'One of the best places'
Stuart Law said yesterday that he came here to add some value. The Australian arrived in the capital on Monday night to work with the Bangladesh Under-19 team as a technical adviser. The former Australia middle-order batsman was the head coach of the Tigers from June 2011, but he resigned less than ten months into the job and during his tenure Bangladesh reached the final of the Asia Cup for the first time in 2012.
However, the short stint was good enough for the 46-year-old coach to get emotionally attached to Bangladesh cricket and that's why he first expressed his excitement over the Tigers' recent successes while he was talking to reporters at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
Saying that he was looking forward to getting involved with the future of Bangladesh cricket, Law said: "It has been really exciting the way Bangladesh have been playing cricket for the last 12 months. I am sure the young fellows would want to emulate their heroes. I am very privileged and happy to be part of it.
"I watched them pretty closely, particularly in the World Cup when they had a couple of games in my home town of Brisbane. I am following the team's progress as much as I can and I am following them on Facebook. I congratulated them and when they are in good form it's pleasing to see," he continued.
When he was questioned regarding the 2012 Asia Cup final match, it seemed that Law preserved his best words for his former charges.
"It was pleasing to see, not for me, but for the players that have gone through a bit of a struggle trying to find their place in the national team. All of a sudden they started to believe that they could play at that level, the level of the Sri Lankans, Indians and they went on to beat every team after that. If you look back, they should have even won the games that they ended up losing. The eventual loss to Pakistan, they should have won that easily. I believe if we were playing that tournament now, Bangladesh would be odds-on favourites to win it," he said in tribute to the Tigers' current form.
"Bangladesh is now one of the best countries when it comes to playing cricket. You've got a huge population base to choose from, but you only need eleven players and there should be eleven good ones out of hundred and sixty million. The pressure is there but you get great rewards and great satisfaction from doing well at that level. And they can make it if they are willing to work hard at that level," he continued.
The expectation is very high from the Under-19 team which has been going through a good time, but BCB hired the high-profile coach as they are looking forward to glory in the Youth World Cup to be held at home in January-February next year. Law was very much aware about the expectation and he exuded confidence regarding the success but also tempered expectations saying, "To make any team a champion is quite a difficult challenge and it's not all down to one person."
Referring to his experience of working with Australia's Under-19 team Law said, "It's a different challenge to get a player who's between the ages of 16 to 19, to offer them advice and see them take it on board and put it in practice."
And the obvious question was what would be his role during 16-week stint with the team. "I am not here to change anything and I am not here to come in and say you do it that way or this way. I am going to assist and enhance the system as it is at the moment. They have got the plan in place and I am here to add value to that plan, not change it. I am looking forward to seeing them playing a good brand of cricket," he said, making his position clear.
Comments