Why characters like Lara, Tendulkar or Kallis aren't coming?

I am pretty sad today. I have seen another legend to say goodbye to Test cricket. The cream of the 90s have bid farewell to Test cricket. Sadly, at present, I don’t see any characters like Tendulkar, Akram, Lara, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Murali or Kallis coming in to carry on their legacy - characters who will be an institution of their own, characters who will redefine greatness in their own way and  characters who will create an impact in world cricket. Two great characters are still playing Test cricket – Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

What will happen when these two will retire from Test cricket?

Test cricket will get poorer.

Sunil Gavaskar said goodbye and Tendulkar emerged, Viv Ricahrds said goodbye and Lara emerged, Aravinda and Ranatunga said goodbye Sangakkara and Mahela emerged, Border said goodbye and Steve Waugh emerged as a phenomenon. But none are emerging right now. Why? Is it because the modern generation of cricketers are too disinterested to play Test cricket? Is it because the modern generation of cricketers are too obsessed with earning money quickly by participating in the T20 Leagues?

Characters like Lara and Tendulkar are produced from a factory named Test cricket. Without the obsession to play Test cricket a cricketer can never think of carrying the legacy of Lara and Tendulkar. I don’t wish to call media-made-T20-heroes as brilliant players. My cricket-loving-heart and my cricket-loving-eyes wish to see the emergence of cricketers of substance who will carry on the legacy of Lara, Tendulkar, Akram, Kallis and co. And for which a greater emphasis on Test cricket and not these cheap T20 Leagues is much needed.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Test cricket - You beauty!

 “India and South Africa both came tantalizingly close to creating history before settling for a breathtaking draw in the first cricket Test at the New Wanderers Stadium — in the end, India fell three wickets and South Africa eight runs short of victory”

 So, what do you want to watch?

Some cheer-girls-oriented circus or a game where quality is being ensured in each session?

A sensible cricket fan will choose quality over some circus show and in Test cricket you are sure to relish quality cricket.

What a Test match it had been at Johannesburg!

India and South Africa both came tantalizingly close to creating history before settling for a breathtaking draw in the first cricket Test at the New Wanderers Stadium — in the end, India fell three wickets and South Africa eight runs short of victory.

South Africa had to survive on a testing track and against an attack that were beaming with confidence.

The morning session witnessed the fall of two South African wickets and the script was supposed to go according to what everyone expected – an Indian win!

But wait!

Still, AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis were out there and as time progressed they transformed into batting gods!

The memories of the Adelaide Test match of 2012 revisited at the Wanderes.

At the start of the fifth day, South Africa needed 320 with eight wickets in hand, and a draw was their more realistic goal.

 It began with de Villiers and du Plessis at the crease, both having scored a hundred and South Africa needing 66 off 15 overs to win.

But then there was an Indian fight back into contention by removing both and JP Duminy in the next 12 overs, before it all ended with Philander and Steyn choosing safety first despite how close South Africa were.

Du Plessis and de Villiers batted together for a minute short of four hours and faced 375 balls to take South Africa from 197 for 4 - when they still needed 261 runs to win - to be in sight of victory.

They showed immense patience and composure on a pitch with variable bounce and sizeable cracks, that frustrated the Indian attack who tried everything to push for a victory.

Their first 50 runs were scored mostly while on the defensive. They took 115 balls and 40% of the runs came in singles to usher South Africa past lunch and towards the second new ball. Seventeen minutes into the second session, the new nut became available and MS Dhoni was ready to play his next hand.

Zaheer and Shami went searching for wickets and found movement but not success. Du Plessis was the first to bring up his 50, off 142 balls, when he pulled Shami through deep square leg.

AB de Villiers followed suit, but not before Ishant had induced the edge from both batsmen.

The pitch played its part as well, as balls landing on the cracks reared off a length to put the batsmen in considerable discomfort, often looping over the slip cordon.

Both de Villiers and du Plessis had to counter balls striking the shoulders of their bats, pushed those alarming moments in the backs of their minds and steadily pushed South Africa forward.

With that good fortune and plenty of fortitude, the partnership's second 50 was scored in just 85 balls and the batsmen's belief had grown.

Dhoni tried to suffocate, but Du Plessis and de Villiers squeezed the singles, found boundaries when the seamers occasionally veered off their probing wicket to wicket lines.

By tea, they had reached 331 for 4 and still needed 127 runs to win.

The ball was leaping off the pitch, but all the edges have either fallen short or sailed over the slip cordon. Despite all that, Faf du Plessis, - defied the pain of a dodgy thumb - and AB de Villiers had dished out the highest level of resolve. If any session had shifted the momentum towards the Proteas then it was that second session where survival was not an easy task. Fortune favours the brave.

