*Official* England in Bangladesh

[Aritro]

Whow's that unprofessional?

He's in a form slump, and his confidence is shot to pieces.

It benefits both Ashraful and Bangladesh if he goes back to domestic cricket and scores runs with the aim of getting into the World T20 squad and the squad to tour England.

I can't, off the top of my head, remember any international cricketer ever requesting his own omission from a team because of a form slump. Tiredness, the birth of a baby, depression, 'personal issues', certainly, but never because of a form slump. Out-of-form cricketers generally try to save their spot in the side by making a big score while they've still got the privelege of being in the side.

And of course, he's in the enviable position of being assured of his position in a test side despite averaging 15 with the bat for two years. It strikes me as a bit perverse that players in other countries fight tooth and nail to stay in the side while Ashraful, with a two year performance graph that compares unfavourably to a great number of modern tailenders, has requested his own omission from it when he's stilll (ridiculously) got the oppurtunity to stay.

And I struggle to see what he's going to achieve playing in our domestic comp other than the confidence that comes with flaying club standard bowlers.

 

[Pup Clarke]

Some could really argue that Ashraful has hardly ever been 'in form' anyway.

 

[King Pietersen]

BBC Sport - Cricket - Craig Kieswetter set for England debut in Bangladesh

Kieswetter's going to make his debut then. Just hope they bin Prior and move Trott into the middle order now.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I can't, off the top of my head, remember any international cricketer ever requesting his own omission from a team because of a form slump. Tiredness, the birth of a baby, depression, 'personal issues', certainly, but never because of a form slump. Out-of-form cricketers generally try to save their spot in the side by making a big score while they've still got the privelege of being in the side.

And of course, he's in the enviable position of being assured of his position in a test side despite averaging 15 with the bat for two years. It strikes me as a bit perverse that players in other countries fight tooth and nail to stay in the side while Ashraful, with a two year performance graph that compares unfavourably to a great number of modern tailenders, has requested his own omission from it when he's stilll (ridiculously) got the oppurtunity to stay.

And I struggle to see what he's going to achieve playing in our domestic comp other than the confidence that comes with flaying club standard bowlers.

As captain and sole selector Mike Denness did actually drop himself on the 74/75 Ashes tour. Always suspect against pace and couldn't handle Lillian Thomson he did the decent thing before the 4th test and omitted himself for (IIRC) the old warhorse John Edrich.

 

[Furball]

wrt Ashraful, IMO it takes balls to effectively drop yourself, given that there's no guarantee of getting his place back.

 

[fredfertang]

As captain and sole selector Mike Denness did actually drop himself on the 74/75 Ashes tour. Always suspect against pace and couldn't handle Lillian Thomson he did the decent thing before the 4th test and omitted himself for (IIRC) the old warhorse John Edrich.

Two more are Percy Chapman, who didn't play in the last Test in 1928/29 and more famously and significantly, Douglas Jardine wanted to stand down before the "Battle of Adelaide" in 32/33 but was overruled - had he got his way doubtless the games history would be different

 

[Aritro]

wrt Ashraful, IMO it takes balls to effectively drop yourself, given that there's no guarantee of getting his place back.

But the thing is, given the range of options available, he actually is if he makes the odd ton against our club standard first class bowlers

 

[Uppercut]

Ashraful is crap. Everyone needs to get over it IMO.

 

[Aritro]

A good point well made.

 

[Goughy]

Ashraful is crap.

In other news, Glenn Miller is missing

 

[Uppercut]

Yeah, but no one ever tries to crack that Glenn Miller isn't missing, he's just been a little low on confidence for a while.

 

[Goughy]

Yeah, but no one ever tries to crack that Glenn Miller isn't missing, he's just been a little low on confidence for a while.

True

But Ashraful is having a bad patch. He is horrible. Dreadful technique outside off. Ugly and painful to watch for someone that thinks the game is more than just throwing hands at the ball. Id be low on confidence as well if I was a Test cricketer as bad as him.

 

[Aritro]

Hopefully the dew won't completely ruin the chances of the team bowling second the way it did during the tri-series last month.

 

[The_roc]

England win the toss and bowl

A good choice?

 

[Aritro]

England win the toss and bowl

A good choice?

The dew made it impossible to bowl in the second innings during the tri series last month. If the situation is similar during this series then winning the toss and electing to bowl first will more or less win you the match.

 

[GIMH]

Getting hit about here

 

[Athlai]

Tamim is so ****ing good.
Agewise he is one of the highest run scorers in ODIs, Tendulkar and Afridi being his only rivals.

 

[Aritro]

Tamim is so ****ing good.
Agewise he is one of the highest run scorers in ODIs, Tendulkar and Afridi being his only rivals.

Tamim edges out Afridi on the grounds that his stated age is more or less accurate while Afridi reached puberty when his passport stated he was 6.

 

[Athlai]

Tamim edges out Afridi on the grounds that his stated age is more or less accurate while Afridi reached puberty when his passport stated he was 6.

Didn't want to kick up a fuss.

 

[Cruxdude]

Tamim batting >>>> Afridi batting. I remember watching the Ind Bang WC 2007 match hoping for a Bangla collapse and out comes this guy and smashes Zaheer for a huge six. Hope he can get them near 300. It would be tough for England.