'Need to readjust our lengths'
If the words pace and bounce seem to have become buzzwords on Bangladesh's tour of South Africa, fans better get used to it because unless South Africa put out a flat track for the first Test on Thursday, the buzz is set to continue. This puts Bangladesh's inexperienced pace line-up on the spot and Rubel Hossain, with 24 Tests under his belt, is thrust into the role of senior pacer.
Unlike many of his colleagues, the 27-year-old Rubel has had experience of South Africa as he toured here as an Under-19 cricketer during the 2008 Youth World Cup.
"It's a beautiful country. We know pacers get help in South African conditions. It's the ideal place for fast bowlers. So I believe that if we, the pacers, can bowl in good areas with a proper plan, we will get success," he said yesterday after Bangladesh's practice session at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom, the venue for the first Test.
The pacers are obviously a big part of the plan. Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha took the five pacers -- Rubel, Taskin Ahmed, Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Subhasish Roy -- to the centre wicket early in the morning and had a chat with them.
"The coach showed us the wicket, and pointed out that it had a white appearance, meaning that it will have good bounce," Rubel explained. "We have to adjust our lines and lengths as these conditions are different. Because on bouncy wickets if we bowl back of a length, like we do in the subcontinent, it becomes easier for the batsmen to play. So we have to readjust our line and length and the pacers are giving importance to that during practice to adjust with the conditions."
Rubel was recently the subject of an immigration kerfuffle, reportedly because he was confused with another Rubel Hossain who was on a blacklist. The confusion caused him to miss the tour game, but he seemed to be making up for lost time at the nets yesterday, bowling with good pace and, true to his word, concentrating on keeping the ball up, an effort of will for a bowler known to hit the deck.
"I am practising hard after reaching here. I am also working on fitness. The main key is to adjust to the conditions quickly," Rubel said, adding that the pace group is trying to glean as much knowledge from bowling coach Courtney Walsh as possible. "Walsh has a lot of experience in South Africa, so we are trying to acquire his knowledge about how to bowl in these conditions."
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