***Official*** New Zealand in Bangladesh & Sri Lanka 2013

[straw man]

wonder how much cricket will be played at this time of the year in BD, its been raining pretty heavily all around the country

Chittagong Weather Forecast

I am gaggin for some international cricket and that weather is just a travesty.

 

[Hurricane]

If Tamim batted with a SR of 50 and a 5 run higher average then they would be formidable opponents at home. From what I remember of him you just bowl bouncers to him and he compulsively hooks them. I used to be a massive fan of him but found his need to hit a four every over to be overly aggressive.

 

[Flem274*]

God I wish we had Shakib. How good would it be to have a four man attack with that bloke in it? Able batsmen to eight and then the three quicks but we would still have an excellent and oft undersold spinner.

 

[Flem274*]

Can we set up a trade? Shakib is only 26. With the 3-4 year qualification he could make his NZ debut during his peak years and we could provide Bangladesh with a seamer who will average under 70 with the ball in tests.

 

[straw man]

Btw hoping to see something good from Kaneh this series (if the whole thing is not rained off, that is). Had an excellent stint at Yorkshire. Excellent in that he scored runs often in difficult circumstances, even though from reading various comments he rarely looked fluent and was at times nothing short of turgid. But he played low risk, disciplined cricket and contributed significantly to the last part of Yorkshire's season.

v Notts: 0(1)
v Durham: 84(167) & 97(197)
v Sussex: 80(237) & 5*(9)
v Middlesex: 52(190) & 2(6) in a 4-innings match where the highest innings was 210.
v Surrey: 23(92) & 60(71)

Total 403 at average 50.4, SR of 41

Only crime not converting any fifties to centuries, obviously.

Doubt he's hanging the bat away from his body like he was a while ago either.

 

[BeeGee]

Doubt he's hanging the bat away from his body like he was a while ago either.

Why do you doubt that?

 

[Kippax]

Warm-up in danger as Day 1 washed out

Consistent rainfall in the port-city yesterday led to abandonment of the first day’s play of the three-day match between BCB XI and New Zealand and forced both sides to train indoors at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS). The three-day match, scheduled to take place at the MA Aziz Stadium, is not likely to continue today either as officials do not expect the outfield to dry out in time.

It rained all day in Chittagong yesterday and with the weather forecast expected to remain the same till October 9, the chances of getting any sort of game time at the MA Aziz Stadium remain slim. The ZACS, however, which will host the first Test match from October 9 onwards, is a different story altogether.

According to the curator of the ground, the newly formed drainage system is capable of getting the field ready in ‘no time whatsoever’, no matter how much it rains.
“Even if it rains continuously till the ninth, all we need is an hour’s break to get the field ready, since the new drainage system is really good. All we need is a clear sky for the first Test to go on. So even if it rains in the middle of the match, we can start off fresh after 30 minutes or so, the ground will face no problem,” he remarked.

He, however, did not share the same confidence about the practice match at the MA Aziz stadium. “Personally I don’t think there’s any chance to get a game there. Even if it does not rain, the condition of the ground has been affected due to previous rainfall. The final call though is up to the officials,” he said.

The plausible cancellation of the three-dayer is bound to affect both sides. For New Zealand, it was their only opportunity to get a sniff of what they can expect at the ZACS, while for Bangladesh it was a chance to finalise their line-up.

Robiul keeping it simple

With 15 wickets in the last Test series, Robiul Islam almost single-handedly carried the weight of Bangladesh’s bowling attack against Zimbabwe. The manner in which he constantly beat the batsmen with his accurate out-swingers was a rare scene in Bangladesh cricket; perhaps only witnessed when Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was in his prime.

Five months on, Robiul’s battles ahead of Bangladesh’s first Test against New Zealand, are a bit complex. His first aim will be to recover completely from a quad injury that he has been nursing for the last month. And his second will be to excel on a wicket that is bound to assist the slower bowlers.

