BANGLADESH DIARY 18

Bogra, 3rd day: Bangladesh A 152, England A 251-8 dec

March 3: The Bangladesh ninth wicket put on 66 before the promising wicketkeeper Sahagir Hossain ‘Pavel’ was well caught at short leg by Alex Loudon clipping a Stuart Broad ball off his pads. The pitch was desperately slow and low, and England could not take command with the bat. Nick Compton batted intelligently, taking clusters of singles on his way to 92 off 181 balls -- rapid fire on this strip.

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Will Jefferson failed to cash in on an early escape when his pull shot seemed to have been caught on the boundary, the fielder Nazmul Hossain having to throw the ball inwards to prevent a six. Mike Yardy was run out for the second time in successive matches, this time failing to make a risky second run. Matt Prior (37) hit only two boundaries in his 95 balls, top-edging a sweep into his face on the way, and Steve Davies caught the eye with his placement ability – his 39 off 67 balls was good going.

For me, riding to the ground by rickshaw past the paddy fields on such a glorious sunny morning was a pleasure, and it was a pity the cricket was dull for long stretches. The Liverpool versus Manchester United match was shown live on ESPN in the evening, though a power cut wiped out transmission for the last 10 minutes. So everyone missed United’s winning goal.

BANGLADESH DIARY 17

Bogra, 2nd day: Bangladesh A 121-8 (later 152 all out)

March 2: There was probably more action in the first over of this game at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium than in two days of the previous match in Dhaka last weekend. The Bangladesh opener Jahurul Islam ‘Omee’ left two outswingers from Stuart Broad and was then castled by an inswinger, the third time he had been shot out in the first over by the Englishman in three matches. Still in the first over, two balls later, a mix-up left the non-striking opener Mehrab Hossain stranded in mid-pitch, but Nick Compton threw to the populated end and Will Jefferson’s under-arm to the other wicket was missed by Broad as Mehrab made his second survival sprint. There were a few wry smiles in the field.

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Play did not start until the afternoon after the loss of the first day to rain, but the action continued on a sweated, grassy pitch, watched by a small crowd augmented by many of the 180 armed police and the Bangladesh Rifles militia deployed for security at the ground. Good accurate seam bowling undermined the innings, with Tim Bresnan holding two slip catches, including a dive to his right to take a snicked drive by Marshal Ayub.

The other England highlight was a slick run-out when Michael Carberry attacked a push into the covers and Steven Davies took the bails with wonderful speed and skill. A revival led by Sagir Hossain ‘Pavel’ was small compensation for the Bangladeshis.

On the way back, as darkness fell, my rickshaw was forced into the gutter by the police car escorting the England team bus back to the hotel. Thought better of a V sign to the lads in case I got arrested.  

BANGLADESH DIARY 16

March 1: The first day of the match at Bogra was washed out by persistent English-style rain, and I had a chance to chat to Tushar Imran, the experienced Bangladesh batsman, in the Naz Garden Hotel restaurant. The topic was black dirt.

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Tushar, a Test player outstanding against the counties in the 2005 A tour, picked out Alex Loudon as the most difficult bowler he faced in the four-day defeat by England A in Dhaka last weekend. He reckoned the black soil on the Mirpur square had made Alex Loudon’s doosra difficult to detect. The jet-black dust on his fingers helped disguise the spin. Tushar said: “His hand was so black I simply couldn’t see his grip. He was smart.” The Bangladesh A captain was dismissed twice by the Warwickshire off-spinner, who took five wickets in the second innings.

The dark Mirpur square is unique in Bangladesh and most likely in the world. An extra half-hour will be added on each subsequent day at Bogra, but England will be difficult to beat, even though the pitch at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium is orthodox brown.

Took another rickshaw trip into town to do a little shopping. Bogra had been pleasant in the sunshine yesterday. In the wet it was more like a hell-hole with mud and puddles everywhere. Two correction pens, a new leather watch strap, two large packets of biscuits and a newspaper set me back about £1-80.