 After the drinks-break, for two overs, du Plessis and de Villiers kept them on track. Against the run of play, de Villiers chopped one on from a back of a length Ishant Sharma delivery.

JP Duminy came at the crease and took a single to keep strike at the end of the over, drilled a straight drive for four off the first ball of the next but three deliveries after that, he also played on. Duminy was attempting an expansive cover drive and his demise was scripted.

Vernon Philander and du Plessis kept South Africa in it with a partnership of 35 off 49 balls. Their stand was filled with tension as Mohammed Shami and Ishant continued to test them with deliveries that jagged back in or rose from a length. When they offered anything short and wide, the result was a boundary.

With four overs left, the pendulum had swung South Africa's way – they needed 20 runs.

They got four of those when du Plessis flayed Zaheer through midwicket.

Two balls later, du Plessis called for a run after hitting straight to mid-off.

Ajinkya Rahane's direct hit found du Plessis, exhausted after the amount of time he had spent at the crease, well short of his ground.

Dale Steyn joined Philander, Morkel and Imran Tahir were padded up but their services were not needed.

 Shami bowled an over of short balls to Steyn, which he made no contact with to leave South Africa needing 16 off the last two overs.

Philander blocked out the penultimate over and Steyn left the first two balls of the last over, to leave South Africa needing boundaries off the last four balls. Steyn slogged the third ball but missed and took a bye, Philander heaved at the next and missed before getting a single and then Steyn smashed the final delivery into the stands over long-on but it meant nothing.

There might be a school of thought that Dhoni had over bowled Zaheer, but to counter that one might reply when no options are working then either innovate or rely on your main strike bowler. Dhoni was going for the latter and a draw was the ideal result because that is what Test cricket is all about. If you cannot appreciate a draw, then the best format of the game is not for you.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 22/12/2013 Test cricket - You beauty!

Thank You
Faisal Caesar

I just don't support

I just don’t support preparing greenish tracks during the summer time as because in course of time the greenish flavour just fades away and makes the track more suitable for batting. Yes under overcast conditions and during the chilling-weather such tracks are very productive but with the sun beating down heavily, preparing greenish tracks is a waste. During the summer time, prepare hard and fast tracks mate! If you have leopards in your side then go for hard and fast tracks!

Thank You
Faisal Caesar

The urn returns to Australia!

1. Boy, after a long, long time I am witnessing a fast bowler to dominate in a Test series. After the end of the 90s such fast-bowlers-dominated-series have become a rarity. Due to Mitchell Johnson I am able to enjoy the flavour of the 80s and 90s. How brutally a fast bowler can affect a team’s psyche, Johnson is showing us that in grand style. If any factor has to be pointed out regarding Australia’s new-found-confidence then it would be Johnson’s hostile spell at the Gabba. It bruised England mentally and lifted the Australian spirit. A quality fast bowler always brings a certain thrill in cricket and without them cricket becomes heavily dull. 

2. Loved the innings of Ben Stokes. He showed guts on a tough track. I expected such sort of fight from the English batting line-up. England are not that bad a side. As a matter of fact, it becomes hard to challenge against such a high profile pace bowling when your major batsmen are out of form. Cook and KP’s lean patch is hurting England. But above all, I guess, Johnson’s express spell at the Gabba has dented the English psychologically.

3. I am still not sure why Ian Bell isn’t batting at number 3. To replace Jonathan Trott at the top Ian Bell is the obvious choice. Joe Root should be batting at number five. Alastair Cook and Andy Flower should have been bold enough regarding this matter. I am sure, had Clarke been the English captain he would have certainly sent Bell at number 3.

4. Its good to see the comeback of the Aussies in such an emphatic manner. Before this series they were a soul which lacked confidence. But they did bounce back in style to regain the urn. The urn has returned to Australia. Their coming back to rhythm is very important for cricket as because without a good Australian side cricket will be poorer.

Thank You
Faisal Caesar

Doleful and disquieted Bangladesh cricket fans

Hosting the World Cup is the dream of every nation. It’s a matter of huge pride. Very few are lucky enough to have such an opportunity and Bangladesh can claim herself enough lucky to have the opportunity of staging such a mega event twice. As a co-host, Bangladesh successfully hosted the ICC World Cup in 2011 and now, next year, Bangladesh is preparing to host the World T20.

