Streak to take charge of Tigers' bowling
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday announced the appointment of former Zimbabwe Test captain Heath Streak as the specialist bowling coach of the national team. The all-rounder, who played 65 Tests and 189 ODIs, has agreed to a two-year term with the BCB during which time he will work with the Bangladesh team for 450 days.
According to the BCB media committee chairman Jalal Yunus, the deal was penned on Sunday evening.
“Heath Streak's experience and record speaks for him. As a coach he has worked with some top bowling coaches in the international arena. He has told us that coaching was his passion and we really appreciate that kind of desire,” said Yunus.
“Before the (2015) World Cup we will need him for a long period and he will be available. He will arrive three weeks or a month prior to every series. We also plan to utilise him for the academy and the A team whenever possible,” he added.
The Zimbabwean, according to a press release sent by the BCB, is relishing the prospect of working with the BCB.
“I look forward to the challenge of working with the Tigers and thank BCB for the opportunity. It is exciting for me to be back into the international coaching arena again.
“It is my passion to coach at an elite level and I hope I can bring my experience as a former player and coach to the Bangladeshi bowlers. I look forward to teaming up with the new coaching staff and mapping the future for this exciting team,” he said.
Streak, who has scored 4933 runs with the bat and taken 455 wickets in international cricket, was Zimbabwe's bowling coach between 2009 and 2013. He is expected to reach the country in the first week of June.
THE PACE PROBLEM
Pace bowling has been an issue that Bangladesh have perennially struggled with. Before Streak, Shane Jurgensen -- who eventually went on to become the head coach -- was given the responsibility of the discipline.
While Jurgensen's tenure saw certain positives -- Robiul Islam's return and the rise of Al-Amin Hossain -- the board is yet to put in place a specialised system for the development of pacers. Currently, a majority of Bangladesh's leading pacers -- including Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Abul Hossain, Rubel Hossain and Shafiul Islam -- are undergoing rehabilitation programmes.
Jurgensen had stated a number of reasons behind the lack of development of the pacers. For instance, a pace bowling programme submitted by the Australian could not be passed by the board. With Streak arriving just in time for the three-match ODI series against India next month, there will be a number of hurdles that he will have to take responsibility of overcoming.
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