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DT 18 Sports SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 Smith wary of Tigers threat • Tribune Report The last time Bangladesh played a Test series against Australia, around 11 years ago, current Aussie captain Steven Smith was playing age-level cricket and was finding his way into the men’s league. But what is more amazing is the fact that the two sides have faced each other only four times in the longest format since Bangladesh achieved Test status in the year 2000. The long wait however, will soon be over as Australia reached Dhaka on Friday night for the two-match Test series, a series initially scheduled for 2011. The first Test gets underway in Mirpur on Sunday. What has drastically changed in these 11 long years is Bangladesh progressing in the format, making one mark after another. The Tigers’ most talked about win in recent times came when they last played a Test in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, against England in 2016. As a result, the Tigers levelled the two-match series 1-1. Host Bangladesh will be keen to stick to the routine against Australia, kicking off from the same venue. As for the visiting side, the Aussies have struggled whenever they travelled to the sub-continent for Test series, winning only two matches in their six visits to Asia in the last 10 years. Their most recent win came against India in February this year. The Aussies started the four-match series against the Indians with a win, only to end the series with a 2-1 defeat. The other Test concluded in a draw. Such facts have only made the Bangladesh-Australia Test affair interesting and tourist captain Smith understands well their three-week long stay here will be challenging. “It will be a challenging series. Bangladesh have played some brilliant cricket here. They beat England in a Test match here not too long ago. We are going to see it as a bit of a challenge. Hopefully we can come with the thing we learned from India and bring that into the game here,” said Smith in his on-arrival press conference at the SBNS yesterday. “They have played some very good cricket here off late. Conditions are always foreign to us when we are in the sub-continent. The wickets are always not what we get at home. I hope we can learn from the last Test series in India. I expect we will come up to some pretty similar wickets, similar amount of spin. Hopefully we can learn from what we did there (in India),” the all-rounder added. In comparison to India and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh are still a weak proposition more often than not, despite playing at home. • Australia captain Steve Smith and David Warner inspect the Mirpur SBNS pitch yesterday Aussies refuse to play practice match • Minhaz Uddin Khan The two-day practice game between Australia and the BCB XI is uncertain after the visiting side told the BCB that they prefer regular training sessions instead of the warm-up match. It is understood that the Australia team management has already informed of their decision to the BCB through a letter yesterday evening. Before going into the two-match Test series against host Bangladesh starting from Sunday, the Aussies were scheduled to play a two-day game on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, it is understood that Australia team management found logistical complications in the alternative venues after the initial venue for the game, Fatullah’s Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, was hit by severe waterlogging problem. The Fatullah issue emerged due to heavy rainfall over Dhaka in recent weeks. The BCB proposed three alternate venues to Cricket Australia – Sylhet, BKSP and University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh ground, located in central Dhaka. It took only moments for Sylhet to get ruled out of contention and ULAB ground to fall at the bottom of the list, considering vital facts, thus leaving BKSP as the only option. The Australia delegation visited BSKP yesterday to inspect facilities for the practice game. It is understood that the visiting side are not comfortable with the travel time as the venue is located almost 35kms from the Australia team hotel. The BCB however, was confident of hosting the game in Fatullah, informed its CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury to Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “The venue for the practice game is still undecided. We are hoping to have the match in Fatullah as the venue will have no issues if there is no rain,” said Nizamuddin. The second Test between the two teams will start from September 4. The Aussies are scheduled to leave Bangladesh on September 9. • Mahmudullah set for CPL with Jamaica • Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah is set for his maiden participation in the CPL T20 for Jamaica Tallawahs. The right-arm all-rounder, who missed a berth in the Test squad against Australia, is understood to have confirmed a deal with the franchise. Mahmudullah will be the second Bangladesh cricketer to appear for Jamaica this season after all-rounder Shakib al Hasan. Shakib, who returned home on Monday to join the national camp for the two-match Test series against Australia, won two out of three matches while at Tallawahs. Shakib performed to the best of his ability against Barbados Tridents as he took a wicket and then added 44 to guide his side to victory by 12 runs. Mahmudullah is likely to obtain the No Objection Certificate from the BCB by today RAJIB DHAR and catch the flight to the Caribbean on Tuesday. He will be available for his first game on Friday when Jamaica take on Saint Lucia Stars. Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, Mahmudullah said, “The opportunity is big for me. I am thankful to those who gave me the opportunity. I hope I will be able to perform my best if given a chance. This is the first time I will be participating in the tournament so I hope I will be able to justify the aim of my team.” The 31-year old will be available for Jamaica for the rest of the CPL. The grand finale of the tournament is scheduled to be held in Trinidad on September 9. Mahmudullah is the fourth Bangladeshi to participate in the CPL T20 after Shakib, Tamim Iqbal and Mehedi Hasan Miraz. Miraz had a short stint with Trinbago Knight Riders this season but returned home without playing a game. •
