Jamie focused on T20 World Cup
Ahead of the ICC World Twenty20, Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons has his eye more on the world cricketers playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) rather than his two charges -- Mohammad Ashraful and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza -- who are yet to make the first eleven.
"I'm looking more at the Indian players and the other world players and maybe looking for their weaknesses. I haven't been looking at Ash [Ashraful] and Mash [Mashrafe] and didn't have a chance to," said the Australian during the Tigers' first day's practice session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
The national cricketers got back to business after more than two weeks to prepare for the ICC World Twenty20 to be held in England in June. Besides captain Ashraful and his deputy Mashrafe, three more players were absent as pacer Nazmul Hossain and opener Imrul Kayes have been suffering from jaundice while wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Mithun is taking his HSC examinations.
Siddons was hopeful about his two charges' chances of playing in South Africa, but the shaven headed coach was not happy with the number of Bangladeshis participating in the high-profile Indian T20 competition.
"If they get a game or two, I'm sure they will become a part of the team. I know there is a lot of competition within their teams," he opined.
"It's a little bit unfair that our boys are not getting games in the IPL because at least our top five players could be there and something has to be done from the board's end," said Siddons.
After postponement of Pakistan's tour of Bangladesh, there was a long break for Siddons and he said that he made good use of the time by chalking out strategies and plans for the T20 World Cup.
"I didn't have free time at all, bearing in mind that the T20 World Cup is not far away and I have been working out strategies and plans on how we are going to go about implementing our plans for the World Cup. No break for me and the boys had had time off since the end of the Premier League," he informed.
The Tigers coach was also happy with the preparation schedule, especially expressing his satisfaction over the PCL (Port City League) which will kick off on May 2 in Chittagong.
"I think it's a fantastic idea no matter where it is played. Our preparation schedules ahead the World Cup look fantastic, so there will be no excuses once we get to England. The lead up to the WC looks great," he said.
Siddons was also satisfied with his boys' performance in the recently concluded Premier Division Cricket League.
"I think it was in the Super League that the cream started to come out of the milk. That is our national players started showing that they were the better players in the league. They were making 100s and picking up wickets and I was particularly happy with Ashraful's performance. They probably should have dominated the early part of the league lot more but I'm happy that they played good cricket by the end of the tournament," he explained.
Bangladesh, who have been pitted in Group A along with defending champions India and Ireland, made it to the second round in the first T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007 and it didn't put any pressure on the Bangladesh coach.
"I don't want to think what has happened in the past, we have now got a totally different team. Some of the boys this time around were not part of the national outfit before so it's a different team," he observed.
In reply to a question Siddons said that Kolkata Knight Rider coach John Buchanan's multiple captaincy theory might work for his team too.
"I have a similar sort of plan for our boys too. I do see some merit in it, maybe it helps to take some pressure off Ashraful, maybe if Shakib and Mashrafe could share a bit of responsibilities. I see a bit of merit in it, because of our skipper's inexperience but it needs the board's approval and we haven't got that yet," he defended.
"We have a good leadership group. There is enough pressure in the team like talking to you guys [journalists] after every win or loss. So if we go for the multiple captaincy, that can help Ashraful because some pressure will be taken off him," he elaborated.
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