West Indies 338/7 (Dinesh Ramdin 169, Daren Bravo 124, Al Amin Hossain 4/59) beat Bangladesh 247/8 .( Mushfiqur Rahim 72 , Tamim Iqbal 55,Mahmudullah Riad 27 , Nasir Hossain 26 , Sohag Gazi 24 , Ravi Rampaul 4/29, Narine 1/31) by 91 runs
West Indies was brutal and ruthless in punishing a lopsided Bangladesh bowling scoring an imposing 338 /7 in the third ODI. Though Bangladesh responded admirably with vastly improved batting still a huge defeat by 91 .runs failed to lift the morale of the team appreciably . Many players still looked nervous while fielding and batting. The huge target of 339 was well beyond them in the present state of the team. Bangladesh embraced yet another ODI defeat and had the ignominy of getting brownwashed. West Indies toying with Bangladesh limited bowling created skyscraping getting initially rocked with 2/12 by the 5th over losing both the free scoring openers Gayle and Simmons. Bangladesh with a pace bowler short for their own follies failed to press on the advantage and then fielded very poorly under massive counter attack of the West Indians. Bangladesh riding on two solid innings of Tamim and Musfiue could post a far respectable total of 247/8.
Bangladesh team management made another surprising selection playing with only two genuine pace bowlers and three spinners on an easy paced wicket and small ground. True Bangladesh were out played in every department of the game yet the pace bowlers had their moments in the series though the third pacer Taskin was only used in the first ODI and Rubel was not even considered in any match.
On an easy pace wicket on a small ground Bangladesh rested promising rookie pacer Taskin their best prospect for ICC World Cup. West Indies played with as many as six pacers Ramadin Roach, Holder, Sammy, Bravo and Pollard while Bangladesh had only two Mashrafee and Al Amin. Al Amin and Mashrafee got rid of Gayle and Simmons very early. But then bemused Mushfique ran out of pace bowling resources. His spinners got hammered all over the park .Three spinner and one part timer in 30 overs conceded 206 runs purchasing only two wickets . Finally Pacers picked 5 of 7 wickets that fell in a mammoth WI score of 338/7. Ramadin and Daren Bravo in third wicket partnership created a new world record of any wicket scoring 258. Ramdin scored 169 in 121 deliveries striking 8 fours and 11 sixes while younger Bravo 124 in 127 balls with 7 fours and 8 sixes.
West Indies elected to bat after winning the toss. There was only one change in West Indies team .The underperforming opener Edwards was replaced by a bowling all-rounder Daren Sammy. Bangladesh brought in Mominul in place of Shamsur Rahman. They still kept pace bowler Taskin out of the team. Like two previous matches Mashrafee and Al Amin made early inroads removing Gayle and Simmons by the 5th over will merely 12 on board. Mushfique did not have third pacers to consolidate the advantage gained. Ramdin and Daren Bravo started counter attacking the spinners on a smaller ground and soon Bangladeshis were chasing leather. Mushfique missed a simple stumping chance to get rid of Bravo. From then on the pair mercilessly punished Bangladesh bowling all over the park. Sixes and fours started raining in torrent. The Bravo Ramdin pair in third wicket set a new ODI world record putting together 258 breath taking runs. Both scored their second ODI Century. After they were removed Bangladeshi bowlers picked up some quick wickets again mainly by pacer Al Amin. This time the most successful bowler of Bangladesh in the current series took 4/ 59. He was only slogged in his last spell after bowling miserly in the first two. West Indies scored 338/7. Earlier on the day Australia against Zimbabwe scored 350/6. We are sure whether on the same day over three runs were ever scored in two different parts of the world in ODI. This may be another record.
Bangladesh innings again started disastrously .Two of the four openers went down with two runs on board. Imrul Kayes in the ODI series proved a complete waste of time. Persisting with him in ODI will definitely affect his morale in test matches where his batting is ideally suited. Anamul off course scored that important century in the first ODI. Bangladesh lost an opportunity of trying young talent Mithun Ali in this match of little significance for Bangladesh having already lost the series.May be he would have failed like Mominul did yet a new player would have better chance of surviving. Can Mr Papon and his BCB shallow thinkers imagine what damage they have done to Bangladesh cricket by imposing too harsh a penalty on Sakib? His bowling, batting and fielding all three were sadly missing. We don’t support his antics but we cannot also afford to lose him in International matches. Mushfique Tamim partnership halted yet another batting collapse. But senior professionals like Tamim and Musfique getting out after reaching their personal milestones must not be given much of a credit. The wicket was easy paced and ball was coming to the bat at even height.Tamim looked cool and composed scoring yet another fifty 55 to be exact. But again fell choosing a wrong ball of Narine to cut when his presence at the wicket was essential for holding the innings together. Tamim and Musfique putting on 99 for the third wicket was looking rosy till Tamim opted to commit suicide. He is too experienced not to have read the incoming slider of Narine. It is where Bangladeshi players lack application. Mominul feel under huge burden of expectation. Mushfique was undone by Ravi Rampaul. Mahamudullah, Nasir and Sohag Gazi got in and got out . Scoring 20-25 must no longer be qualification criteria for Bangladeshi getting opportunities of retaining position in the team. West Indies realizing very well that Bangladesh cannot go anywhere close to their target after Tamim and Musfique dismissal and no Sakib in the team held back Sammy from bowling and let Gayle throw his friendly fire instead. Even bravo and Holder did not bowl their full quota. Bangladesh somehow managed to bring down the margin of victory below 100.
