MCC versus BangladeshSports Reporter
Marylebone Cri-cket Club (MCC) get the chance of testing the streng-th of Bangladesh for the first time on their tour when they take on the hosts in a three-day match, starting at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.
Weather permitting, the First Class match kicks off at 9:30 am with both the state-run electronic media-- Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar--providing live coverage from the big bowl.
This would be their fourth match since they arrived in Dhaka on January 10 on a three-week tour. The first two matches-- a three-day affair against BCB President's Eleven in Rajshahi and a four-day encounter against Dhaka Metro-politan Eleven played at the Bangabandhu National Sta-dium last week--ended in dull draws. The visitors got a big boost before their important match against the national team when they beat BCB Eleven by six wickets in a limited-over match at the Jessore Stadium on Sunday.
The four-day match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium last week was supposed to be held between Bangladesh national team and the visitors. But because of the cricketers' boycott, BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) was forced to field an inexperienced side under the banner of Dhaka Metropolitan Eleven.
Thanks to the intervention Board president Saber Hossain Chowdhury, the agitating players withdrew their boycott on Saturday and went to play in the one-dayer in Jessore.
With the crisis now over, leading cricketers are hoped to make the matches against the tourists more interesting. This three-day match however holds extra significance as far as Bangladesh's Test bid is concerned. It has been particularly organised to enable the visiting ICC (International Cricket Council) inspectors have a close look at Bangladesh's playing standard.
The team comprising three former Test players-- Nasimul Ghani of Pakistan, Andy Pycroft of Zimbabwe and Graham Dowling of New Zealand, was supposed to see the national team in action in the last week's four-dayer, but failed to do so because of players' strike. Having the inspection on cricketing facilities done, Pycroft however left for Harare in Saturday night.
The Board had to cancel two scheduled limited-over matches in Chittagong and Dhaka to organise the match for the ICC fact-finders.
Meanwhile, national skipper Aminul Islam, who led the BCB Eleven to the crushing six-wicket defeat in Jessore, appeared adamant to stage a turnaround against the combination of English county cricketers.
"We had a little bit of co-ordination problems in Jessore as I had four young boys in the side. But now I've got my full strength back. I am looking forward to winning this match," said Aminul after having a three-hour long net at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in the morning yesterday.
He however admitted that much was depending on his bowlers to do well in the match. "The bowlers have to give their best as we need to bowl them out twice in three days," he added.
His batting line-up meanwhile seems to be a bit weaker in absence of in-form middle-order batsman Akram Khan. The former national captain is now attending his ailing elder brother in Chittagong.
Opener Mehrab Hossain, overlooked by the selectors in the 14-man squad, has been called up in place of Akram, Aminul revealed. He, however, refused to name the playing eleven saying that it would be decided after inspecting the pitch in the morning.
MCC skipper min Patel on the other hand looked pretty confident yesterday.
Talking to the reporters at his hotel lobby last evening, the Kent all-rounder said that his team wanted to remain on the winning way that started in Jessore.
MCC are to make one change in the squad that played in Jessore, said Patel. Opener Bill Athey will be replaced former Australian Test all-rounder Tony Dodemaide.
Bangladesh umpire Nadir Shah and English umpire John Hampshire will officiate the match.
TEAMS
Bangladesh: Aminul Islam (captain), Khaled Masood, Jave-d Omar, Shahriar Hossain, Mehrab Hossain, Habibul Ba-shar, Al-Shahriar, Naimur Rahman, Khaled Mahmud (wicketkeeper), Enamul Hoque, Hasibul Hossain, Monjurul Islam, Fahim Muntasir and Shafiuddin Ahmed.
MCC: Min Patel (captain), Paul Nixon, Bill Athey, Ma-tthew Wood, Will House, Ben Smith, Anthony McGrath, Ri-chard Johnson, Ryan Sidebottom, Gary Yates, Mark Boocock, Neil Killeen, Barry Hyam and Tony Dodemaide.
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