Robiul, though, is up for the challenge.

“I bowled today at the nets and I did not face any problems in my upper quads. So it’s been good so far. But I need to bowl more,” said Robiul.
The pacer admitted that his bowling role in this series may not replicate that of the one in Zimbabwe due to the conditions, but he stated that he will aim to do what he is good at: ‘bowling consistently in the right areas’.
“A lot depends on the conditions. I could often bowl spells of up to 10 to 12 overs in Zimbabwe. It’s possible here too, but the conditions here are expected to be a lot different,” he said. “The main thing though is to bowl in the right areas and from there everything is going work out.”

On the positive side, it is likely that the bowler will face a lot less pressure this time around, with both Rubel Hossain and Al Amin Hossain, currently the highest wicket-takers in the Dhaka Premier League, among the wickets.
“I don’t have any pressure because all the pacers are doing well now. Even in the last series I was supported by Rubel, Zia[ur Rahman] and Sajedul [Islam]. They were unlucky not to get as many wickets, and this time the attack will hopefully be better,” said Robiul.

At a time when a number of pacers in the country are struggling to regain rhythm after their injuries, Robiul remains firm. His latest injury was due to a football accident and not due to over-stress. He credits his workmanlike spirit for his training routine.

“The more you bowl at practice the longer you can stay on the field and that’s why I try to bowl a lot during training. And I think fitness is a mental thing. If you are fine mentally then everything will be okay,” he said.
Perhaps the most noticeable feature about the 26-year-old is that he makes everything look simple. The hour-long spells, the accuracy and even his target for this series: “The most important thing is to bowl in the right areas until I get the batsman out.”

While his mantra did work against Zimbabwe, only time will tell if it’s going to have the same effect at home.

I hope they are rusty

The Kiwis on the other hand, are aiming to get used to the conditions as soon as possible. The newly laid wicket at the ZACS is the other issue that New Zealand’s team management has been reportedly discussing. “We have an idea of what to expect. But we will go in with an open mind. If it is different from that, we will be prepared. We are assuming the wicket to be low and slow, and it will spin. But we just have to wait and see,” opener Peter Fulton said.
When asked if there was any pressure to perform due to the shocking four-nil series defeat against the hosts in 2010, Fulton said, “Bangladesh are a strong team here. We have competed against some good teams in the last six months, particularly England. That gives us the confidence.”

Confident or not, the visitors are definitely keen on erasing memories of that series defeat with a good performance here; as Fulton’s statement, “I hope they’re rusty. I know they are going to be strong,” in reply to a question regarding the fact that Bangladesh were playing Test cricket after five months, perhaps best describes.

 

[Kippax]

Cricket | Testing Time For Blacks Caps in Bangladesh... | Stuff.co.nz

Chris Gayle did it. Peter Fulton's not quite so bullish but isn't ruling it out.

First ball of the most recent test series in Bangladesh, Gayle blasted debut off-spinner Sohag Gazi over long on for six and took 18 off his first over.

New Zealand expect to be greeted by spin with the new ball again in Wednesday's first test in Chittagong, but the thought of a Gayle-like onslaught from ball one, to set the tone, draws a chuckle from the towering test opener.

"No, probably not, but you never know," said Fulton, who registered his second century at Eden Park in March with a booming straight six off Stuart Broad.

It's far removed from the pace and bounce of Broad, James Anderson and Steven Finn in chilly May in England, to the slow moving objects and humidity of Bangladesh. And there will be cabin fever to overcome. The touring players are told to stay hotel-bound for safety reasons. There's a full seven days between tests due to the Muslim Eid Festival, meaning the tour social committee are under almost as much scrutiny as the batsmen.

Fulton has 15 test caps but none on the subcontinent. At 34, this experience was some time coming.

After a brutal series in England where he scored 36 runs in four innings amid two heavy defeats, Fulton's had a few months to chew it over. He got on grass wickets at Lincoln in August, tailor-made to offer turn and bounce, and faced endless deliveries from the mysterious Merlin spin bowling machine.