Still, there are a few months left for the World T20 and the enthusiasm amongst the players and fans regarding this mega event in Bangladesh are extremely high. After many nervy-speculations finally Bangladesh will host this event. There had been a risk of shifting the venue somewhere else as the proposed stadiums for the World Twenty20 were underprepared which failed to satisfy the ICC officials. But thankfully, the venue has not been shifted anywhere else.

As soon as the news about the sale of tickets for the World T20 broke out, enthusiastic Bangladesh cricket fans rushed into the respective banks to get their tickets. But the Bangladesh cricket fans’ this dream, this enthusiasm is at risk. There is sadness in their hearts because they are not sure whether their favorite team will be available at the mega event or not because Bangladesh along with Zimbabwe will have to play a qualifying round before participating in the main event.

This new rule came suddenly and in fact, it created an immense heartache amongst the Bangladeshi players and fans. Has anyone ever heard about a host nation to play a qualifying round? Surely not, but in cricket, such hard-to-imagine sort of thing happens. For the lower-ranked teams, such rules just crop-up in the twinkle of an eye.

Well, a rule has been made and the Tigers have to abide by it. Over the years Bangladesh cricket has improved in a satisfactory manner. In that sense overcoming the hurdle of the qualifying round will not be a big issue for the Tigers. But as a matter of fact, there is that risk of sudden accidents which might shatter the hopes of a cricket-crazy nation. How pathetic the World T20 will be if the hosts fail to participate in the mega event and how poorer it would be if an exciting team like Bangladesh don’t play in front of its home crowd remains a moot question.

How many T20 matches do teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe play? The number of matches these teams play it will never help them to climb to the top but they will always discover themselves at the bottom and thus, will always be a victim of such sudden-rules. What have the ICC done to improve the quality of the lower-ranked sides? Have the ICC allocated enough matches for these teams with the top sides so that they can improve? For the overall improvement of cricket, equal distribution and a less biased vision are much needed than a mind crowded with only financial gains and losses.  

Again, I wonder, whether our politicians are well aware of this mega event or not. As because, at present, it seems that our politicians have gone crazy in settling personal scores. Their egos are running high; their lust for power is triggering an ugly situation which is making Bangladesh’s future bleak. There is unrest all over Bangladesh – buses are being torched, public transports are vandalized, picketers are throwing cocktails here and there, there are clashes between the police and political activists and political activists of both the ruling and opposition party. Well, it’s not a chummy picture at all and surely, an unacceptable one for the common citizens of Bangladesh who wish to live in peace and enjoy their favourite players’ dazzling exhibition on the cricket field.

If such situations persist then the future of Bangladesh’s hosting the World T20 will be at risk. Already it was at risk due to improperly build stadiums and now this political turmoil will create another ominous situation regarding the World T20. And if we do lose the rights of hosting the World T20 then internationally it will dent our image. Not only the World T20 but the upcoming Sri Lankan tour and Asia Cup too will be at risk due to this current political turmoil.

The passionate Bangladeshi cricket fans are doleful with all these. Already saddened by this qualifying saga, the Bangladesh cricket fans are extremely disquieted regarding the current political situation as this crazy situation might let the ICC rethink about Bangladesh’s eligibility of hosting this mega event and if the venue gets shifted then it will be an absolute tragedy for Bangladesh, its cricket and its fans.

Bangladesh have few well-wishers in world cricket. It will not take time for our harsh critics to raise the voice of shifting the venue to somewhere else by citing security issues. In that sense, our politicians must exhibit enough sense and sensibility as Bangladesh’s prestige is at stake.

But will they be sensible enough? Will they think about the country’s prestige?

I am not sure! 

Note: This article has been published on Cricketsoccer on 29/11/2013  http://cricketsoccer.com/doleful-disquieted-bangladesh-cricket-fans/

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Thank you Sachin

“ I must admit that he was not an ordinary cricketer - a gift of Almighty, who landed on this earth to give hope and calm forget the pangs and anxieties of daily life”

It’s all over!

It is the End!  

What I witnessed today is the sunset of one of the most obedient students of cricket. He carried on the legacy of the past greats with utmost responsibility and honour. 

I can’t celebrate this sunset. 

I am not in a festive mood like you as I am witnessed the end of an era - The era of Sachin Tendulkar!  

A Test cricket lover can’t be happy when a classicist and iconic figure leave the scene.

I have this deep relation with this man since 1990 - a relation of disliking, a relation of admiration, and the relation of bowing down silently. I have seen him grow as an icon from a child prodigy. I have seen him gift me the flavour of Viv Richards and Sunil Gavaskar. Media over-hype regarding him made me absolutely irritated. 

I still don’t agree that he’s better than The Don or Viv. 

I don’t wish to tag him as God of Cricket! 

