The Hindu : Sport : Another inept display by Bangladesh batsmen

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Friday, May 27, 2005

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Another inept display by Bangladesh batsmen

Ted Corbett

LONDON: You know that scene common to every nature film when the newly-born fawn struggles to its feet while the hungry predators wait for the right moment to make an easy kill. We watched it again and again during the opening three hours of the first Test at Lord's as Bangladesh's unsteady kittens had their international credentials laid bare in 38.2 overs for 108 runs.

It was a depressing sight. At a level graced by the elite for 128 years Test cricket descended to a nadir so deep that two Bangladesh journalists clapped when their side reached 100 during the tenth -wicket stand. Once upon a time they might have been censured for such a display of partiality; today even the loftiest minds had to sympathise with their wish to find something to applaud.

There was little else. By lunch half the side had gone for 85 and in the final debacle five batsmen, if that is the right words for these under-qualified representatives of Bangladesh cricket, departed for 19 in 33 balls. It is no use railing against individuals; they are simply not good enough and we must accept that. What Bangladesh is doing in such exalted company is another question altogether. Why does ICC allow it to continue alongside Australia, India and the rest when in five years it has won only one Test? It must be more to do with television rights and economics than cricket which is demeaned by its shrunken presence among the giants.

Very little to offer

Not since the 1890s when South Africa put out Test sides complete with University Blues — although the awards had not always been made for cricket — has a side had so little to offer. Zimbabwe has always had at least one bowler of Test class, New Zealand brought a bad side here in 1949 but forced four draws with a strategy for three-day Tests and West Indies had talent that was often wasted until Clive Lloyd taught it that Test cricket was a game of patience.

Nothing that happened in the Bangladesh first innings offered an explanation for its presence in Test cricket. Javed Omar made a top score of 22 off 60 balls and put on 31 with Nafis Iqbal, 16-year-old Mushfiqur Rahim made 19 in 56 balls and looked as out of his depth as if he had been a boy in short trousers drafted to play among the bigger lads at school. Of the rest only Aftab Ahmed made double figures. The rest marked out a clear pathway back to the refurbished pavilion where at least they could watch their team-mates fail in the greatest possible comfort.

Allowed to settle

At least England's bowlers were allowed the chance to settle after a four-month break from Test cricket. Steve Harmison had the first wicket but his attempt to celebrate lacked conviction and even when he bowled Mashrafe Mortaza he still appeared under impressed.

Hard working Matthew Hoggard mopped up four victims to take his Test aggregate to 147, Flintoff snapped up two in ten balls to suggest he was fit again and Simon Jones began with four maidens. It was all too easy, a morale booster ahead of the Ashes series but whatever the figures hardly worth flicking through Wisden to see how many times Bangladesh has made fewer.

By 2.25 England was batting; by tea Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss had put on 70 in 11 overs and 40 minutes later 91 off 18. England was well on its way to victory in three days, which will give Michael Vaughan his 16th win in 25 Tests as captain and Duncan Fletcher his 34th in 72 as coach. A whitewash in the two-Test series will put Vaughan level with Nasser Hussain's 17 victories.

Vaughan is interested in a win quickly so that on Sunday he can attend his own spectator sport. He follows the fortunes of Sheffield Wednesday, which will gain promotion after many dismal years if it wins. For a couple of days it will give him as much pleasure as victory at Lord's.

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