The test squad had seven days in the oppressive humidity of Sri Lanka last week, playing two-day games against local opponents, and Fulton scored 98 in one knock.

"All the guys found it beneficial to spend some time out there and get used to batting in the heat when you're fatigued. We tried to replicate conditions as much as we could, pretty extreme wickets in terms of spin and bounce." Fulton and Hamish Rutherford will need to set the tone for New Zealand, whose batting is always under the microscope on the subcontinent. Fresh from the Champions League, Fulton expects Rutherford will stay aggressive. "Not much will change there".

The batsmen have done plenty of scouting on the Bangladesh side, coached by former New Zealand bowling coach Shane Jurgensen, an Australian.

It will be draining in the heat on sluggish pitches, with a gaggle of handy spinners bearing down and chattering fielders crowding the bat.

"You have to be positive, but be prepared to spend a lot of time at the crease and really work hard for your runs." Bangladesh are ranked 10th, two places below New Zealand. Their most recent test was a win in Zimbabwe in April to share the series 1-1. Last time at home they were hammered by 77 runs and 10 wickets by West Indies and, curiously, their winning record is better away than at home. Their solitary home test victory was in 2005 against Zimbabwe.

Coach Mike Hesson and his staff spent weeks collating footage on 25 potential opponents, and when the squad was narrowed to 14, prolific domestic batsman Marshall Ayub was the only unfamiliar name. Opener Tamim Iqbal, who played for Wellington last summer, is well known. All-rounder Shakib al Hasan, a left-arm spinner who tormented New Zealand in their 4-0 ODI defeat in 2010, is the dangerman with the ball.

"They've opened with Gazi the last few tests and I'd expect that to continue given we've got a left-hander at the top," Hesson said.

"Gazi started his career pretty well but Shakib is the one who can roll through a side. He got six for six the other day in the Caribbean Premier League so he's obviously in decent form. [Abdur] Razzak is useful, Naeem Islam is a decent spinner, even Mahmudullah is useful so they've got truckloads of spin

Rusty but determined

The Shakib Al Hasan factor was more than prominent the last time New Zealand toured Bangladesh in 2010. In the four ODIs, he bowled with a lot of vigour and took eleven wickets, chaperoned the middle order with his 200-plus runs and captained the side to their first ever whitewash.

Three years on, Bangladesh have gone through a number of changes. For one, Shakib is no longer the captain and the top order from that series has been replaced by a number of youngsters in the squad, however the ace all-rounder’s role in the team remains the same. With the ball he is going to lead the attack and with the bat he is expected to bring the odds, whatever they may be, in favour of the Tigers.

However, the one factor that could play against the all-rounder is that he has not had enough game time in the longer version.

Apart from missing out on the three-day practice match against the New Zealanders, which was called off due to an unplayable ground yesterday, he also could not take part in Bangladesh’s only warm-up match at Khulna in early September. He did however, play a 50-over match in the Dhaka Premier League before the national camp began.

While Shakib has recovered from the thumb injury, the lack of game time in the longer format means that he remains unsure about his own form. “It’s difficult to say, because I did not play longer version for a long time, so it’s hard,” Shakib told reporters at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday.

He was, however, confident about making the switch to the red ball. “There is obviously a difference [playing with the red ball] and it might affect my bowling and batting, but I have to adjust to it, that’s my duty,” he said.

The 26-year-old also stated that adjusting to the newly-laid wicket quickly would be important. “There has not been a ball bowled on this wicket I think. We are going to play on a new wicket, so it will be difficult to say how it’s going to behave,” said Shakib, adding that the abandonment of the practice match would hurt New Zealand more than the hosts.

Furthermore, the left-hander acknowledged that the absence of Daniel Vettori — who has taken 51 wickets against Bangladesh in nine matches — due to injury would be a plus for the hosts. “Vettori has the highest number of wickets against us, so it obviously will make a difference. But this team still has good enough players and has been playing well in Tests so the competition is going to be tough,” he said.

