Muddled tactics from Bangladesh

Once again South Africa are slaying the Bangladesh bowling attack. Following the 400+ opening stand that Smith and MacKenzie put on in 2007, this time it was Smith and Amla who took the score to 299-1 at the end of a rain-reduced first day.

Of course Mohammed Ashraful, the Bangladesh captain, can do nothing about the lack of talent at his disposal but he and Jamie Siddons, the coach, can at least work out the most appropriate tactics for the match. And in this case that didn't mean winning the toss and fielding first.

If you assess Bangladesh and South Africa man for man, the only possible area that Bangladesh have an advantage is their spinner. Shakib Al-Hassan is only 21 and averages 37 with the ball in his 8 Tests to date, but he's coming off a confidence boosting 7 wickets in an innings in his last series v New Zealand. And judging by the way he was turning the ball square on the first day, he can tweak it a bit (he should have had Smith stumped if the keeper hadn't been done by the huge turn in the same way as Smith was).

So what Ashraful should have done was bat and allow his most likely match winner last use of the pitch in the 4th innings if the batsman could take things to a 4th innings. Only one of the most seam friendly wickets ever or the strangest of thinking could lead any sane person to an alternative conclusion.

Happy Slapping: Part II

Further to Ed's post about the fine received by Mohammad Ashraful for slapping a spectator, it seems that the Bangladeshi captain is not the only cricketer with a tendency to let his palms do the talking! Never far from controversy these days, Harbhajan Singh has just been suspended pending an inquiry into claims he slapped Sree Santh during a recent IPL game between Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab team.

According to the BBC, "TV pictures showed Santh crying at the end of the game, which his side won." Bless.

Happy slapping Bangladesh captain

This story had almost passed me by. It seems that nearly a month ago Ashraful slapped a spectator who told him he was rubbish. Imagine the media response if an England captain did that?!!

A question for sports quiz goers

Question: Name the Test match bowler who took a wicket with a ball that bounced twice in 2008?

Answer: Russ and James were both correct with the answers they gave in their comments. Mohammad Ashraful took the wicket of AB de Villiers on day 2 of the recent Bangladesh v South Africa Test with a ball that bounced twice. de Villiers hung around but as any social cricketer knows(!) the ball must bounce 3 times to be deemed a no ball.

Ashraful named Bangladesh captain

Habibul Bashir has lost the captaincy of Tests as well as ODIs in Bangladesh after the Bangladeshi board announced 22-year old Mohammed Ashraful as captain in both forms of the game. They have also named Mushrafe Murtaza as vice-captain.

Ashraful has been around for a long time after bursting onto the international scene with a century on debut against Sri Lanka shortly after his 17th birthday. Subsequently he's played some great innings, such as his century in Cardiff against the Australians in 2005, taking Bangladesh to an unlikely victory, but his form has been so patchy that he's been dropped more than once since he first broke into the side.

He has undoubted talent and the selectors must be hoping that the additional responsibility will improve his shot selection which has at times been found wanting, as his batting average of less than 25 in both forms of the game shows. He has a lot to prove.