***Official*** Australia in Bangladesh 2017

[TheJediBrah]

Last time they played on something resembling a greentop Binny picked up 6/8

Illustrates my point perfectly

You get pitches like that and Stuart Binny can be as dangerous as Wasim Akram

Nah, you're forgetting that they're probably better players of spin. Dry pitches definitely the way to go.

Fair call. But anything that can reduce the skill gap between the 2 teams will be to their benefit.

 

[Adders]

Fair call. But anything that can reduce the skill gap between the 2 teams will be to their benefit.

Or yours......

 

[TheJediBrah]

Or yours......

mine? I'm not playing

 

[cnerd123]

The words to describe BD after this test series: spirited, so close to a victory.

See, this is not going to happen.

The question for me this series isn't if Bangladesh are good enough to beat Australia, but if they are good enough to beat their own demons. Bangladesh biggest handicap in the last 3-4 years hasn't been a lack of skill, talent or event depth. It's their mentality. It's their inability to close out close games, to hold their nerve under pressure, to hold on to dominant positions and maintain it.

Skill for skill, man for man, Bangladesh has what it takes to beat Australia here. Without a doubt. Tamim, Shakib and Mushy have been amongst the best batsmen in the world in the last few years and Shakib can bowl too. Mominul, Nasir, Shabbir and Soumya are exciting talents. Fizzy and Mehedi are world class bowlers. Even Kayes 2.0 would get a gig batting Top 3 for several Test sides. Not only that, but this year alone BD have won their first and second tests against Top 8 sides (who had all their players available for selection). They're a very good side in subcontinental conditions.

For me, there are three ways this series go:

1) Bangladesh play to their potential, and outclass a undercooked Australia side in familiar conditions.
2) Australia show they haven't lost a step since India, and we end up with a fantastic series with both sides playing to their best of their potential. We get two close tests, and both sides emerge with credit.
3) Bangladesh crash under the burden of expectations, play well under their potential, lose the series, and it becomes a question of "what if".

Or ofcourse, option 4), two rained out draws.

 

[Howe_zat]

Skill for skill, man for man, Bangladesh don't have anyone close to as good a batsman as Smith and they don't have anything like Aus' fast bowling depth.

Exciting talents who average 30 aren't better than the Australians who are a league behind Smith in the visitors lineup.

If Bangladesh manage to pull the rug from under them it will be the same way SL did, by making best use of the toss and conditions with the bat and using a failure of the visitors to come up with the right batting approach.

 

[vcs]

Skill for skill, man for man, Bangladesh don't have anyone close to as good a batsman as Smith and they don't have anything like Aus' fast bowling depth.

Exciting talents who average 30 aren't better than the Australians who are a league behind Smith in the visitors lineup.

If Bangladesh manage to pull the rug from under them it will be the same way SL did, by making best use of the toss and conditions with the bat and using a failure of the visitors to come up with the right batting approach.

Exactly, Bangladesh are still some way from the top 4-5 Test teams quality-wise.

Beating England last year was a good achievement of course, but Sri Lanka are just dire right now and it's very hard to read much into winning against them.

 

[cnerd123]

Skill for skill, man for man, Bangladesh don't have anyone close to as good a batsman as Smith and they don't have anything like Aus' fast bowling depth.

Exciting talents who average 30 aren't better than the Australians who are a league behind Smith in the visitors lineup.

If Bangladesh manage to pull the rug from under them it will be the same way SL did, by making best use of the toss and conditions with the bat and using a failure of the visitors to come up with the right batting approach.

Bangladesh's spin attack is significantly better, and if you take Smith out the batting lineups compare favourably.

I can see them winning if they bat second, they just need one of those pitches that turn from Day 1, and you know they're going to do their best to ensure that. If they get the conditions they want, Australia's pace attack will be neutralised, and Lyon and co will probably struggle to build pressure. Their biggest weapon in the subcontinent is Starc, and he's out injured. Pat Cummins couldn't find any magic in Indian conditions, and while he's a quality bowler there is a good chance he struggles the same way here. A lot of the work will fall on Hazlewood.

Similarly, who in the batting lineup outside of Smith is likely to go big here. Warner and Renshaw will probably feast on the BD seamers, but we've seen them both struggle with quality spin in turning conditions. Khawaja might be a walking wicket. Agar isn't a real batsman. Handscomb is their second best bet, and he's still new.

Australia have what it takes to win here, but this is far from a done deal. If BD can play to the level we saw them play to against England I can see them winning both tests. But again, that's a big if.

 

[Black_Warrior]

See, this is not going to happen.

The question for me this series isn't if Bangladesh are good enough to beat Australia, but if they are good enough to beat their own demons. Bangladesh biggest handicap in the last 3-4 years hasn't been a lack of skill, talent or event depth. It's their mentality. It's their inability to close out close games, to hold their nerve under pressure, to hold on to dominant positions and maintain it.

What you'r referring to about failing to close games is more relevant for the LO games where they should have won a lot more LO games (WOrld T20 against India, first ODI against England last year, the ODI series in Sri Lanka) but certainly does not apply for tests.

Their seam attack from the England series onwards was Subhashish Roy and Kamrul Islam Rabbi who won a lottery to appear in tests.

They can still win test matches under certain conditions and if their best resources - namely Shakib, Tamim, Mehedi make best use of those resources, but to say they don't lack depth in Tests is not correct mainly because of their toothless seam attack. Taskin went for 150 runs in an innings in New Zealand. Mustafiz is not the same bowler after injury.

Exactly, Bangladesh are still some way from the top 4-5 Test teams quality-wise.

Beating England last year was a good achievement of course, but Sri Lanka are just dire right now and it's very hard to read much into winning against them.

