Fitness levels better before BCL

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are hurriedly preparing for the upcoming Bangladesh Cricket League, the country’s lone franchise-based first-class competition set to begin from January 31.

The players’ draft of the BCL will take place today.

However, only two teams will be run by franchises this season as Prime Bank had pulled out after the previous edition. Two of the four teams are now being managed by BCB. Almost 100 cricketers participated in the mandatory fitness test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. Unlike before last year’s National Cricket League, the cricketers fared better heading into the BCL.

“Most cricketers have done well and have crossed level 11, the benchmark that has been set by the selectors. With 13.4, Mominul Islam Jnr recorded the best score today [Sunday],” BCB trainer Iftekharul Islam told the media yesterday. 

Among the seniors, former national captain Mohammad Ashraful recorded 11.11 but others like Tushar Imran, Adbur Razzak and Naeem Islam could muster just 9.8, 10.1 and 10.5 respectively.

Anamul Haque Bijoy, Nadif Chowdhury, Marshal Ayub, were the some of the others who failed the test and will retake it later.