While Shakib’s answers to the questions at the press conference, which were often limited to a nod of the head or just a word, did not reveal much about the player’s planning or mental state, it did display his traditional no-nonsense approach. As he put it, “I have no target… no particular player that I am aiming for… all these factors don’t matter, what matters is who plays well on the field on that day.”

 

[Flem274*]

Good. I know I rip into McHesson all the time but I've always been impressed by Hesson's meticulous approach to the job, which is a nice change from the likes of Mark "stop batting like dicks" Greatbatch.

Long may it continue, even past the point of Hesson's eventual departure.

 

[Prince EWS]

I question exactly how much detail went into their analysis of those 25 players given it seems to be suggesting they think Naeem is a better bowler than Mahmudullah there.

 

[Flem274*]

They probably outsourced to Bradburn.

 

[Cabinet96]

So what injury has Tim Southee picked up, and how long will he be out for?

 

[Kippax]

Underdone after ankle surgery, outside chance of playing the 2nd Test. Named in shorter forms squad.

 

[Kippax]

They probably outsourced to Bradburn.

Haha. I suspect Cribb would be like a Will Hunting/Matt Damon figure to Hesson as well tbh.

PEWS: Do you have any thoughts of your own on this matter? Or do you, is that your thing, you come into a press conference, big-note about analysing 25 players and then pretend - you pawn it off as your own, as your own idea just to impress some reporter?

Hesson: Yeah, but I will have impressed the reporter. And you'll be serving my kids fries at a drive-thru on our way to a skiing trip.

PEWS: That may be, but at least I won't be unoriginal.

 

[Bahnz]

Good. I know I rip into McHesson all the time but I've always been impressed by Hesson's meticulous approach to the job, which is a nice change from the likes of Mark "stop batting like dicks" Greatbatch.

You gotta admit though, that one simple sentence did sum up the batsmen's efforts beautifully.

 

[hendrix]

god the first test can't start soon enough. I can't wait to watch Boult again.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

god the first test can't start soon enough. I can't wait to watch Boult again.

Who was it who described his run-up as a "terrier chasing a sweaty gym sock"? Seems more and more apt every time I watch him

 

[Bahnz]

Who was it who described his run-up as a "terrier chasing a sweaty gym sock"? Seems more and more apt every time I watch him

That would be me.

Urgh, the weather forecast doesn't look promising at this stage. BBC has rain forecast for pretty much every day of the test. Yaargh, I need test cricket! I'm starting to experience full-on withdrawal symptoms here!

 

[hendrix]

That could mean some swing for Boult which would be nice, but on the other hand it'd also be good for his development if he learned to cope without so much movement in the air.

We've actually had some very good scheduling recently. We played more tests in 2012-13 than I can remember for a long time, and against good opposition too.

Upcoming
Test and ODI series against Bangladesh
ODI series against SL (would love to have a test match squeezed in there but SLC won't play ball on that)
3 home test matches against WI in December (this should be relatively evenly matched)
Home ODI and then 2 test series against India - we should be very well prepared for this and I'm optimistic about it.

 

[Bahnz]

That could mean some swing for Boult which would be nice, but on the other hand it'd also be good for his development if he learned to cope without so much movement in the air.

We've actually had some very good scheduling recently. We played more tests in 2012-13 than I can remember for a long time, and against good opposition too.

Upcoming
Test and ODI series against Bangladesh
ODI series against SL (would love to have a test match squeezed in there but SLC won't play ball on that)
3 home test matches against WI in December (this should be relatively evenly matched)
Home ODI and then 2 test series against India - we should be very well prepared for this and I'm optimistic about it.

If Franklin's experience in 2004 is any indicator, I doubt there'll be anything on offer beyond the first 15 overs. From there on out it'll be reverse or nothing.