But what I do agree is that he had redefined the numbers in cricket and got the whole nation going with him whenever he walked out to bat - India and obviously the rest of the world just watched him bat as if a magician had stopped time and commanded to follow his batting specialty for the last 24 years. 

I do agree he is one of the best batsmen in the history of cricket. 

I enjoyed his straight drives, cover drives, smothering of the bowling attack with punishing strokes; I could skip a date with a beautiful lady for Tendulkar’s back-foot drives. Man! I fell in love with those back-foot drives through point and backward-point.  And so on, so on……and so on! 

Cricket followers like me have so many stories with this man.

I must admit that he was not an ordinary cricketer - a gift of Almighty, who landed on this earth to give hope and calm forget the pangs and anxieties of daily life. 

Very few have carried on the hopes of a nation like he did. 

Surely, Test cricket will be the poorest after his retirement.

Thank You Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar for the wonderful memories! 

Note: This post has been published at Cricketsoccer on 16/11/2013 Thank You Sachin

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

New Zealand Banglawashed!

McClenaghan banged the second ball of the 50th over short, Sohag Gazi upper-cut it for four and the Fatullah stadium erupted with joy. The famous 'Banglawash' had been completed and atmosphere became absolutely electrifying. It was time to celebrate. It was time to relish the unique moment. There were joyous celebrations all around, which went viral throughout the country.

Few could imagine Bangladesh whitewashing the Kiwis 3-0, especially after New Zealand posted 300-plus in the third ODI. Bangladesh are not known to be good chasers, let alone a total in excess of 300 against a top team. But over the years, this Bangladesh team has gained self-belief. No matter how big the total is, how tough the opposition is, the Tigers just don't go down without a fight. That's how they have been able to hand two 'Banglawashes' in a row to New Zealand.

Just before the start of the ODI series, Bangladesh superstar Shakib Al Hasan went down with dengue fever. Shakib was instrumental in scripting that famous 4-0 series win against the Kiwis in 2010. Could Bangladesh do it without Shakib was a big question. In fact, in the past, if any of Bangladesh's main players got injured, it became quite tough to fill that gap.

But things seems to be improving on the Bangladesh bench. Star players still rule the roost but Bangladesh are learning to not just live but also win in their absence, largely due to some good young performers coming up the ranks. Naeem Al Islam filled in Shakib's place with clinical displays, while Tamim Iqbal's absence in the final ODI didn't affect the team thanks to young Shamsur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman.

It was encouraging to see Bangladesh not panicking, which has been a sea change in the side's approach in close finishes. In the past, Bangladesh have lost matches from winning positions. But this bunch of Bangladeshis seems to know how to hold their nerves, though their real test remains away from home.

Credit must be given to skipper Mushfiqur Rahim, who has proved to be the agent of this welcome change. He doesn't fear throwing youngsters into the line of fire, and so far they have come out stronger and as match-winners.

He starred with the bat under pressure and operated like a shrewd tactician on the field, with his thinking cap always on. Opening the bowling with Sohag Gazi, throwing the ball to Mominul Haque at a crucial juncture in the second ODI, investing faith in Rubel Hossain in the first ODI to dent Corey Anderson, placing fielders in the right positions to check the scoring rate - Mushfiqur's each move paid off in this series. But there will be days when things won't work according to his plans, that's when his character will be put to test.

Note: This article has been published on Cricketnext.com on 04/11/2013 New Zealand Banglawashed! 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

এই জয়টা তাদের কাছ শুধু জয় না, বরং তার চেয়েও বেশী কিছু

সবার মন আজ খুব ভালো। আমাদের সবার প্রিয় ক্রিকেট দল আজ জিতেছে। আরও একটা বাংলাওয়াশ, আরও একটা আনন্দের সময়। কিন্তু একটা গোষ্ঠীর কাছে আজকের জয়টা অন্যরকম। এই জয়টা তাদের কাছ শুধু জয় না, বরং তার চেয়েও বেশী কিছু। 

আমাদের ক্রীড়া সাংবাদিক ভাইয়ারা যারা দেশের ক্রিকেট কভার করেন আর আমার মতো যারা দেশের ক্রিকেট নিয়ে লিখেন তাদের জন্য এই জয় অনেক কিছুর উত্তর। বাংলাদেশ যখন বাজে ভাবে হারে তখন এই সাংবাদিক ভাইয়াদের এবং আমাদের মতো লেখকদের অনেক পিঞ্চিং টাইপ কথা শুনতে হয়। কিছু কথা এমন যে আপনি আপনার মেজাজ ঠিক রাখতে পারবেন না।

আমি যখন নতুন, নতুন ক্রিকেট নিয়ে লিখা শুরু করি এবং ফেসবুকে পোস্ট করা শুরু করি তখন আমি এরকম কথাও শুনেছি ,‘যেই দেশের অধিনায়ক টেস্ট ক্রিকেট বুঝে না সেই দেশের আবার ক্রিকেট লেখক?’ আমি শুনেছি, ‘দেড়-ফুটের বাংলাদেশী আবার ক্রিকেট কি বুঝবে?’ আমি ক্রিকেটের কোন কথা বললেই ওরা বলতো, ‘একজন বাঙ্গাল ক্রিকেট নিয়ে কথা বলছে! তোমাদের কি কিছু আছে?’ আমি শুনেছি, ‘আগে নিজের চেহারা ঠিক কর তারপর ক্রিকেট নিয়ে কথা বল’। এবং আরও অনেক কিছু...... স্ক্রিনশট রাখা উচিৎ ছিল ঐগুলোর। আমি আগে অনেক প্রতিবাদ করতাম। একা বাংলাদেশী আর কত পারা যায়। আস্তে, আস্তে প্রতিবাদ করা বন্ধ করে দেই। প্রতিবাদ করে হবে ন। টাইগারদের মাঠে প্রমাণ করতে হবে। 

ঐ বাজে সময় গুলোতে শুধু একটা বিশ্বাসই ছিলো যে টাইগাররা একদিন গর্জে উঠবে। Bangladesh First নামক অনলাই newspaper-এ একটা লিখাও লিখেছিলামঃ ‘Bangladesh will roar!’ কিন্তু তারপরও আশাতীত কোন ফল হচ্ছিল না। কিন্তু বিশ্বাসটা কখনও মরে যায় নাই। এখন আমাদের ছেলেরা সত্যিই গর্জন করছে। আমি আত্মবিশ্বাসের সাথে বলতে পারি যে আমাদের সাংবাদিক ভাইয়ারাও এরকম হেয় প্রতিপন্ন হয়েছন। সেজন্য, এই বাংলাওয়াশ আমাদের কাছে শুধু বাংলাওয়াশ না, বরং অনেক অপমানের উত্তর। একজন বাংলাদেশী হিসেবে আজ আমি গর্বিত!

আরও অনেকটা পথ পাড়ি দিতে হবে, আরও অনেক কিছু প্রমান করতে হবে।     

বিঃদ্রঃ কারও কারও কাছে এই পোস্টটা অতিরিক্ত আবেগের বৃষ্টি মনে হতে পারে। কিছু করার নাই। মানুষ হিসেবে আমি একটু আবেগি আর আমি মনে করি আবেগ না থাকলে আমি কাউকে ভালোবাসতে পারব না, আবেগ না থাকলে আমি লিখতে পারব না।

ধন্যবাদ
ফয়সাল সিজার 

Well fought Bangladesh

The final day of the second Test match between Bangladesh and New Zealand was expected to be a gripping contest. New Zealand's handy lead in the first innings was given a fighting reply by the hosts, which made the contest an even one. But rain on the final day spoiled the party and the two-match Test series ended in a draw. Many fans cursed the rain, many fans' weekend had been spoiled. For once, for Bangladesh fans, rain was not a blessing but a curse. Had there been no rain, the Tigers could have pushed the Kiwis. Clearly, the mentality of Bangladesh fans is changing.

As a matter of fact, Bangladesh cricket is changing. In the limited-overs format, Bangladesh have become increasingly competitive since 2012, but in Test cricket they always remained underachievers. There were flashes of hope, but in the blink of an eye those ebbed with horrifying exhibitions, with Bangladesh's ability to play Test cricket remaining questionable. But steadily, though somewhat late, Bangladesh are getting into the groove and starting to play Test cricket the way it should be played.

Bangladesh's biggest downside in Test cricket had been their lack of discipline in batting. Time and again, Bangladesh batsmen failed to stand up to big totals and surrendered meekly. Thankfully, this year, the world noticed how audaciously Bangladeshi batsmen stood up to face the challenge. They showed this in Galle, Chittagong and Dhaka - assuring everyone that Bangladesh cricket is finding its feet in the Test arena.

In the first Test in Chittagong, the Kiwi tail wagged and posted a mammoth total. Bangladesh started shoddily as both the openers walked back to the pavilion cheaply; however, that didn't shake the batting order as the middle order scripted a fightback to take first innings lead and eventually draw the match. In Mirpur too, the batsmen replied doggedly. There was that natural instinct to go after the bowling but not without discipline. In the past, Bangladesh suffered due to the lack of discipline in batting but it wasn't the case in this two-Test series.

Bangladesh have plenty of positives to take from this 0-0 draw. Their never-say-die attitude has been awe-inspiring throughout, with the emergence of Mominul Haque being one of biggest gains. His boldness and ice-cool temperament worked like a spell of calmness for the middle-order. He has made the number four position his own through sheer skill, talent and right attitude. His gutsy display throughout the two Tests instilled confidence in his team-mates that they can face up to the New Zealand challenge. Mominul built a strong foundation on which the others capitalised to turn the Test series into a step in the right direction for Bangladesh cricket. Very seldom have Bangladesh been seen to stay consistent throughout a Test series, and though it will be too early to pronounce that the ghost of inconsistency has been buried, Bangladesh can take a lot of heart from their collective performance.

Despite the lack of opportunity to play enough Test cricket and despite various unwanted situations on and off the field, Bangladesh's performance against New Zealand needs to be appreciated. Like the previous Test series against the Kiwis, this one had not been a jolly-bash but an evenly fought contest between two teams and it was all possible due to Bangladesh's newfound fighting spirit.

Well fought Bangladesh!

Note: This article has been published on Cricketnext.com on 26/10/2013 Well fought Bangladesh 

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Sohag Gazi - way to go

Corey Anderson, the New Zealand left-arm medium pacer leaped up in a big appeal for leg-before against Mominul Haque on which the umpire raised his finger to end one of the finest innings in the Bangladesh Test history, and with that, an inspirational 121-run stand between Mominul and Mushfiqur Rehman also came to an end. In the following over, Doug Bracewell dished out a snorter to remove Mushfiqur and as usual it hinted of another Bangladeshi collapse. There was Nasir Hossain at one end, famous for his cold-blooded destruction, but to script his thrilling knock he needed bold support

On most occasions, whenever the Bangladeshi tail wagged, Mahmudullah had been instrumental to its success. H used to come out to bat at either number seven or eight - maneuvered the strike with occasional aggression and carried on the hopes. Bangladesh always preferred to go with a specialist batsman at number eight to add depth to their batting, but in the Chittagong Test, Bangladesh decided not to follow this tradition to which they have stuck for 17 Tests since 2009. Mahmudullah was excluded and the faith was kept in Sohag Gazi's all-round abilities.

Gazi's batting prowess is well known in the domestic circuit, but in international cricket it has been his bowling that has caught more attention. At that critical juncture of Chittagong Test's third day's play, what Gazi needed was to provide solid support to Hossain's controlled aggression, but what we all witnessed was charisma from the Patuakhali man.

A mis-timed pull shot brought the end of Hossain and Bangladesh ended the third day 89 runs behind the Kiwis. On the fourth morning, Razzak departed early as well and a useful lead for the Kiwis was on the cards. But as time progressed, the Kiwis found it tough to overcome the Gazi's resolve. He took the Kiwi bowlers to the cleaners.

Pugnacious cover-drives, eye-catching upper and late-cuts, thumping slogs through mid-wicket and down the ground had the Kiwi bowlers baffled. Gazi and Robiul Islam brought up a critical partnership of 105 runs for the ninth wicket as Bangladesh took a lead in the first innings but most importantly Gazi brought up his hundred, bringing his batting into the spotlight.

The Gazi-show was not over yet! After his dogged hundred, he created history by grabbing a hat-trick in New Zealand's second innings. The Kiwis were looking to close out their innings soon after lunch as their batsmen started to score at a brisk pace. But Gazi's sudden spell of superb spin blowing delayed their declaration.

On a track which offered nothing for the spinners, Gazi started to make the ball talk. He first outclassed Brendon McCullum - castling him just as the Kiwis were building momentum after the lead had passed 200. In the following over, Gazi created havoc. Corey Anderson was first trapped lbw and then he followed it up with two absolute gems. BJ Watling, fresh from a first innings century, was up against a ripper that bounced sharply and an evasive Watling edged it to the wicketkeeper. Doug Bracewell came out to bat and deny Gazi a hat-trick, but a vicious arm-ball kissed the edge of Bracewell's bat, popping off the wicketkeeper's pad to slip, where Shakib Al Hasan held onto a one-handed effort, triggering rapturous celebration. A hundred, a five-wicket haul and a hat-trick - Sohag Gazi had created history. He became the first cricketer in the history of Test cricket to achieve such a feat even though, last year, in the domestic circuit, he did the same eye-popping act.

Gazi is indeed a special cricketer. He may not be as talented as Nasir Hossain or Mominul Haque, but his special characteristic is his appetite to work hard and the hunger to improve every day. Since his debut against the West Indies last year, Gazi has been the most improved cricketer amongst his team-mates. Still, though, he has a long way to go to cement himself into the team. But the way he has begun, the future looks bright and rosy.

Note: This article has been published on Cricketnext.com on 15/10/2013 Sohag Gazi - way to go

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Brilliant Bangladesh in Chittagong!

 

Whenever the Tigers start a Test series, ‘Who cares about Bangladesh?’ is the response which we, the fans, mostly receive from the non-Bangladeshi cricket followers across the world. Such a harsh response has been nothing surprising though as since their entry in Test cricket; the Tigers have hardly been impressive in this five-day format. Time and again, they have been mauled in the most shameful manner. Hardly had they exhibited the right attitude while playing Test cricket and thus, their credibility in Test cricket has always been questioned – critics never showed any sort of sympathy towards them.

But nothing is static in this world. With the change of time, the world changes as well. With the change of time, a novice turns into a good professional and in the course of time, Bangladesh are learning pretty well about how to cope with the intricacies of Test cricket. You will sit back and ask about why it’s taking that long, as it’s been thirteen years now and still Bangladesh haven’t achieved anything significant. Well, some don’t take that long to establish themselves while the others take the slow-and-steady-wins-race way to establish themselves. Bangladesh have taken the slow-and-steady way to establish themselves as a force in Test cricket.

As usual, the interest regarding the first Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand at Chittagong amongst the non-Bangladeshi cricket followers was at its lowest ebb. And as usual, the Bangladeshi cricketers were trolled in some of the cricket groups in Facebook. Towards the minnows, these fans are always too harsh but any response should always be welcomed and harsh criticisms should always be gifted with spirited displays. In Chittagong, Bangladesh did the same. 

The defiant last-wicket stand between BJ Watling and Trent Boult on the second day simply flattened the Bangladeshi bowlers. The Kiwis had posted a large total in their first innings and more often, Bangladesh are known to get unsettled whenever such huge totals are posted by the oppositions. Their start of the first innings was horrifying. In the twinkle of an eye, both the openers departed leaving the Bangladesh innings in tatters at 8-2. Entered Mominul Haque, the little boy from Cox’s Bazar who was picked ahead of the inform Naeem Islam and immediately Mominul shifted into fifth gear and started punishing the New Zealand attack with rare disdain.

Some of his offside stroke-play were eye-catching and reminded us of the great Kumar Sangakkara. As we all were left spellbound with Mominul’s scorching batting display, at the same time, the fear of Mominul’s short stay loomed large in our minds as well. As we all know that our batters come at the crease and start playing their strokes which seldom lasts long. But this time around, this didn’t happen. While Mominul was going all guns blazing at one end, at the other end, composure was provided by the debutante Marshall Ayub. A brisk but brief partnership was put and further damage was avoided.

In the third morning, Marshall and Shakib departed soon. We all started to fear another collapse. But a polished 121-run stand for the fifth wicket came up between Mominul and Mushfiq. Suddenly, Corey Anderson and Doug Bracewell removed Mominul and Mushfiq respectively. Mominul missed his double ton while Mushfiq was undone by a snoter from Bracewell. Another collapse was on the cards. But the gritty Nasir Hossain and Sohag Gazi settled down, avoided further collapse by notching up a 70-run stand for the seventh wicket. Nasir threw his wicket away at the fag end of the day with Bangladesh still trailing by a big margin.

On the fourth morning, Razzak departed soon with Bangladesh still trailing. A lead for the Kiwis was there on the takings but the Tigers made the Kiwis taste their own medicine as the Bangladeshi tail wagged and left the New Zealand bowlers mesmerized. Sohag Gazi notched up a cantankerous hundred while Robiul Islam provided the perfect foil to Gazi’s aggression with a steady 33. Bangladesh took a lead of 32 runs. A draw was expected but it didn’t happen without drama. On the final day, Sohag Gazi made the day historic by grabbing a hat-trick and became the first player in the history of Test cricket to score a hundred, grab a five-wicket haul and hat-trick in the same Test match. What more do you need in Durga Puja and Eid! It’s the perfect Durga Puja and Eid gift! 

Something has changed in the Bangladesh team. It’s in the batsmen’s temperament. In the past, big totals always unsettled our batsmen; solid partnerships were followed by ugly collapses while the promising knocks hardly flourished. But in Chittagong, we didn’t notice such to happen. The big totals hardly unnerved the Bangladeshi batsmen, solid partnerships, even though got broken, never invited any ugly collapses but more application had been provided to deny any further damage and we noticed the realization amongst our batsmen about when to attack the bowlers and when to show enough resilience. This is indeed a very positive sign for Bangladesh cricket. This indicates Bangladesh are slowly and steadily building itself as a force to be reckoned in Test cricket. Plenty of positives to be taken from Chittagong but complacency must be avoided in Mirpur and discipline in batting must be maintained.

