Domingo’s last comrade departs

Bangladesh batting coach Ashwell Prince yesterday tendered his resignation from the post with immediate effect, having joined head coach Russell Domingo's coaching staff in July last year.

"He has emailed us confirming that he is not willing to continue and resigned from his post as the batting coach for personal reasons," the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus told The Daily Star yesterday.

Initially earmarked for just the Zimbabwe series in June-July last year but following that series, Prince was handed an extension till the 2021 T20 World Cup in UAE October-November last year. In August 2021, his contract was extended till the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia this year.

The arrival of former national team coach Jamie Siddons as BCB batting consultant had seen Prince's future with the Tigers become uncertain with rumours being that he may be handed responsibility of BCB's HP or the shadow team. His departure, nine months before the expiry of contract, may now see Siddons officially appointed as Bangladesh national team's batting coach.

However, coach Domingo's situation remains unclear, as of now. BCB had informed previously that he was due on February 19 to join the Tigers ahead of their series against Afghanistan, scheduled to begin from February 23.

Domingo, however, seemed uncertain about when he would arrive in Bangladesh after being contacted by The Daily Star. Over the past two days, Domingo twice replied that he was not sure when he would return to Dhaka when this newspaper reached out to him regarding his date of arrival. Asked yesterday about Prince's resignation, Domingo informed that he was aware of the development but also reiterated that he was not willing to make any further comments regarding Bangladesh's upcoming series or Prince's resignation.

BCB was still expecting the South African to arrive ahead of the Afghanistan series.

When inquired about Domingo, Jalal said: "He's due to arrive on the 19th and we are expecting him. He is supposed to enter the bio-bubble by the 20th and that's what we had discussed with him previously. So, we're still expecting him and we haven't had any discussion with him regarding not coming here."

Domingo initially was appointed on a two-year term in August 2019 and was set to be in charge till the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia -- pushed back to 2022 due to the pandemic. He had continued his role past the T20 World Cup in UAE.  In August last year, his contract was extended till the 2023 ODI World Cup. The then cricket operations chairman Akram Khan had told The Daily Star back then that 'regarding other members of the coaching staff, we will arrive at a decision soon'.

With Prince gone, Domingo finds most of his support staff already out of Bangladesh cricket. Fast bowling coach Ottis Gibson left his post after not extending his contract this year while BCB decided not to renew fielding coach Ryan Cook after the T20 World Cup debacle. Daniel Vettori's contract was not extended while spin coach Rangana Herath, who joined along with Prince, happens to be the only surviving member of Domingo's coaching staff. Having lost most of his coaching staff, it remains to be seen what is in store for Domingo in the near future.