***Official*** West Indies in Bangladesh 2012

[Challis]

Abul was identified by Stuart Law in the nets as potential fast bowler among many local boys; Law then recommended him to the selectors and Jurgensen, then bowling coach, pushed for a spot for him in the national side. He played some under 19s games before that to my knowledge but his performance was not that good in those matches compared to some other under 19s like Taskin, Jayed etc. So it was basically raw bowling talent hunt done by Stuart Law. I'm sure Law himself is surprised by his batting.

Abul was identified as a bowling talent well before Stuart Law became Head Coach. Stuart Law saw quite a bit of him when he was head coach of the Sylhet Royals in the BPL and was behind promoting Abul to the national set up.
However, Abul had already played quite a bit for the U19s and has the best Bangladesh U19 ODI bowling stats to date (Average is under 19 and SR is 23).
He has also been playing in the DPL for quite a few years. He was the top wicket taking pacer in his first two seasons and the fact that he plays for Abahani, who usually rely on foreign players should tell you that he's well known and well thought of in domestic cricket. He is probably the fastest bowler in Bangladesh right now.

However, he has been pretty ordinary in the few first class games that he has played, and in the T20 games (BPL and internationals) he has been somewhat of a liability.
Batting wise, no one could have predicted what happened yesterday, he hadn't shown any real indication that he was capable of playing such an innings, a quick 30 or 40 maybe, but not a Century. If it was Sohag Gazi or Alauddin Babu who made that inning then you could say they had previous form in the domestics but not Abul. I just hope this brilliant batting isn't undone by his bowling.

 

[Teja.]

Windies at 2.10. Going in now.

Yeah, came in to the thread to post this actually. Should make for a convenient hedge at the end of the WI Ist innings.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

I've always felt that mahmudullah has been under-utilised.

yeah it's a bit strange. At one hand you are giving him the vice captaincy role and telling him that we trust you and on other hand you are under playing him. The only reason I find that he comes down so low is that he grinds very well with the tail, if that's the case then it has to be the most worst tactic; I mean you got to bring in your capable batsman as high as possible and not letting him to go out of partners. It's high time that management thinks about moving him up the order. Also I feel he has the most sensible head among lots in the team.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Abul was identified as a bowling talent well before Stuart Law became Head Coach. Stuart Law saw quite a bit of him when he was head coach of the Sylhet Royals in the BPL and was behind promoting Abul to the national set up.
However, Abul had already played quite a bit for the U19s and has the best Bangladesh U19 ODI bowling stats to date (Average is under 19 and SR is 23).
He has also been playing in the DPL for quite a few years. He was the top wicket taking pacer in his first two seasons and the fact that he plays for Abahani, who usually rely on foreign players should tell you that he's well known and well thought of in domestic cricket. He is probably the fastest bowler in Bangladesh right now.

However, he has been pretty ordinary in the few first class games that he has played, and in the T20 games (BPL and internationals) he has been somewhat of a liability.
Batting wise, no one could have predicted what happened yesterday, he hadn't shown any real indication that he was capable of playing such an innings, a quick 30 or 40 maybe, but not a Century. If it was Sohag Gazi or Alauddin Babu who made that inning then you could say they had previous form in the domestics but not Abul. I just hope this brilliant batting isn't undone by his bowling.

good insight, I wanted to clarify that he was identified as bowler and his batting is now just a surprise package. If it wasn't because of Law who was impressed by him and later Jurgensen, he wouldn't be playing by now in the national side at this so early stage, maybe he would after some more grooming and performance analysis in NCL. My point is his inclusion was pioneered by Law or to some extent Jurgensen.

All these being said, I would have been more happy if he had taken a five-for than scoring a century. We need some consistent fast bowlers badly in the setup more than anything else.

 

[Challis]

good insight, I wanted to clarify that he was identified as bowler and his batting is now just a surprise package. If it wasn't because of Law who was impressed by him and later Jurgensen, he wouldn't be playing by now in the national side at this so early stage, maybe he would after some more grooming and performance analysis in NCL. My point is his inclusion was pioneered by Law or to some extent Jurgensen.

All these being said, I would have been more happy if he had taken a five-for than scoring a century. We need some consistent fast bowlers badly in the setup more than anything else.