Bangladesh lost yet another ODI , sunk to new low with another series white wash . True Bangladesh was totally disappointing yet due credit must be given to them. West Indies dominated all three ODI and apart from early hiccup in the first ODI never was threatened by Bangladeshis. This team is looking good. With the addition of Samuel and possibly Edwards this team will be a dark horse in ICC World Cup in Australia,
Present State Of Bangladesh Cricket: There is nothing much to write about the match excepting the high handedness of team management and think tank. Matches will be won or lost and it is a part of the game. But when a team continues to perform well below its potential for over a dozen matches question arises about team management, team selection, handling and managing players affairs. Nothing has gone right for Bangladesh cricket over the last 10 -12 months. What Bangladesh is up to? Why the BCB big wigs are allowing a very novice and definitely biased selection committee to ridicule our cricket? Why they are following illogical team selection process? What made BCB select a coach like Chandika Haturasinghe who even is not considered for coaching assignment of any team in his own country Sri Lanka? Bangladesh lost 5 ODI in a row under his short stint and possibly will lose T20 and Test series as well. With Zimbabwe home series and ICC World Cup not far off where will Bangladesh stand?
Can Mr Papon high voltage BCB President tell us what good thing he has done for Bangladesh Cricket except cricketing controversies? The way cricket is being run under his sole dictatorship very soon ICC may start asking genuine question about test match status of Bangladesh cricket. What will be our defense for that? Ex Cricketers, first generation cricket community, genuine cricket enthusiasts have really become very worried and anxious about the future of Bangladesh Cricket. Akram Khan,Nanno,Sumon, Sujon and Durjoy have seen it all how Bangladesh strolled to reach a spot of respect in Cricket .What the hell they are doing in and around BCB. It is very difficult for me to believe that these cricketers of past generations have also become a part of Cricket Mafia Syndicate. We have FB links with many leading first generation cricketers and cricket writers of Bangladesh now living in different countries of the world. All felt that present situation demands a home grown Cricket coach having brilliant cricket back ground and international exposure to cricket to nurse Bangladesh cricket. We all suggested for ACC Development officer one of the most talented Bangladesh cricketer ever produced to be given coaching responsibility. We want to know who in the BCB board opposed Bulbul’s selection.Under what criteria and what terms an untested coach was selected? Bangladesh team at this stage needs a guardian who can be a loving teacher and who has gone through a mental situation that the team members are having. Who can be a better choice than Bulbul in that situation?
We know in the past Khaled Masud Pilot set up a cricket academy in Rajshahi, Wahedul Ghani, and Jahangir Shah Badsha used to run cricket coaching clinics. I know Mohammad Rafique, Rafiqul Alam, Tanjeeb Saad were also running coaching. Why all these guys cannot form a team for talent hunting and long term intensive coaching. Bangladesh cricket had tremendous contributions from Altaf Bhai, Chand Khan and others. Why these talented gentlemen cricketers are not being utilized? We have to go back to basics. We have to stand beside our team in its crisis time. After all it is our cricketers who have taken Bangladesh cricket to some level. Present situation requires all cricket lovers past cricket generation unite and demand complete overhauling cricket administration with honest committed cricket administrators. We need first generation top cricketers involved in planning and developing the game. We need professional market executives for Branding Bangladesh cricket. We need complete restructuring of our cricket at grass root level- school cricket, district league, age group cricket, specialized coaching clinic. Bangladesh can follow Srilankan and Australian model.
Time for Prime Minister to Intercept: Our cricket is in total shamble. The reputation is fast diminishing to rock bottom. Our patriotic Prime Minister is also a cricket enthusiast. I hope the present state of Bangladesh cricket is not escaping her attention. Let there be round table conference in Dhaka inviting all past cricket captains , leading players , cricket writers, cricket organizers and cricket thinkers and get an opinion pool and suggestions how to address present issues and challenges. Present bunch of novice cricket administrators have already made considerable damage to Bangladesh cricket. We have our back to the wall. Let our PM order a special probe with a committee comprising of senior cricket enthusiasts into the running of affair of Bangladesh Cricket. We want redress and want it quick before matters go completely out of hands.
BDST: 0900 HRS, AUG 26, 2014
