Get rid of cricket's minnows - Ponting

[sirjeremy11]

I would not want to speak for their fans, do we have anyone from Bangladesh on this forum?

I would still say there are a lot of Bangladesh fans around, even if they are not from Bangladesh. We all just want to see them start to compete.

 

[open365]

I would not want to speak for their fans, do we have anyone from Bangladesh on this forum?

I'm pretty sure that they're pretty keen to play test cricket,look at what happens every time they win.

 

[luckyeddie]

Yes but I still think they could restrict their itinerary, and not have them playing Aust, England, ****, India, Sth Afr as much/at all.

This from former CEO of the ACB written in 2003, what has changed?

'As harsh as it may seem, I would ask Zimbabwe and Bangladesh if they seriously want to persist with Test match status. I would ask if they would prefer to concentrate on one-day international crciket and help strengthen their local structure. How long must such countries wander in the Test wilderness, being uncompetitive and losing face with their fans?'

What's changed is that Bangladesh are now winning the odd (one day) game against other test-playing nations - and I'm confident that the frequency of such an occurrence will continue to increase. This has to be reflected in an improvement in their fortunes in 'proper' cricket though.

 

[archie mac]

The other thing I do not like is that people are starting to disregard performances against the Bangas and Zims. Things such as

'His figures look good, but if you remove his achievements against the Bangas, than his ave drops to..."

Or Wisden is a better bolwer than Lillywhite because he has taken most of his wickets against Test class teams, where as Lillywhite had taken 121 wickets against the Bangas and Zims.

This can't be good for Test cricket surely

Are we agreed that they should keep full ODI status, but should play a restricted Test match program, with the occasional one off match against the top 5 countries?

 

[Anil]

What's changed is that Bangladesh are now winning the odd (one day) game against other test-playing nations - and I'm confident that the frequency of such an occurrence will continue to increase. This has to be reflected in an improvement in their fortunes in 'proper' cricket though.

that is the most important point.....their frequency of winning one day matches and occasionally beating a top team is certainly on the rise (they have won 8 of their last 50 as opposed to 3 of their first 64), but unless that translates into occasional test success as well, they still wouldn't be validating their "test team" status....and a series victory over an utterly depleted zimbabwe just doesn't count....

 

[Hasib]

True, but it may be a good thing in the long run. How good can it be for a country and their supporters to be flogged every time they front up?

...

What are the benifits to being crushed game after game?

Well thats our problem isn't it...not yours. Fact is we still support our team every bit.

If we were stripped of ODI status a few years back we would have never improved but we were allowed to play and signs of improvement are appearing. Same will happen with Test Cricket with time.

The other thing I do not like is that people are starting to disregard performances against the Bangas and Zims. Things such as

'His figures look good, but if you remove his achievements against the Bangas, than his ave drops to..."

Or Wisden is a better bolwer than Lillywhite because he has taken most of his wickets against Test class teams, where as Lillywhite had taken 121 wickets against the Bangas and Zims.

This can't be good for Test cricket surely

Thats not our fault its the incompatency of journalists

 

[Anil]

This can't be good for Test cricket surely

you hit the nail on the head... and unless there is a dramatic improvement in their performance, those statements are not going to go away and more to the point, will have validity....

 

[archie mac]

Well thats our problem isn't it...not yours. Fact is we still support our team every bit.

If we were stripped of ODI status a few years back we would have never improved but we were allowed to play and signs of improvement are appearing. Same will happen with Test Cricket with time.



Thats not our fault its the incompatency of journalists

Well it is my problem if the game I love is being devalued by sub standard performances by the Bangas. Time seems to be the thing how much time? I think they have always looked a chance if ODI crciket that they could cause an upset, but in Test cricket they are a disgrace.

I never suggested the supporters did not support their team 100% Just wherther they are good enough

 

[sirjeremy11]

I still suggest they have a reduced test load, maybe playing one off have place more importance on those one off tests, and maybe spring a surprise or two. They could have this during a one day series, or maybe as part of series where they play first class sides as a warm up/practise match (ie. the "real" part of the tour for them). The other problem for Bangladesh has been getting the back to back hidings. This would help solve that problem as well.