AUSTRALIA TOUR OF BANGLADESH Sports Mahmudullah, Mominul dropped as Nasir returns • Ali Shahriyar Bappa All-rounder Mahmudullah and left-handed batsman Mominul Haque have been dropped from the 14-member Bangladesh squad for the first Test match against Australia, starting in Mirpur from August 27. National selectors Minhajul Abedin and Habibul Bashar announced the squad at the media centre of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who is a member of national selection committee, was also present at the press meet. Five changes have been made to the squad from their last Test against Sri Lanka earlier this year. Alongside Mominul and Mahmudullah, pacers Subashish Roy, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Rubel Hossain have also been axed from the side. Mominul’s exclusion was a surprise call as he is regarded as one of the best Bangladesh Test batsmen over the past few years. Mominul’s recent form however, has gone a bit downward, compared to the blistering start he made in his Test career. With that said, being dropped from the side in a home series is probably a bit harsh for the top-order batsman. “Mahmudullah’s exclusion was expected as he was not in the last Test and we are playing back-toback series. And as for Mominul, he has been dropped due to his off-form. From January-August he has played six Test innings where he scored one half-century. That’s why he has been dropped. But he is in contention,” said chief selector Minhajul to the media. Three cricketers returned to the Test squad in the form of left-handed batsman Imrul Kayes, all-rounder Nasir Hossain and paceman Shafiul Islam. “Imrul and Soumya Sarkar are playing well in Mominul’s position at the batting order recently. Soumya scored four centuries in his Chief selector Minhajul Abedin addresses the media yesterday in Mirpur alongside selector Habibul Bashar and coach Chandika Hathurusingha RAJIB DHAR 1ST TEST SQUAD Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib al Hasan, Mosaddek Hossain, Nasir Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed last eight innings with an average of 45.75. And Imrul has an impressive record on home soil. Hence, Mominul had to go down as preference. But that does not mean Mominul’s career is over. Soumya scored lots of runs recently and we are planning to send Imrul as the No 3 batsman. That’s why Mominul has been dropped,” Minhajul informed. Mahmudullah’s exclusion from the squad was predictable as he was not in the playing XI in Bangladesh’s last Test. He was excluded ahead of Bangladesh’s 100th Test back in March in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The experienced right hander played brilliantly in the shorter formats since then, scoring a magnificent century against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy. The chief selector however, informed that good form in ODIs was not considered for Tests. “We are not counting ODI form for Tests. We are considering three formats differently. The decision has been taken after judging the overall situation,” Minhajul explained. All-rounder Nasir Hossain returned to the side after playing the last of his 17 Tests against South Africa in 2015. He has been in terrific form in the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League this year and eventually earned a Test recall. The chief selector stated that the right-handed batsman and off-spinner has been included due to his additional off-spin ability. “We have counted Nasir slightly differently. Australia have plenty of left-handers in their batting lineup. We were looking for a player who can bat well and also have good off-spinning ability, just like Shuvagata [Hom] in the England series. Hence Nasir has been chosen,” said Minhajul. Shafiul has been called up to the Test format after his impressive performance in the practice match. • 19 SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 2017 DT Hathurusingha: Bangladesh not about Mominul only • Ali Shahriyar Bappa Mominul Haque’s exclusion from the Bangladesh Test squad against Australia created buzz all around as the left-hander has often been considered as one of the best Tigers batsmen in Tests in the last few years. The question in everyone’s mind was why Mominul was dropped. The national selection panel had to answer a series of questions regarding Mominul in the press conference during the squad declaration. Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is also part of the selection panel. The coach thinks consistency is the only factor behind Mominul’s exclusion. “He was very good at the beginning. But now, not scoring runs is the only problem for Mominul. I think Mominul is doing everything possible to get back in the team. He has scored good runs in the practice match. But unfortunately, the guys in the team are scoring runs as well,” Hathurusingha told the media. “So Bangladesh is not about Mominul only. It’s about 11 players trying to win a game. We are not marginalising any player. I said before that everyone have been treated fairly. But you are concerning about one or two players. We have given everybody a fare chance, and it will happen in future. “Selection is done by consistency. Some of the guys were dropped for our last Test. I won’t mention name because the team is more important. Consistent selection gives a lot of confidence to players who perform. We have reason to make good calls because we have been consistent on selection. “The guys who played in the last game after losing the first Test (in Galle) came back and did well. Although the other guys are doing well in limited-overs cricket, unfortunately they have to wait for their time. Good thing is we are in a rich vein of form in the last few series. Players who got dropped - they have to wait. “As a coach, you have responsibility. But the player also knows what he has to do. They are working very hard on it. Somebody has to go out of the team when they are not performing,” he added. During the England Test series last year, it was learnt that Soumya Sarkar was in the squad as the team management thought including the left-hander might help him to maintain his confidence, despite being in a poor run of batting form. As for Mominul, when asked if the same process is being followed or not, Hathurusingha informed that the fairness factor has been applied for every player. “Those players who are not in the squad, are still practising. Confidence comes when we communicate with the player. There is no rule but fairness is applied for everybody. I don’t think we have any preference for any player. What we are trying to get is pulling the best out of the player, who are in form or who got opportunity to play,” he said. “Creating pressure is not for only this team. It’s for about the whole cricket of Bangladesh. If players are fighting for places, then I think our team is getting better. Because there is competition for places. “I want 11 players in the playing XI performing. My priority is not the individual player. My priority is the national team of Bangladesh and try to win matches for them,” he explained. Hathurusingha also admitted that he is confident Bangladesh will do well in the upcoming series if the players can play according to their potential. “We are very confident. We respect every team. But we never fear any team. We are confident that our team will play good cricket against Australia,” he concluded. •
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