The many challenges of being Nurul
Wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan is the most vocal player on the field. And he has been enjoying every bit of his time in the national team after coming in as a replacement for the injured Mushfiqur Rahim from the second ODI onwards.
Nurul has always been considered a technically sound player behind the wicket and he showed that in the three games he has played so far in the series against New Zealand. The tall keeper has not spilled a catch and his reflexes down the leg side are also very good. He also scored a good 40 odd on his ODI debut at the Saxton Oval. Coupled with those attributes, he has also got a very good sense of humour.
He broke his bat while batting in the nets yesterday and when a camera zoomed in on his broken bat, he placed the two parts on the ground with the brand prominently displayed.
“I want to make sure you are getting the names right there,” he said with a smile on his face.
Someone who loves to take on challenges, the young cricketer almost decided to climb to the top of the hill behind the Saxton Oval in Hamilton because very high stakes were being offered by opener Tamim Iqbal, who said that he would give his Harrier to Nurul if he could complete the climb in two hours.
BAY OVAL: A THROWBACK TO SIMPLER TIMES
The Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui is not a famous venue in New Zealand. The 10,000 capacity ground has so far hosted four ODIs and a single T20I. It's more like the Hagley Oval in Christchurch and the Saxton Oval in Nelson, with beautiful grass banks accommodating the paying public. The only difference is that this is a bigger ground compared to Hagley and Saxton.
Sitting not far away from the Harbour Bridge that connects Tauranga and Mount Maunganui, this venue has got a members' stand. This is also a venue where there is no permanent structure for journalists covering the games. A makeshift tent is all that it offers for a strong contingent of Bangladeshi journalists, which has overwhelmingly outnumbered the few home reporters in the series so far.
Bangladesh Betar, which is providing live commentary of the series from New Zealand, is perhaps facing more difficulties. The commentary team of the state-run radio station had to sit under the open sky while doing live commentary from the Hagley Oval and the Saxton Oval. They will have to keep doing the same at the Bay Oval and pray that rain stays away.