***Official*** Bangladesh in England

[Langeveldt]

I doubt they would impress as much as Rahim has.

Who knows.. Fact is, they will have to work their socks off for many years if they are to play test cricket.. Rahim hasn't needed to..

 

[marc71178]

maybe angus fraser should go up for a job

He's already got one.

 

[marc71178]

I thought Jones' spell was by far the best bit of news for England.

And again shows those not wanting him in the team to be wrong

 

[marc71178]

I really think the best way for England to make a point about Bangladesh is just to bat on and see how long it takes Bangla to bowl them out. My money's on Lunch on Day 4, at the very earliest. The ICC couldn't fail to notice if Bangladesh had 800-900 odd scored against them.

If they batted that long it'd be a lot more than 800 or 900.

If they bat all day tomorrow should be over 600 by the close (more if Flintoff (and/or Jones) gets in and gets his eye in)

There's a real danger of Batty not having to do anything but field in this game.

 

[Kweek]

I wouldnt call that a danger

 

[Richard]

please no

Angus Fraser is a fantastic correspondant on the game, quite a natural in the journalist role, so I'm only hoping you assume he couldn't do a LIVE job?

 

[Richard]

There's a real danger of Batty not having to do anything but field in this game.

Thank God.
Let's just hope he doesn't drop any catches.

 

[Richard]

I really think the best way for England to make a point about Bangladesh is just to bat on and see how long it takes Bangla to bowl them out. My money's on Lunch on Day 4, at the very earliest. The ICC couldn't fail to notice if Bangladesh had 800-900 odd scored against them.

No-one wants to do it - why, who knows?
There have been tens of fifties of occasions where Bangladesh could have had 800-900 scored against them - most players are more concerned about their own selves and getting a couple of days off.
Also, to be fair to them, it can't be nice to deliberately, coldly humiliate fellow sportsmen while The World is watching.

 

[Barney Rubble]

I wouldnt call that a danger

Good one.

Marc, you're probably right - I didn't stop to do the maths. At about 5 an over, with there being about 200 overs or so to go until lunch on Day 4, England would end up somewhere around the 1200 mark. Scary.

My (slightly more realistic) prediction - England 600-5 declared, Trescothick 178, Bell 103, Flintoff 142* (off about 80 balls ), Thorpe 55; Bangladesh 2nd inns 168 all out, Ashraful 51, Harmison 5-39. You heard it here first.

 

[Richard]

Just watching the highlights on 4. How good was Jones's ball to dismiss Javed Omar? Very full & swung late. Be good enough for most batters. Absolute jaffa.

Be enough for anyone.
Interesting thing was how consistently Jones swung the ball conventionally - not on a single occasion has he demonstrated this before. Mostly because he hasn't really had many opportunities, but until now his only definate ability has been with the reverse.
If he can improve his accuracy he'll be some bowler.

 

[Richard]

Good one.

Marc, you're probably right - I didn't stop to do the maths. At about 5 an over, with there being about 200 overs or so to go until lunch on Day 4, England would end up somewhere around the 1200 mark. Scary.

My (slightly more realistic) prediction - England 600-5 declared, Trescothick 178, Bell 103, Flintoff 142* (off about 80 balls ), Thorpe 55; Bangladesh 2nd inns 168 all out, Ashraful 51, Harmison 5-39. You heard it here first.

After the way England bowled in the first-innings they'll need to buck-up their ideas or they might be facing 200.
And that would be a shocking performance.

 

[Richard]

Probably not... I know plenty of people in their teens who could conceivably play for Bangladesh.. But it doesnt mean they are any good does it?

Nope, absurd the number of kids who get the chance to play Tests without for a second deserving it in Ban, Pak and SL.

 

[Richard]

What a waste of time, sad to see the crowds actually turning up to watch this dross.. I'm fairly confidant that a strong college academy side would give Bangladesh a game.. Let alone England..

In England I'm fairly confident a top club side would give them a run for their money at least 3 times out of 6.
But I'm not really sure about anything below that.

 

[Richard]

Didn't he get a 90 or something last year for Yorkshire?

88*, as a nightwatchman.
Since then he's been very poor, didn't do anything of note in SA and hasn't done so far this season either...
Another of those little things that looks like going wrong at just the wrong time.

 

[Richard]

harmison and hoggard were pretty awful period.
harmison bowled far too short and really thats becoming quite a habit for him and a typical hoggard over consisted of 3 balls wide outside the off stump, 2 on leg stump and one on target. a bit rana naved-ul-hasanish.

Complete with Rana Naved-Ul-Hasan no-balls.
The no-balling today was quite beyond belief.

 

[Richard]

I liked Arthertons idea, make ZImbabwe / Bangladesh play International 'A' teams, then when they get to the point where they can regularly beat them at home at least, they can move up to play the full test teams.

Being able to beat reasonable-strength domestic sides would be a start.
Right now any full-strength "A"-team, even WI, would hammer the both of them.

 

[Richard]

I managed to catch the last hour or so & it was pretty doleful stuff. Mortaza looks head & shoulders above any other Bangladeshi bowler; bowls decent pace, has a useful bouncer & had Strauss utterly plumb the ball before he got the decision too.

We all know Mortaza is far better than the rest of the seamers. Rafique still a better bowler overall IMO.

I don't wanna sound too sanctimonious, but test cricket? Do me a favour....

No, sorry, ICC have decided they are Tests and so we are not allowed to treat them any differently to authentic Tests.

 

[Kweek]

Richard you do realise that you couldve done all of that in one posts...and not it 10...
and i was wondering how you got 1500

 

[Richard]

is it just me or do none of the bangladeshi batsmen have any tehnique whatsoever? if theres any reason why they're not test class its right here, 108 against an england side that was absolutely appalling with the ball. then to add to the fact that they cant bowl or bat, they managed to prove that they cant field either, seriously do you get a catch easier than the one rafique dropped?

The nearest thing to a half-decent technique was displayed by Javed, and his is certainly far from perfect.
How on Earth Habibul Bashar has had the success he has playing in the way he's been playing recently - this innings perhaps the worst of all.

 

[Richard]

Do you mjean C4? If so, you're probably talking about Alec Stewart.

Alec Stewart's undoubtedly got a sound understanding of the game but he's far from a natural in the box.