'Anything can happen in a one-dayer' - Rajin Saleh
Bangladesh kick-off their Champions Trophy campaign with their match against South Africa at Edgbaston on September 12
Wisden Cricinfo staff
11-Sep-2004
Bangladesh kick-off their Champions Trophy campaign with their match against South Africa at Edgbaston on September 12. Rajin Saleh, their newly appointed captain, and their coach, Dav Whatmore, spoke on the eve of the game.
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Rajin Saleh
On playing South Africa
In a one-dayer, anything can happen, so we want to play good cricket.
In a one-dayer, anything can happen, so we want to play good cricket.
On being a young team
We have some young cricketers who have come through and they've done well and I hope they do well tomorrow.
We have some young cricketers who have come through and they've done well and I hope they do well tomorrow.
On being made captain
It was a suprise and it brings pressure. But I don't feel the pressure because of the players around me.
It was a suprise and it brings pressure. But I don't feel the pressure because of the players around me.
Dav Whatmore
On Saleh being made captain
He's been vice-captain in our last three series and it was probably the logical step-up for him. In the past three series, there have been matches when he's stepped up and captained the team. The support he's got from the other senior players has been wonderful. He's fully attacking and leads by example. This kid would run through a brick wall for you. It's another game for him. It may be his first as captain and the youngest captain of Bangladesh. But we have a job to do tomorrow and he has to work at it.
He's been vice-captain in our last three series and it was probably the logical step-up for him. In the past three series, there have been matches when he's stepped up and captained the team. The support he's got from the other senior players has been wonderful. He's fully attacking and leads by example. This kid would run through a brick wall for you. It's another game for him. It may be his first as captain and the youngest captain of Bangladesh. But we have a job to do tomorrow and he has to work at it.
On South Africa
Their confidence can't be good. It's not often they've played in a five match one-day series and lost all five, so it can't be that good. But they're probably pretty happy that they're playing Bangladesh and no matter what we say, we're still ranked down the bottom.
Their confidence can't be good. It's not often they've played in a five match one-day series and lost all five, so it can't be that good. But they're probably pretty happy that they're playing Bangladesh and no matter what we say, we're still ranked down the bottom.
On their own tactics
We have our little reasons for playing and trying to perform as well as we can and to be as totally relaxed as possible. A lot depends on what we do first, batting or bowling. But in many ways it doesn't matter, you just have to be up for the game and we've had five full matches, which was a pretty good competition lead-up, and lost the one against Scotland. But our boys are in competition-mode in pretty similar conditions. I want to win. There're always positives to come out of any game, but we go out in every match to win. We feel if we totally relax, let our natural ability take over and enjoy the contest, we will be in good competitive frame of mind to push the opposition as much as possible.
We have our little reasons for playing and trying to perform as well as we can and to be as totally relaxed as possible. A lot depends on what we do first, batting or bowling. But in many ways it doesn't matter, you just have to be up for the game and we've had five full matches, which was a pretty good competition lead-up, and lost the one against Scotland. But our boys are in competition-mode in pretty similar conditions. I want to win. There're always positives to come out of any game, but we go out in every match to win. We feel if we totally relax, let our natural ability take over and enjoy the contest, we will be in good competitive frame of mind to push the opposition as much as possible.
On the team spirit
The spirit is good and the morale high. We exposed three youngsters through the under-19s and that's been a wonderful knock-one effect for the whole team.
The spirit is good and the morale high. We exposed three youngsters through the under-19s and that's been a wonderful knock-one effect for the whole team.