Bangladesh kept waiting (26 June 1999)

26 June 1999

Bangladesh kept waiting

Nizamuddin Ahmed

June 25: Two Test teams and as many 'A' teams are likely to visit Bangladesh in the coming winter as part of ICC's plans to carve Test status for Bangladesh. The national team will also be touring some countries. The emphasis will be on three to four-day matches as the ICC's report on Bangladesh has pointed out this shortcoming. An itinerary will be chalked in a meeting next Monday.

In the ICC meeting held yesterday, Bangladesh secured votes of five full members and all the 25 associate members. Seven of the nine full-member votes and the 25 from the associates are necessary for gaining Test status. A Test-playing country is a full member.

BCB president Saber Hossain Chowdhury now in London to attend the ICC meeting considered the developments "encouraging". Bangladesh was supported well by the Development Committee chairman Dr Ali Bacher and also the Finance and Marketing Committee.

"We will give it a big push next year", said Saber, adding that no one doubted that we should become a Test country, "but the timing was a big factor."

It was decided in the meeting that the next International limited overs competition among the nine Test countries will be held from October 5-15 in the year 2000 at either Nairobi or Sharjah. If they fail to organise it, Dhaka will host the meet. Dhaka is not pursuing the case as the venue should be in principle an Associate Member country, and Dhaka by then may become a Test venue. Moreover, Dhaka has already been a host last November.

Bangladesh may get specialist coaches, umpires and other resources as support from ICC to develop BKSP as a centre of excellence. BKSP's potential has been recognised, revealed Saber, and matters will only be finalised in a meeting lined up for September 1999.

Source :: The Daily Star