A gap of eleven years
On a sultry afternoon of April 2006 at Chittagong’s Zahur
Ahmed Cricket Stadium, Mohammad Rafique took guard to face Stuart Macgill’s
second ball of the 81st over. Australia were just one wicket away to complete a
whitewash. Macgill tossed the ball up as Rafique charged down the wicket to
have a go over the offside but failed to time it as the ball sailed into the
air and fell into the safe hands of Shane Warne at mid on. Australia beat
Bangladesh by an innings and 80 runs and completed a hectic season
successfully. They almost lost the first Test at Fatullah but that Bangladesh
of 2006 had to be satisfied only by winning hearts as the six-year old Test
nation showed signs of improvement. Australia hung onto a cliffhanger.
It was the last time Australia played a Test series against
Bangladesh. Since April 2006, the time has flown like the tides of river Padma
and in the twinkle of an eye, eleven years have passed. With the passage of
time, Bangladesh cricket advanced. After digesting a lot of setbacks and
humiliating defeats, the Tigers of 2017 can test the best in the business. The
appointment of Chandika Hathurusingha has changed the temperament of Bangladesh
cricket for whom ‘one step forward and two back’ is a matter of the past.
In these eleven years, Bangladesh played a Test series
against the big fishes of world cricket, but somehow, Australia, one of the big
shots of world cricket never bothered to face the Bangladeshi boys in white
clothes. While ICC’s Future Tour Programme (FTP) was active, the bilateral
clashes between Bangladesh and Australia were limited to 50-over matches only
and after the abolishment of FTPs, it seemed, Cricket Australia might take one
more decade to think about playing a Test series against Bangladesh.
Australia’s lack of interest
Competitiveness is one of the most important ingredients of
Australian cricket culture. The Kangaroos relishes tough challenges and don’t
wish to waste time playing against teams who fail to script competitiveness.
Perhaps, Cricket Australia and players were less interested in playing against
Tigers in five-day encounters because of the below-par performances of
Bangladesh, as till the start of three-match Test series against Zimbabwe in
2014, their display in Tests was disgraceful.
But then, there was the matter of lending a helping hand to
the strugglers. Being one of the best teams in world cricket, Australia,
England, South Africa and India have a moral duty to play against the below
ranked sides in Test cricket on a regular basis so that they can improve. In
case of teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, such sort of help was heavily
needed in the last decade. But the big fishes hardly bothered to stage a
bilateral Test series against these sides. Even though, India, South Africa and
England lend a helping hand in, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2015 Australia
showed no interest.
Edward Gough Whitlam, a friend of Bangladesh
But the scenario is completely different when the matter is
about trade, development and politics. Bangladesh and Australian Govt. Have
been enjoying a very healthy and productive relationship since the
independence. As a matter of fact, Australia played a very important role
during Bangladesh’s liberation war.
Australian Labour Party (ALP) Leader, leader of the
opposition, and Prime Minister Edward Gough Whitlam played a leading role in
building a bi-partisan consensus about Bangladesh as the leader of the
opposition in the Australian Federal Parliament in 1971. He also highlighted
the humanitarian sufferings in this region at the hands of the Pakistani
occupation forces and their local collaborators in 1971.
Australia was eventually the first Western country and
fourth in the world to officially recognise Bangladesh on January 31, 1972.
After being elected as the Prime Minister on 1973, Whitlam recollected the
bi-partisan and popular support for Bangladesh in a speech: “The previous
government’s prompt recognition of Bangladesh was warmly supported by the whole
of Australian people.”
Moreover, Whitlam served an invaluable role in lobbying with
the international community for Bangladesh to be recognised by the Commonwealth
and other countries. During the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in
August 1973 in Canada, Whitlam’s efforts paid off and Bangladesh was formally
welcomed to the organisation.