Received a call from Chris Florence to do an interview for BBC World Service on Bangladesh cricket, for broadcast in a magazine programme this weekend. Chris: “Hello, Charlie, everything OK?” Me: “I’m in Bogra at the moment.” Chris: “Oh, I’ll ring back in a few minutes.” Me: “Blimme, that was quick. What’s happening?” Chris: “Surely you can’t talk if you’re on the loo.”
Later: “Damn I wish I had had that on tape.”

BANGLADESH DIARY 15

Feb 28: Interviewed Shaun Williams, the Bangladesh national cricket development manager, who is one of a group of Australians employed to shape cricket strategy on the Australian model. The question of whether Bangladesh are worth Test status is easily answered – there is no turning back now. The investment of money and other resources has been enormous. The country’s first class four-day championship, in its fourth year, is currently being fought between six divisional sides, excluding those players in the World Cup or on duty for the A side against England. There are more than 100 full-time professionals on the circuit, 20 of them centrally contracted to the BCB.

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All the high-performance and development ‘corporate’ infrastructure is in place, including a fine national academy at Savar churning out good, physically fit players. Bangladesh might be low in the Test ladder, but they are streets ahead of the minor nations such as Kenya, Holland and Scotland -- and Zimbabwe for that matter.

Williams said to me today: “The BCB are very supportive to having outside ideas come in, which has been encouraging for all of us. That’s why we’re here. I think the BCB are moving forwards, but it all takes time. If you look at all the other countries, they’ve been going for years and years, in England’s case more than a hundred. Bangladesh is basically five years old in terms of international cricket.

"Having seen the growth and seen the interest explode, I think to take Test status away from Bangladesh would be a massive step backwards for cricket in general. Cricket needs to grow. If we just want to have eight teams playing international cricket against each other for ever, then fine, but if we’re trying to expand the game globally to places like Bangladesh that have a major foothold in cricket, then why not.

“I do understand ex players saying standards are dropping and that it’s not right for records and so on. I do understand that. However we have to look at the broader picture and that is ‘let’s grow the game’. If you take Test status away, the game won’t grow here. The interest is very good here. Bangladesh can improve. They are improving.”

My own view now is that this Test issue is a no-brainer. There are at least three excellent international venues in Bangladesh, they have a proper first class structure after years of hesitation and the players confronting England A are fitter, more competitive and more sophisticated than in 1999, when I last toured here. An old Bangladesh team, on losing five wickets on the first morning of a four-dayer, as at Mirpur last week, would have packed their bags within three days. This Bangladesh A side fought to the bitter end and finished distraught at losing in the final over.

Bangladesh, as Williams conceded, lack powerful seam bowlers. Mortaza is one at the World Cup, but he lacks quality support. Otherwise they are well equipped. They pushed the Australians close in a Test at Fatullah last year, with Shahriar Nafees hitting a century. Certainly it will take years before Bangladesh are competitive in a Test abroad, but Sri Lanka went through such doubts 25 years ago, and they have at least won the World Cup. That is more than England have achieved.  

BANGLADESH DIARY 14

Feb 27: Took a tuk-tuk to have a look at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium, located next to an amusement park. It became the newest of the world’s Test venues when Sri Lanka visited in March last year and won by 10 wickets, though Bangladesh beat them in two one-dayers here. It’s a lovely ground. On the way back I wanted to buy batteries for my tape recorder and held up the empty packaging to the driver, saying “batteries, batteries”. And he drove me straight to the hospital. It was new and rather a handsome building actually, but not what I had in mind.

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Took a pedal rickshaw past paddy fields and down a quiet lane to the town centre. There were lovely old buildings there, a colonial courthouse, a British-built grammar school, and even the prison with its high brick wall looked kinda neat. Above all the main street was dominated by rickshaws gliding around like swans instead wall to wall motor traffic. In fact there were hardly any cars and very few buses and tuk-tuks. The only problem was that nobody really spoke English. I thought sign language was international until… batteries, batteries.

