Bangladesh: Unprepared for Wills Cup (18 September 1998)

18 September 1998

Unprepared for Wills Cup

By Al-Amin

Cricket officials here have every reason to be elated after the recent visit of International Cricket Council (ICC) president Jagmohan Dalmiya, who in an interview with the press expressed his satisfaction over the ongoing preparations for the Wills Cup tournament beginning in Dhaka from October 24.

The vote of confidence by the world cricket supremo however belies the fact that the ground work for the eleven-day knock-out tournament leaves a lot to be desired. This may sound amusing since Dalmiya himself inspected the face-lifting operation at the Bangabandhu Stadium during his brief visit to the capital earlier in the week, but some matters escaped the bespectacled ICC president.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has selected three practice grounds for the nine participating nations. Fortunately or unfortunately, Dalmiya and his accompanying ICC chief executive David Richards were deprived of the opportunity of exploring the neglected territory. Had they been to the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium or the Sultana Kamal Sports Complex, two of the three grounds, they would perhaps have returned with a different understanding. The third practice venue is the BUET playground.

The present condition of the Dhanmondi Stadium ground will leave the beholder in a dilemma whether it is meant for cricket or grazing cows. With knee-high blades of grass dominating the bumpy surface, the muddy outfield is always ready to greet passersby with a whiff of stink and putrefaction. And if one ventures to have a feel of the adjacent dressing rooms, one will be happy to see a banner reading "Help the flood victims". But after a few steps in to the almost dark corridor, the inquisitive observer will discover a few laggards playing cards inside a smallish room, livened up Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga and Wasim Akram smiling from four-colour posters.

Although the newly-christened Bangabandhu Stadium, a financially profiteering concern, has become the source of inspiration for our hyperactive cricket officials, ironically it is the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium which is exclusively designated for cricket.

With the Bangabandhu Stadium getting maximum attention from the ground committee of the BCB, the negligence meted out to the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, venue of most of the matches of Dhaka cricket, can only epitomise the board's step-motherly attitude.

The silver lining is that the National Sports Council (NSC), custodian of all the sports venues, has taken up the responsibility of upgrading all the three practice grounds up to international standard. Although the gala event is only a month away and Major Enam, NSC's director of sports who has been assigned to complete the works, still making airy-fairy statements, chances of presenting even sub-standard practice ground could be a long shot.

"The ICC president expressed to the NSC chairman (State Minister for Youth and Sports Obaidul Quader) his 200 percent satisfaction over the preparation", said Enam while talking to this reporter over telephone.

"I'm confident of presenting the visitors with grounds of international standard", Enam pledged. The mehendi-haired director however admitted that he is not an expert but has seen some practice venues on television. Enam, who was dumped at the BKSP after the fall of President Hussain Mohammed Ershad in 1990, however did not explain what inspired him to take a job in which is not an expert.

The BCB grounds committee secretary Alam Chowdhury said that they were eager to prepare the practice venues. But they were not allowed to do so by the NSC, who provide the finance.

"We have requested Mr. Enam at least to do the soil test before preparing the pitch. But he (Enam) said that it would not be required", said Alam.

The big question is why BCB, already involved in lucrative matters that are beyond their technical expertise, has surrendered to the NSC the very important aspect of preparing the practice grounds, which should have been their business.

BCB might feel momentarily content for drawing wool over Dalmiya's eyes regarding practice grounds by the help of a publicity booklet infested with concocted information on a happy combo of sufficient grounds and three-day matches round the year. But can BCB find enough wool to cover Bangladesh's miserable Malaysia mishap?

Source:: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)