Bangladesh’s 1-0 defeat in the two-match Test series against visitors Sri Lanka has once again shed light on the often discussed need of first-class cricket culture in the country.
The hosts in both the matches –part of the World Test Championship – struggled and had to rely on individual heroics.
Bangladesh were able to finish the first Test, in Chittagong, in a draw following terrific batting display but couldn’t avoid a humiliating loss in the series decider in Dhaka.
Top-order batting failures in both the innings of the game at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium saw Bangladesh crumble to yet another Test defeat – by 10 wickets after having posted just 28 runs for the opposition to chase.
There have been wide discussions as to how Bangladesh suffered a heavy defeat given the difference in terms of Test experience with Sri Lanka isn’t vast.
However, the Sri Lankan cricketers are powered with vast experience in longer-version cricket with majority having played more than 100 first-class matches.
Bangladesh Cricket Board caters two first-class cricket tournaments – the National Cricket League with participation of the regional teams and a franchise-based four-team tournament.
However, as it happens the tournaments are left only to the domestic cricketers as most of the time the national team players are either busy with international commitment or are on leave citing personal reasons.
Only two cricketers in the Bangladesh Test team have experience of playing more than 100 first-class matches – Mushfiqur Rahim (127) and captain Mominul Haque (124).
Shakib al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal, two of the most experienced Test campaigners of the country, have 99 and 97 first-class games under their belt.
Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo believes the shift in longer-version cricket culture in the country will only take place on the back of good results in Tests.
“The cultural shift will only take place when you have some good results. The desire and want to play Test when we win a big Test series. Before this Test series, I challenged the guys [Bangladesh cricketers] if they ever won a Test against a top-tier nation besides Zimbabwe. The answer was no, they have never beaten any of the top sides. I thought the sides matched up evenly. We won the toss. We started badly, got into a good position. We let it slip once again. Until we start winning those big series, not just one-off Tests, the Test culture is going to struggle to go to the next level,” said Domingo.
“Even the smallest of things [can have positive impact]. It is the way capping ceremonies take place. It is the value that gets put on – whether monetary or status placed on a Test player versus a white-ball player. It is the crowds that attend, the media focus. There’s a lot more focus on white-ball cricket from every aspect, than there is in Test match cricket. It is a whole-hearted refurbishment that needs to take place around the Test match system,” he added.
The Bangladesh coach also highlighted the need of playing on good wickets rather than on those doctored to take home advantage and this practice doesn’t reduce the challenge when playing away from home.
Over the years the BCB has only emphasized and promised having sporting wickets in domestic competitions but have rarely executed the ambition.
“[Doctored wickets at home] might help you in a one-off Test match, but it is not going to help in the long-run development of the Test team. With all due respect to past Test, those may have hurt us going forward. When we get on good pitches, and I am a big advocate of playing on good pitches, we come second. If we feel that we have to doctor pitches, then we have no chance away from home. These two were good pitches. The reason they are not, is that they are so used to playing on bad pitches. Playing on good pitches will mean better development in the long run. I know everyone wants to win. I know a quick fix is them getting 100, we getting 110. But the team is not going to get better that way. I understand that those series were one-all, they didn’t win the series. It is a catch-22 situation,” said Domingo.
The Bangladesh cricketers are now on a nine-day long leave before heading to the West Indies.
The visitors during their more than month-long tour of the islands will play two Tests, three one-day internationals and as many T20Is.
The two Tests are part of the WTC but the ODIs are not of the World Cup Super League.