BANGLADESH DIARY 13

Feb 26: The England A tour party moved on by coach mid-morning to their next destination, Bogra, a small town about fours hours to the north west of Dhaka. Very kindly the management offered me a lift, though when this is read at Lord’s no doubt a bill will be dispatched my way. The Bangladesh Cricket Board have spared no effort or expense to make the tour as safe and enjoyable as possible. Once again the team bus had police outriders to assist progress through traffic, and an armed escort vehicle was provided, in relays, all the way to Bogra. Very good for the ego. A couple of minutes after joining the traffic in Dhaka we could see a plume of black smoke ahead at Karwan Bazar not far from the Sheraton, and a fire tender, with flashing lights and full siren, was stuck solid in the traffic alongside us.

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Another fire engine made better progress down the wrong side of the dual carriageway. Later at Bogra, television news showed that we had seen the early stages of a terrible, violent fire in a 10-storey office block, destined to last eight hours. Three deaths were reported and about 50 injured. More than a thousand people were evacuated, and Bangladesh’s first helicopter rescue was attempted.

The coach journey was uneventful after Dhaka, a long haul across the vast floodplain to the Japanese-built toll bridge, replacing the old ferry. The bridge, road and rail, was three miles of arches over the River Jamuna, linking Dhaka to the rice fields and agriculture of the Bogra region. At the Naz Garden Hotel the staff politely did not distinguish the press from the arriving cricket party. I was greeted by smiles and a bunch of flowers as I stepped off the coach. As usual the massive physical presence of these England A players did not fail to cause comment.

BANGLADESH DIARY 12

Mirpur: Bangladesh A 209 & 279 (Jahurul Islam 87, Tushar Imran 62, A Loudon 5-76), England A 359 (A Loudon 71, M Carberry 70) & 130-5 (19.4 overs; M Prior 50). England won by 5 wkts

Feb 25: England A inflicted an ‘Adelaide’ on their Bangladesh counterparts by pinning them down, bowling them out and knocking off the runs in a last session Twenty20 blitz – a startling contrast to the attritional days hitherto.

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Alex Loudon had a wonderful match at Mirpur. He top-scored in the first innings and took five crucial wickets in the Bangladesh second innings, with his right hand black from rubbing it on the square’s unusual black soil. Bangladesh suffered from a touch of the last-day jitters when a silly run-out over a possible second and two wickets in two balls by Graham Onions just before lunch suddenly threatened their security. Half an hour after the interval their lead was only 54 with seven wickets down, and Loudon pinned the classy Tushar Imran lbw for 62 before he could steer his side clear of trouble.
England’s chase after 130 in 20 overs was given the perfect start by Matt Prior, sweeping the spinners to death and then driving into the gaps that field changes had left. His 50 in 52 balls was a superb effort. This guy can play. The others fitted in well, and it was Loudon who calmly drove his first ball for four when the target was eight off the last five balls.
 
Bangladesh were worthy opponents, and on reflection their defeat could be traced back to the first morning, when Stuart Broad and Onions nipped out five batsmen before lunch on a seaming pitch. It would have been unthinkable even four years ago for Bangladesh to field a youthful second string against any side of English professionals. The fact they competed strongly in fitness and skill at Mirpur illustrates the progress this country had made. The main problem is that their seam resources lack depth in support of Dollar Mahmud so that the window offered by the big-swinging new ball is not exploited.

BANGLADESH DIARY 11

Feb 24: Bangladesh A 209 & 137-1, England A 359.
Bangladesh A fought back well, mainly through Jahurual Islam ‘Omee’, the bloke that Stuart Broad kept getting out in the first over. He played straight for his 87 and looked secure, taking runs when he could on a slow, lifeless Mirpur pitch. Apparently more grass had been left on the track for a senior one-day international against Zimbabwe and the ball did too much.

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This time the groundsman must have decided to play safe. The dead pitch produced dull cricket. Omee was dropped on 71 at extra cover by Nick Compton, when Michael Yardy tempted a drive, and he finally edged a doosra from Alex Loudon. His opening partner Mehrab Hossain batted through the 63 overs for 41 not out (and was lbw to Loudon the following morning on the same score).
In the morning Loudon played some thumping drives, including a six to extra cover that hit the boundary rope flush so that the ball bounced back into the field. He made 71 off 128 balls.