 

[open365]

Well it is my problem if the game I love is being devalued by sub standard performances by the Bangas. Time seems to be the thing how much time? I think they have always looked a chance if ODI crciket that they could cause an upset, but in Test cricket they are a disgrace.

I never suggested the supporters did not support their team 100% Just wherther they are good enough

I don't see test cricket being de-valued by playing against Bangladesh.

There can be positive aspects too,look at last summer when England played 2 tests against them allowing for a 5 test ashes series. We would never have been allowed to play South Africa for 2 tests would we?

 

[Hasib]

Well it is my problem if the game I love is being devalued by sub standard performances by the Bangas. Time seems to be the thing how much time? I think they have always looked a chance if ODI crciket that they could cause an upset, but in Test cricket they are a disgrace.

And as I said before Bangladesh stuggled in ODIs too but now showing improvement. Same will happen for Test Cricket.

 

[archie mac]

I don't see test cricket being de-valued by playing against Bangladesh.

There can be positive aspects too,look at last summer when England played 2 tests against them allowing for a 5 test ashes series. We would never have been allowed to play South Africa for 2 tests would we?

True, but we could have had a 6 Test ashes series, and Aust would still have the Ashes.

I never thought of it before but the Bangas are the reason why we lost the Ashes

 

[open365]

True, but we could have had a 6 Test ashes series, and Aust would still have the Ashes.

I never thought of it before but the Bangas are the reason why we lost the Ashes

So you admit you have a secret aggend here?

Just wondering,how did we stage ashes series in the past?if you have to fit 7 matches into a summer and 5 of them were for the ashes,did each host country play 2 tests against ZIM or Ban?

 

[archie mac]

So you admit you have a secret aggend here?

Just wondering,how did we stage ashes series in the past?if you have to fit 7 matches into a summer and 5 of them were for the ashes,did each host country play 2 tests against ZIM or Ban?

Before all of this ICC crap regarding each country playing all other countries, England always played 6 Test summers. Say 3 v India and 3 V NZ but Ashes Tests were 6 match series for a long time.(7 series from memory)

 

[Tomm NCCC]

It would be wrong to boot them out of test cricket, cos lets face it, everyon eloves the underdog

 

[Sanz]

Well it is my problem if the game I love is being devalued by sub standard performances by the Bangas.

With that logic, Ponting shouldn't be allowed to play in India, kumble/Harbhajan shouldn't be allowed to bowl outside the subcontinent and Warne shouldn't be allowed to bowl in India etc etc...

 

[silentstriker]

With that logic, Ponting shouldn't be allowed to play in India, kumble/Harbhajan shouldn't be allowed to bowl outside the subcontinent and Warne shouldn't be allowed to bowl in India etc etc...

That's a faulty extrapolation from his argument. Australia can win test matches, or at least make them interesting, in India without Warne and Ponting doing well.
India can win test matches, or at least make them interesting, outside the subcontinent without Kumble/Harbhajan doing well.


Tests should not be over in two days. When they do, it should be an exception, and not the rule.

 

[Sanz]

Well Bangladesh came very close to winning a test match in Pakistan and competed very well in that test series and had Latif not claimed that dropped catch, there was a good chance that BD were going to pull of a win there in Multan.

And i have a feeling that they are going to give Sri Lanka a run for their money in this coming test series. There is no doubt in my mind that BD are improving well even at the test level.

Btw - when was the last time a BD test ended within two days ?

 

[Richard]

Man of the match tonight with 33 not out at the end and a couple of wickets.

Yep, make that 2 now.

 

[Richard]

you hit the nail on the head... and unless there is a dramatic improvement in their performance, those statements are not going to go away and more to the point, will have validity....

They already have validity and always have - anyone taking a match against Bangladesh and post-WC2003 Zimbabwe in the same context as a game between 1 of the top 8 is a fool in extreme.