Whitlam played an important role in developing the
war-ravaged Bangladesh. In February 1973, Whitlam announced that Australia
would provide 190 Land Rover jeeps worth $750,000 to Bangladesh as part of the
Australian Aid Program. He also announced additional food aid to Bangladesh in
June 1973, bringing the total value to almost a million dollars in that
financial year.
Under Whitlam, Australia also supported the advancement of
Bangladesh Airways – Biman Bangladesh
Airlines after liberation. In June 1973, Australia provided two Fokker F27
200-seat passenger aircraft worth $950,000 allowing Biman to expand its
domestic and regional routes. In fact, Bangladesh named one of the aeroplanes
“City of Canberra” as a testament to the friendship between Australia and
Bangladesh.
The legacy of Whitlam is still continuing as according to
dfat.gov.au: Australia’s bilateral relationship with Bangladesh continues to
grow. Two-way trade exceeded $2.0 billion in 2015-16 on the back of sustained
growth in the Bangladesh economy. Australia is increasingly a preferred
education destination for Bangladeshi students. Our development partnership –
one of Australia’s largest – is long-standing.
The Australian Government is providing an estimated $57.9
million in total ODA to Bangladesh in 2017-18. This includes an estimated $42.1
million in bilateral funding to Bangladesh managed by DFAT.
Strangely, in cricket, the friendliness of Whitlam has
always been absent.
Cricket Australia postpones tour, Bangladesh becomes sad
In 2015, just before the tour was about to commence, Cricket
Australia declined to send their team in Bangladesh because of security
concerns. Sean Carroll, the security
manager for CA, met with the Australian High Commissioner in Bangladesh and the
Bangladesh government to discuss the whole issue. Despite the ongoing concerns
regarding the tour, Bangladesh announced their squad on September 28, 2015. On
October 1, 2015, CA officially postponed the tour and left Bangladesh stunned.
In 2016, Bangladesh suffered a horrible terrorist attack and
when the future of Bangladesh cricket was in a total turmoil, England stepped
forward to visit Bangladesh for a two-Test series. While the Aussies lacked the
friendly intent, England not only came to Bangladesh to complete the
formalities but made a strong fan base in this region as they love and respect
the English boys.
If a team declines to visit a country in need of help,
indirectly, he is helping the terrorists to smile. England’s visit was a
victory over global terrorism. In that sense, Australia should have toured two
years ago as they are a brave nation.
Finally, the Australians are in town
But thankfully, the Kangaroos have landed in Dhaka for a
Test series. Yet again, the tour was threatened by the chaos in Australian
cricketing fraternity regarding pay dispute. Nazmul Hassan, the smart and
courageous President of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), never gave up hope
about this tour and always maintained a diplomatic relationship with CA. His
efforts helped to go this tour ahead.
Bangladesh is the school life. It’s the land of mystery and
intrigue. One should not waste the opportunity of visiting this beautiful
country.
I can assure, the Australian cricket team, they won’t have
any dull moments in Bangladesh. It’s an amazing country to visit especially,
the passion about cricket among the people here is astonishing. They are a
crazy bunch of passionate fans but one thing for sure, they are not ugly and
the Australians would receive a lot of love from them.
Again, the Australians would be amazed by the hospitality of
Bangladesh. No matter wherever they would go in Dhaka and Chittagong, they
would be received like a friend, brother and son. Then, the natural beauty of
Bangladesh would always help them to calm their heart and mind.
After a week or so, the first Test will start and the people
of Bangladesh are expecting a cracker. At the same time, they don’t want this
to be the last Test series between the two countries of this decade but expect
a lot more friendliness from Cricket Australia regarding bilateral Test series
in upcoming days.
Steve Smith and his boys love competitive cricket and I can
guarantee, they would receive such from the Tigers and as a bonus, they will be
poured with a lot of love, affection and experience the passion about cricket
in Bangladesh.
Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer.com on 18/08/2017 Australia cricket team: Welcome to Bangladesh
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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