Interesting article from the Daily Star (The BD version, probably contains better English than the English version though!)
Where are the Tigers?
Sports Reporter
After a lacklustre start, the ongoing Aktel Premier Division Cricket League came alive with one more round to go in the first phase but still, there was hardly any encouraging show from the national players to comfort the selectors ahead of the coming home series against Sri Lanka.
Defending champions Old DOHS's narrow escapes during the last few matches produced real one-day excitement in the country's most coveted competition but unfortunately, like the recent past, the foreign players have dictated the terms.
Among them, Kenyan Steve Tikolo is the star performer for table-toppers DOHS after an ordinary last season with Mohamme-dan. The dashing right-hander has so far 556 runs including six half-centuries apart from bagging 16 wickets.
Mohammedan's Indian recruit Sandeep Sharma followed him with 444 runs while left-handed national opener Shahriar Nafees showed some mettle securing the third spot with 421 runs including a hundred (158).
The most disappointing fact is that Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar and his deputy Khaled Mashud, both playing for title contenders Mohammedan, have failed to set examples for youngsters. Bashar has only one half century in his tally of 170 in ten innings while Mashud (153 runs) has yet to reach the fifty-mark.
And the outcome has expectedly frustrated chief selector Faruque Ahmed. He thinks that it is not a good sign ahead of a very crucial home series against Sri Lanka in February-March.
"After a long break the national players got enough time to prove their worth in domestic competitions but it is very much frustrating that they have yet to play up to our expectation," said Faruque yesterday.
"I told the players after a poor series against Sri Lanka that they should take the opportunity to play domestic cricket and regain confidence. But I think they have hardly realised our demands. I'm not happy with their performance," said the former national skipper, who is also worried with injury problems.
The selectors had earlier told that domestic performance will be the key to get national calls but Faruque gave a diplomatic explanation about the issue.
"Yes, we have stuck to the idea but you should consider one thing that domestic cricket and international cricket are not same. We are very much conscious about some new performers but only one season's performance is not good enough to get the nod," he explained.
Faruque however was delighted with some under-19 boys' performance in the league after a successful tri-nation triumph at home.
"It is really encouraging. The way the boys played in the last few months is not so common in our cricket. They not only proved themselves at age-group levels but also carried it to the domestic scene," said a delighted Faruque mentioning names of Sakib Al Hasan, U-19 captain Mushfiqur Rahim and Shamsur Rahman Shuvo.
Sakib has already scored two half-centuries for Victoria in five matches and has taken eight wickets while Shamsur hogged the spotlight playing a superb 68-run innings for Mohammedan in their three-run defeat to DOHS.
The young players, however, will not be available for their clubs in the eleventh and the last round and the Super-Six as the Under-19 camp is expected to start on January 16 for the next Youth World Cup in Sri Lanka in February.
http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/01/10/d60110040228.htm
Anyone else (James90, Neil) got opinions on what the Test side will be for the Sri Lanka series.
My wild stab..
1 Javed Omar
2 Shahriar Nafees
3 Habibul Bashar (c)
4 Mohammad Ashraful
5/6 two of Alok Kapali OR Rajin Saleh OR Aftab Ahmed (currently injured) OR Ehsanul Haque
7 Khaled Mashud (w)
8 Mohammad Rafique
9 Mashrafe Mortaza
10/11 two of Shahadat, Tapash (if he is full recovered) Syed Rasel or Enamul Haque jnr
I'd go for Shahadat, Enamul, Alok and Ehsanul if I was selecting, but there aren't many batsmen if Aftab's out.
Would like to see some more of Mushfiqur or even Saqibul
... no, really they must look after the youngsters, too much early exposure could ruin them
AFAIK they've got the U19 WC in February
