladesh hold out? Seems unlikely, but it would be a huge result for Bangladesh cricket if they can pull this off.

 

[Pothas]

Not even considering it a possibility untill these two get to lunch at least, could still all be over very quickly if one of these go.

Hope they do to be honest, I like plenty of players in this side and it would serve England right for not enforcing the follow on.

Finn a plus point though, has done well.