Team Tigers is on the verge of yet another series white wash. They played four matches so far in the South Africa tour. Got comprehensive white wash in two matches test series, lost two ODI by huge margin. In none of the four matches Bangladesh could put any resistance at all.
Defeated, dejected team tigers would appear again at Buffalo Park East London to play the third and final ODI. It is nothing but playing for pride. Can team tiger put together their acts and salvage pride out of it?
Whatever might have been the outcome of the test and ODI series so far Bangladesh is far better side. They bowl better, bat much better and field much more smartly. But were they at all prepared for playing against high quality opposition on the entirely different surfaces?
The South Africa tour did not happen all on a sudden. BCB knew it from much earlier. Bangladesh spends huge money for paying the expensive coaching stuff. Even the selection committee is not voluntary job. Everyone in the process knew what kind of wickets Bangladesh will find in South Africa. Yet the team was not prepared accordingly. All team from the sub continent faces similar ordeals in South Africa. Yet they recover after sometime as the experienced coaching stuff mentor them appropriately, fine tune the playing members.
Bangladesh started on the wrong foot. The most important Bangladesh player Shakib Al Hasan wanted to skip the test series in the excuse of too much cricket and was granted. Smart Shakib avoided the series humiliation. His presence would not have made lot of difference. But still having the top all rounder in the team would have boosted the team morale.
The team chemistry was not positive at all. Captain Mushfiq did not have usual freedom dealing with his team. He fancies three roles batting, leading and wicket keeping. He was stripped off his keeping duty. He was heavily dictated. Team decided to field after winning the toss even on flat surfaces.
Bangladesh did not bowlers to test strong South African batting. Yet on flat surfaces and sun shining Bangladesh let South Africa first use of wicket and faced the arduous task of defending against huge South African total in two tests. In the first innings of the first test few batsmen got start but inexperience of playing long innings against quality bowling cost them. No batsman could convert good start to long innings. Bangladesh lost the match by huge margin when in the second innings Bangladesh crumbled like cookies.
In the second test Bangladesh had to play without Tamim. The story was even more pathetic. Batsmen showed their lack of skills of playing sharp short deliveries aimed at rib cage. Many thought some other players like Enamul Bijoy, Shariar Nafees, Naeem Islam could better fit in the test squad as they continue scoring tones of runs in domestic cricket. We are not sure about it as they also play in low slow domestic wickets.
Any way Bangladesh suffered the ignominy of innings defeat and embraced comprehensive series white wash. We witnessed wholesale criticism of captaincy of Mushfiq by responsible persons. Did he have the required freedom? Was he not heavily dictated? Bangladesh batted poorly and bowled like novice school boys. They proved no match for the highly skilled South Africans making merry against soft opposition.
Anyway Mashrafe, Shakib, Nasir and Saifuddin joined ODI squad. A new start and better performance was expected. But there were hardly any improvement seen. Bangladesh batting first in the first ODI on a batting friendly surface failed putting up challenging target. But shockingly the bowlers failed to dislodge their opening partners de Cock and Amla cruising to 10 wickets win and record first wicket partnership. Relieved Mushfiq though scored unbeaten century.
Some improvement in bowling was seen in the second ODI when Mashrafe opted to field. Shakib brought early break through. But Bangladesh made never to be done all costly let off hungry wolf AB de Villiers not yet settled at the wicket. They were badly bruised, batted and blown away by ABD Tsunami. He single handedly crushed team tigers with his highest ODI score. Bangladesh while chasing could hardly cope up with the high asking rate and lost by 104 runs. Series already gone.
No one will expect Bangladesh winning the last ODI yet much better contest can be expected. With Mushfiq keeping again would suggest playing Mominul at number three.
We are not sure whether gambling with Soumya again as opener would pay off. Taskin is looking out of touch. Saifuddin may be given another opportunity. Bangladesh will have to improve in all departments of the game to match far superior South Africa.
There can be logical post mortem of the series. But one thing for sure team tigers was not prepared at all for the series. They played two tests against Australia on low slow turning tracks. Coaching stuff had no clue of the type of wickets and conditions. There was hardly any opportunity for acclimatizing with the conditions.
You can not expect wheel chair ridden persons climbing the Mount Everest. Moreover, the captain and the test team were controlled remotely by inept team management. Mushfiq did not do much wrong in voicing protest.
Hope team tigers at Buffalo Park can chase the Proteas for a hunt.
BDST: 1001 HRS, OCT 21, 2017
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