In the evening I watched Fulham lose at homet 2-1 to Manchester United on ESPN channel in my room. Felt guilty, almost, watching live Saturday afternoon football like this. By the way, tuk tuk men must be the most skilled drivers, bar none, sniping through traffic to gain every possible inch. I have every respect for them.

BANGLADESH DIARY 10

Dhaka tuk-tuk driver arrives home and collapses with grunt into armchair.

Mrs Tuk-tuk: “Had a good day, dear?”
Tuk-tuk: “My bloody wrist aches from changing gear a million times, I almost killed about 22 people today and nearly got killed myself eight times. My throat is stinging from those bus fumes and my eyes hurt.”
Mrs Tuk-tuk: “Oh good, you’re much better then.”

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Tuk-tuk: “Yeah. Could have been a lot worse. My hands don’t stink of that old two-stroke oil-petrol mix any more. These CNG vehicles are much cleaner. Compressed natural gas is a great fuel.”
Mrs Tuk-tuk: “Traffic not too bad?”
Tuk-tuk: “Had this white geezer in the back today. Kept throwing his arm up in front of his face. Could see it out the corner of my eye, up and down like a bloody semaphore. Even put his hands over his eyes once, but pedestrians understand the rules – just keep walking. If they hesitate, everyone’s up the spout.
Mind you, it was a bit annoying when a pedal rickshaw, loaded with bananas, came up the fast lane wrong way near the Houses of Parliament. That’s the only quick bit. I admit my attention got distracted by the bananas when a car decided to stop and turn left in front of me. Tested my brakes a bit, that one. The white geezer’s knees hit the metal safety rail. Can’t understand English, but it sounded tasty.
Mrs Tuk-tuk: “I asked how the traffic was, dear. Why don’t you listen sometimes?”
Tuk-tuk: “Pretty stuck on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue. In fact we were stationery, completely jammed for about 10 minutes, absolutely not moving, quite near the Sheraton Hotel, with a bus belching out bloody fumes next to the cab. Our geezer wanted to walk, but the bus and a van were so close either side he couldn’t even get out.”
Mrs Tuk-tuk: “Just as well it was the weekend Friday holiday then.”
Tuk-tuk: “Yea, that’s right. The traffic was pretty good.”

MIRPUR, 2nd day: Michael Carberry managed to run his captain out, but at least he stayed out there and grafted to a good score. The Hampshire left-hander pushed to midwicket, shaped to move and then sent Mike Yardy back. Completely stuffed, as they say in cricket.
Bangladesh A 209, England A 268-6 (Carberry 70, Jefferson 38, Davies 37). Following morning 359 all out, with Alex Loudon making 71.

BANGLADESH DIARY 9

Feb 22: Bangladesh A 209 all out. England 0-0. England A start their opening first class match at Mirpur very well. Bangladesh A decide to bat in a pitch with early life and lose five for 45 before lunch. Stuart Broad nips out a wicket in his first over again – it just had to be his double victim from Savar, and it was.

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Graham Onions, less quick and more predictable, seams and swings the ball to have the other opener caught at first slip and Nasir Uddin, the No 3, caught behind. All the England seamers look dangerous, but they have to toil as the strip eases. Tushar Imran, dropped twice early on, leads his team’s resistance. He is compact, powerful and well organised, but above all he seems to have the right temperament, reading the tempo perfectly. Other batsmen became restless under pressure and get themselves out – the problem with Bangladesh’s lack of grounding in long-form cricket. No surprise to know that Imran had an outstanding A tour of England in 2005, the trip when Michael Yardy made his 257 against them for Sussex.

Wicketkeeper Sagir Hossain, impressive at Savar, has been given his chance after Khaled Masud’s withdrawal, upset at being omitted from the World Cup squad. Hossain, with a willowy build, crafts a mature 86 against quality bowling, and Masud will now have to start looking over his shoulder in the Test team.

When Alex Loudon comes on, Imran suddenly leaps out and drives his fourth ball for six, but Loudon wins the contest eventually. Imran’s concentration finally cracks when he holes out aiming a big drive. Hossain does the same to Michael Yardy, missing what would have been a thoroughly deserved century.