Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 1097 Mon. July 02, 2007  
   
Sports


Rahim set to play


There are a few changes on the cards for Bangladesh for the second Test as they are desperately looking to make their batting stronger after a disastrous performance in the first Test which they lost by an innings and 234 runs.

The second Test of the three-match series will start tomorrow at the P Sara Stadium, the only Asian venue where all-time great Australian batsman Don Bradman played a match during his stopover in what was known as Ceylon back in 1948.

Young wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim is likely to replace the long-serving Khaled Mashud as the team think-tank believe that the Bogra stumper has much better technique and temperament than his senior competitor, in a bid to bolster the vulnerable batting line-up of the Tigers.

Veteran Mashud scored an unbeaten 12 in the miserable first innings total of 89 and then was exposed in the second innings when he invited an inswinger between his bat and pad from Lasith Malinga on the fourth morning. That opened the door for Sri Lankan to pick the remaining five wickets within 30 minutes.

Mushfiqur has so far played two Tests, the last of which was against the same opponents at his home ground where he made 2 and 0, as a specialist batsman to score only 24 runs but this time the team management wants to give him the full job as they believe that it is the right time to try the young man in the demanding position. It was learnt that there was a consensus about the change.

The only problem With Rahim is his worth as a 'keeper as he impressed many by his batting in the World Cup in West Indies but his keeping was still not up to the mark.

Bangladesh is also thinking on a third seamer as the P Sara wicket is likely to be in the faster side and in that case Mohammad Sharif will replace left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak while Mehrab Hossain was also in consideration to make his Test debut.

Coach Shaun Williams did not rule out the chance of a few changes but said that they are yet to take the final decision.

"Yes, a couple of changes are not unlikely. We can make a few changes for the sake of the team combination. We need to bat for long periods. We are focusing on the batting," said the young Australian coach.

Although there was much talk about the negative things of the Tigers after the first match's performance, the interim Bangladesh coach said that he hardly has any problem to motivate his side for the second Test match.

"The players are wholly motivated because I am focusing only on the positive things. Our third day batting was what we exactly need to show our improvement. The way the top order batted throughout the third day was encouraging and I think we can take inspiration from the positives," he explained.

He also disagreed with people who believe that seven years is a long time for a country in the Test arena to show their mettle.

"I don't think seven years is a long time and I just request everybody to go through the history of the game of the other countries. There is no shortcut. There is a structure and passion with the game in Bangladesh and we just have to do all the things properly. It is just a matter of time that Bangladesh start to play good Test cricket," he explained.

"I don't want to be critical on my boys. Yes, others might think differently but I have a very simple philosophy of not being critical," he said.

"Tough one to answer" was his reply when he was asked whether he has a team that is too young for Test cricket.

Picture
Bangladesh opener Shahriar Nafees goes on the drive as coach Shaun Williams feeds the bowling machine during an indoor net session at the Fingara International Cricket Academy at a suburb in Colombo on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP