Pace bowling a worry for Bangladesh

Bangladesh cricket boasts some exciting talents - some talented batsmen who possess the ability to strike gold and spinners who are undoubtedly part of the best in the business. But inconsistency undermines their gifted abilities and over the years a lack of quality pace bowlers has dented Bangladesh's chances majorly. Bangladesh just don't have the quality and quantity of pace bowlers able to fully utilize the new ball at will. In short, fast bowling has been a big worry.

In the ongoing series against Sri Lanka, the Bangladeshi batsmen and spinners, as usual, were in superb touch. But our pace bowlers have been horrible. They just didn't offer anything. The bowlers just ran in and bowled with a little sense about line and length. Their flirtation with the front foot was utterly irritating and the consistent production of juicy half-volleys simply puts a question mark over their selection in the Test side. Since Bangladesh's entry into Test cricket, other than Mashrafe Mortaza, this woeful bowling has been a familiar sight and this problem needs a remedy.

In my opinion, one of the most important hurdles in grooming pace bowlers in Bangladesh is the emergence of left-arm spinners as a lethal weapon and our sleepy wickets. With role models like Mohammad Rafique, Shakib Al Hasan, Enamul Haque Jnr and Abdur Razzak around, very few wish to become pace bowlers and even if they do aspire to bowl fast during their teens they cannot, as they get discouraged by the slow, low and flat wickets while playing in first-class matches. Wickets are a very important factor in grooming pace bowlers. The continuous production of dead tracks will never encourage the younger generation to take fast bowling seriously.

Moreover, the initiative to search for fast bowlers by the BCB is not praiseworthy at all. We had a pace bowling hunting program throughout the country almost seven or eight years ago. It might not have dished out exciting talents but not continuing such programs on a regular basis doesn't make any sense. Again, Bangladesh cricket's talent hunting should not stick around some major districts, but spread in the remote areas as well.

Strong physique, standard height and solid temperament are very important to becoming a fast bowler. One can find such qualities in the rural villages of Bangladesh. A few years ago, I visited my native village in Faridpur and witnessed a cricket match on the Komarpur High School Ground. Some of the tall and strong lads grabbed my attention with their run ups, approach towards the bowling crease, jump and rhythm. They had the pace and guile but they simply lacked the basic knowledge about fast bowling. These were farmers and when my father asked whether they wished to become cricketers, their parents denied by stating that cricket would not fetch them money and food.

I have only highlighted one village. I am sure this story is the same in the other rural parts of Bangladesh where talents and passion are getting wasted due to lack of opportunities and proper facilities.

In that case, pace-bowling hunting programs are a must. To pick up those talents, unbiased and special eyes are needed. Again, grooming those raw and unrefined talents should be done in a factory where top class facilities will be available. We have the BKSP here but for the production of fast bowlers Bangladesh need a national fast bowling academy. This academy should be run by fast bowling experts in the mould of Ian Pont, Dennis Lillee, Geoff Thomson, Andy Roberts or Wasim Akram.

I don't think the BCB has any financial drawbacks in establishing such academies and neither does Bangladesh government. The production of quality fast bowlers for better outcomes is an out and out necessary matter for Bangladesh. To pick up 20 wickets in a Test match you need quality in the pace bowling department. Relying only on a Shakib or Sohag Gazi will never bring the best results.

Note: This article has been published in cricketnext.com on April 6, 2013 Pace bowling a worry for Bangladesh

Thank You

Faisal Caesar