Again, such performances also send world cricket a message that how important it is to allow the lower-ranked side to play more Test cricket. A few months ago, the Zimbabweans outclassed Pakistan but sadly, for a brief period of time, they will hardly be able to play any Test match cricket. This is pretty unfair. If you wish to develop cricket then let the development be not limited in arranging cash-rich tournaments like IPL, BPL or BBL and meaningless ODI series, but give everyone the fair amount of opportunity to play against the stronger nations more and more to develop themselves as a force in world cricket.

Note: This article has been published on Crickesoccer on 13/10/2013 Brilliant Bangladesh in Chittagong!

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Faisal Caesar

Bangladesh need discipline in batting against New Zealand

Three years ago, a strong New Zealand team came to Bangladesh to play an ODI series. During that time, the New Zealand Cricket Board asked the two-match Test series to be scrapped, and consequently the three-match ODI series was changed to a best-of-five rubber. New Zealand wanted to focus more on 50-over cricket at the time with the 2011 World Cup approaching. But to Bangladesh's anger, the Kiwis were scheduled to fly to India before the World Cup to play a three match Test series, which they did. Feeling robbed, the Tigers replied in a disdainful manner, hammering the Black Caps 4-0, with one match washed out. The victory lap by the hosts - led by Shakib Al Hasan - after the final ODI at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla stadium is a scene close to every Bangladeshi's heart, and the Tigers eye an encore three years later.

The Kiwis are in Bangladesh again. This time they will play a full series, starting with two Tests, followed by three ODIs and a solitary T20I. New Zealand have had the upper hand against Bangladesh in Test cricket. Since their first meeting in Test cricket in 2001-02, the Tigers have yet to beat New Zealand. Bangladesh had a golden opportunity to do that in 2008 when the Kiwis limped home to win by 3 wickets at Chittagong. In that first Test of the series, Bangladesh set New Zealand 317 to chase in the fourth innings and the visitors almost kneeled in front of Bangladesh spinners led by the enigmatic Shakib. But in the end, a much resilient Daniel Vettori and Daniel Flynn snatched victory from between the hosts' teeth. The two-match Test series ended 1-0 in favour of New Zealand.

The Tigers have improved by leaps and bound since then, but have failed to take their reasonable limited-overs success into the Test arena. Time and again they have shown signs of essaying glorious moments but most often failed to deliver the knockout punch, losing in the battle of temperament.

New Zealand's recent form in Test cricket is not intimidating. Since the start of this year, they haven't savoured a Test win. They had a disastrous series against South Africa in South Africa while against England in England their performance was simply horrifying. On the other hand, Bangladesh have a Test win under their belt this year and some braveheart performances against Sri Lanka to boost their confidence.

One area where Bangladesh have always lacked since becoming a Test nation is consistency and discipline in batting. And this is where the Tigers need to careful against the New Zealanders. Their batting has been the thorn in their flesh over the years and time and again, Bangladesh batsmen have blown away the hard work done by the bowlers.

Panic often sets in among Bangladesh willow-wielder, triggering a collapse which has become all too familiar a sight for the fans. Partnerships get broken, well-set batsmen gift their wickets and it spreads like an epidemic in the rest of the line-up leading to fatal results. Moreover, the tendency to score runs by depending too much on boundary-based batting and not maneuvering the strike has been Bangladesh's Achilles heel.

Most of our batsmen start playing adventurous strokes from the word go, which thrills for a transient period but never results in a rich harvest in Test cricket. Clearly, Bangladesh batsmen are yet to understand the meaning of 'occupying the crease'.

If Bangladesh wish to achieve the desired results against New Zealand, they need to ensure enough resolve in their batting. Without a doubt, Bangladesh spinners have the guile and ability to test the New Zealand batting order - which has always been susceptible on turning tracks. But the spinners' hard work will never be rewarded if our batting doesn't click as a unit.

New Zealand bowling, though without Daniel Vettori and Tim Southee, can't be undermined by any means. Trent Boult, Neil Wagener and Doug Bracewell are gritty customers and have the ability to fetch wickets. If Bangladesh don't pull themselves up, they will find it tough even against a slightly thin-looking Kiwi bowling unit.

Note: This article was published on cricketnext.com on 05/10/2013  Bangladesh need discipline in batting against New Zealand

Thank You

Faisal Caesar