I wasn't trying to contradict you, just adding to your points. I agree that Law fast-tracked him to the Test setup, probably mostly impressed by his raw pace. But he was known in the domestic scene, particularly the DPL, I think he may have got a hat-trick or a 5-fer in a big game for Abahani, where he really made his name as a promising pacer. Anyone who plays and does well for Abahani will usually get promoted to the national team as Abahani are connected to the BCB this era (Lotus Kamal, and now the new BCB president were/are officials from Abahani).
And like you say his batting was a total surprise. To be honest I'm still a bit wary of his bowling, that is still yet to come in this game. I hope he doesn't do his usual of just banging it in short, as we've seen in this innings, that it won't work on this pitch.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

yeah it's a bit strange. At one hand you are giving him the vice captaincy role and telling him that we trust you and on other hand you are under playing him. The only reason I find that he comes down so low is that he grinds very well with the tail, if that's the case then it has to be the most worst tactic; I mean you got to bring in your capable batsman as high as possible and not letting him to go out of partners. It's high time that management thinks about moving him up the order. Also I feel he has the most sensible head among lots in the team.

Ridiculous him batting that low if he is hardly going to bowl. Using Shakib as an example, if he is going to bowl as much as he is he should probably bat 2 places lower and let those who aren't that much worse/possibly better bats but will bowl far less bat above him. Been a real bugbear of mine for a long time that the Bangladesh batting line up is arse about face and it isn't just one coach who has done this. How much better could they be if Mahmudullah was given more responsibility by batting him in the top 4?

 

[hendrix]

yeah it's a bit strange. At one hand you are giving him the vice captaincy role and telling him that we trust you and on other hand you are under playing him. The only reason I find that he comes down so low is that he grinds very well with the tail, if that's the case then it has to be the most worst tactic; I mean you got to bring in your capable batsman as high as possible and not letting him to go out of partners. It's high time that management thinks about moving him up the order. Also I feel he has the most sensible head among lots in the team.

Ridiculous him batting that low if he is hardly going to bowl. Using Shakib as an example, if he is going to bowl as much as he is he should probably bat 2 places lower and let those who aren't that much worse/possibly better bats but will bowl far less bat above him. Been a real bugbear of mine for a long time that the Bangladesh batting line up is arse about face and it isn't just one coach who has done this. How much better could they be if Mahmudullah was given more responsibility by batting him in the top 4?

Exactly.

It's like they expect Shakib to do everything and Mahmudullah to do nothing. Ridiculous to consider that Nasir Hossain who's not really a proper all rounder came in ahead of him.

What can you reasonably expect from someone batting at 8? Ideally I'd want him at 5, Shakib at 6 and Mushfiqur at 7.

 

[NUFAN]

Abul running out of partners! Currently on 108*.

 

[CricAddict]

Abul running out of partners! Currently on 108*.

Abul to hit out and get out, to have an average more than Bradman atleast once in his career.

 

[NUFAN]

Abul to hit out and get out, to have an average more than Bradman atleast once in his career.

Yep it happened 113 on debut, Bang all out for 387.

 

[benchmark00]

Hope he picks up 5 to entrench the tasting.

 

[NUFAN]

All I said was what is he doing in the team, like his role to club 113 on debut and bowl a couple of mediocre right arm non seamers or what.

If he takes 5 this innings, and I mean for under 140 or something, I'll move to NSW.

 

[NUFAN]

Shakib makes some unusual decisions when his team is bowling. Naeem Islam the number 4 batsman who has 1 Test wicket is bowling the 9th over of the match ahead of Nasir and Mahmudullah who both bowl right arm off spin and obvs bat at 7 and 8.

Abul has so far bowled just the one over.

 

[Daemon]

Rubel hits Powell on the head then gets him out caught at deep midwicket. Momentous day for Bangladeshi seamers.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

come on Shakib pick a wicket

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

slow and steady W.I. surely reaching to a position from where they'll be able to dominate

 

[Arachnodouche]

Moral of the story is don't score too quickly unless you plan on making more than 500 OR if you're bowling is **** OR both (not sure about the both).

 

[stumpski]

slow and steady W.I. surely reaching to a position from where they'll be able to dominate

Not too hard to foresee what's coming next - Samuels to double up, Chanders to come, lead of 200-plus ... the only question then will be whether the Bangers can take it into the fifth day.

 

[andruid]

This is where Shakib comes good.

 

[hendrix]

I love Shakib but he's overbowled and will turn into vettori if they're not careful.

Meanwhile Mahmudullah remains criminally underbowled.