Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 400 Wed. July 13, 2005  
   
Sports


Enamul raring to go


Off the field Enamul Haque Jr is an ever-smiling face. However since the Tigers' tour of England, the left-arm spinner has found it difficult to stay cheerful.

The 18-year old, hero of Bangladesh's first ever Test and Test series victory in January, went to England hoping to fulfil a child-hood dream of playing in the country where the game was born. However, it ended up as a frustrating trip for Enamul who returned home with just two warm-up appearances to show for.

"It was a long-standing dream to play a Test match in England, especially after my successful outing against Zimbabwe. I was excited at the prospect of playing at Lord's. But unfortunately that never happened," said the highly talented spinner who tore Zimbabwe apart in the two-Test series at home by claiming 18 wickets that included three five-fors on the trot.

Enamul was also not ready to accept that his bowling would not have proved effective in English conditions. That is why he is determined to set a few things straight

with his performance during the Bangladesh A team's tour to England starting under a week's time. The A team will take on different English county sides and Enamul is raring to go.

"I have a personal goal. I want to prove that I have the ability to trouble batsmen in any condition. I know the opponents will not be of

Test standard but I am not thinking about that," said Enamul who has played all his five Tests at home and has bagged 24 wickets.

Enamul said that the tour posed a special challenging for the bowlers after the main team's struggle in that department.

"Our bowling was not up to the mark during the two Tests and also in the one-day series in England so we have to work hard to be successful. We are going to face some tough county sides."

The Tigers' next major assignment is against Sri Lanka away from home but Enamul was just concentrating on England.

"Actually my place is always under pressure as there are two other senior left-arm spinners (Mohammad Rafique and Manjarul Islam Rana). But I am not too concerned with the Sri Lanka tour as I have full confidence in my bowling."

Enamul, who is a classical left-arm spinner who concentrates on loop, guile and turn, said that he was working on a 'special' addition to his arsenal.

"I have developed this particular delivery which will give me extra turn and I will try it out in England."

Enamul and his A team mates will re-join the camp at BKSP after a six-day break today and train there for two days under the supervision of coach Shaun Williams before flying for London on July 15.

Captain Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Nafees Iqbal and Tushar Imran, who recently returned from England will also attend the camp for the first time along with left-arm pacer SK Russel, who has come back from Australia after playing in the minor league in Darwin.

Another young talent who played with Russel in Darwin, left-handed batsman Mehrab Hossain Jr, replaced injured Aftab Ahmed at the last moment and was due in Dhaka last night.

Picture
ENAMUL HAQUE JR