Yes but at the same time, a test win is a test win though. I am not a fan of 'not reading into a test win' based on the opposition. Yes they are dire now but pretty much the same side beat Australia 3-0..
Australia who couldn't hold a bat in Sri Lanka came the closest to beating India in India in the last 5 years.

This is test cricket. Writing off a test side makes no sense. Things change very fast.

Bangladesh beating Sri Lanka is absolutely impressive and deserves all the credit.

 

[cnerd123]

I say BD don't suffer from lack of depth because if you take the best 5 players out of every Test Team going around they all will struggle. Bangladesh's depth isn't significantly worse than any other Test nation to the point where that can be classified as their biggest weakness. It's the same when I talk about their talent/skill level. That isn't why the struggle.

It's very clear what BD's biggest weakness is. It's their mental strength. They have other problems too but the other problems are not their biggest ones.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I say BD don't suffer from lack of depth because if you take the best 5 players out of every Test Team going around they all will struggle. Bangladesh's depth isn't significantly worse than any other Test nation to the point where that can be classified as their biggest weakness. It's the same when I talk about their talent/skill level. That isn't why the struggle.

It's very clear what BD's biggest weakness is. It's their mental strength. They have other problems too but the other problems are not their biggest ones.

You honestly think that? They have players in their Test squad that wouldn't make domestic sides in a lot of countries.

Hey anyway i'm sure you know more about them than me but I think you're way off here.

If BD win a game it will be because they manufacture very favourable conditions, utilise them, win tosses, play out of their skins and Australia play very badly. If all those things don't align I'd be surprised if they even get close.

 

[Starfighter]

Australia who couldn't hold a bat in Sri Lanka came the closest to beating India in India in the last 5 years.

England 2012-13 did slightly better one feels.

 

[cnerd123]

If BD win a game it will be because they manufacture very favourable conditions, utilise them, win tosses, play out of their skins and Australia play very badly. If all those things don't align I'd be surprised if they even get close.

Nah. They obviously need favourable conditions and to use them well, but even if they lose the toss and Australia play really well I think they have it in them to win.

In a way I can see BD playing well in favourable conditions yet losing, but I anticipate that scenario happening with BD collapsing mentally when they need to sustain pressure. Australia aren't a flaky side and usually close-fought Tests are won by the mentally stronger team. BD still have lots of question marks over that, despite their wins over England and SL - keeping in mind they lost a moments in both those Tests and drew both series 1-1 due to not being able to handle the pressure. It's quite feasible that both Tests are very close fought, only with Australia to emerge victorious at the end because they're just better at dealing with crunch moments than BD are.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

You honestly think that? They have players in their Test squad that wouldn't make domestic sides in a lot of countries.

Hey anyway i'm sure you know more about them than me but I think you're way off here.

If BD win a game it will be because they manufacture very favourable conditions, utilise them, win tosses, play out of their skins and Australia play very badly. If all those things don't align I'd be surprised if they even get close.

sherlock esque

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

I'd go from the squad

1. Tamim
2. Mominul
3. Mushfiq
4. Shabbir/Soumya/Imrul
5. Shakib
6. Liton+
7. Nasir
8. Mehedi
9. Taijul
10. Shafiul
11. Mustafiz

I dont care even who plays between shabbir/soumya/imrul but all three will play. What a sad story.

 

[Black_Warrior]

England 2012-13 did slightly better one feels.

2017-2012 = 5

 

[Black_Warrior]

I say BD don't suffer from lack of depth because if you take the best 5 players out of every Test Team going around they all will struggle. Bangladesh's depth isn't significantly worse than any other Test nation to the point where that can be classified as their biggest weakness. It's the same when I talk about their talent/skill level. That isn't why the struggle.

It's very clear what BD's biggest weakness is. It's their mental strength. They have other problems too but the other problems are not their biggest ones.

Their depth in seam attack is absolutely worse than every other test side with the possible exception of Sri Lanka.

Mustafiz
Taskin
Shafiul
Rubel
Kamrul
Subhashish

This is their depth. Now compare this with the rest of the world.

Yes all the other things you have said about mental strength and disintegrating in crunch situations (should have won the 1st test against England too) are true but the lack of potency in the seam department means they are constantly behind in the game in at least one area. When Tamim and Kayes open the batting, they will have to negotiate Hazelwood and Bird with the new ball. When Warner and Renshaw go out, they will negotiate Mustafiz and Taskin/Shafiul. Who do you think has the easier task?

 

[Black_Warrior]

I'd go from the squad

1. Tamim
2. Mominul
3. Mushfiq
4. Shabbir/Soumya/Imrul
5. Shakib
6. Liton+
7. Nasir
8. Mehedi
9. Taijul
10. Shafiul
11. Mustafiz

I dont care even who plays between shabbir/soumya/imrul but all three will play. What a sad story.

Why would you have Imrul/Soumya at 4? And Kayes is a markedly improved player.

Tamim
Kayes
Mominul
Mushfiq
Shakib
Liton
Nasir
Mehedi
Taijul
Shafiul
Mustafiz

 

[Starfighter]

2017-2012 = 5

Yes I know. England toured in the 2012-13 season, this tour is taking place in the 2017 season. Hence the England tour happened less than five years ago, so contrary to your comment they, not Australia, have had the best tour to India within the past five years.

It's really that simple.

 

[Burner]

Hopefully this is a competitive series. Aus has improved drastically in playing spin since the SL series and Bangladesh have a good set of spin bowlers. Pretty excited for this.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Yes I know. England toured in the 2012-13 season, this tour is taking place in the 2017 season. Hence the England tour happened less than five years ago, so contrary to your comment they, not Australia, have had the best tour to India within the past five years.

It's really that simple.

You're so smart