Survival of the fittest

In the very onset of this year, the Common Wealth Cricket Academy of Australia toured Bangladesh and, to our surprise, the juvenile cricketers of that prominent training institute trounced us in almost every match-both in one-day and longer version. BCB made an experimental effort to play their combined sides to take on CBCA in different stadiums. These matches were exhibition ones and though did not have any record book value, were enough to locate the gulf of differences between our cricketers and those Australians. I have used the term "differences" in a wider. Wyane Philips, the coach of the CBCA squad reveals the truth and it should be called "hard reality" than to call "truth".

What is the hard reality that tops the Australians over all cricketing nations during these years? Why our national cricketers could not make any impression in all those matches they took on CBCA? The answer is plain and simple as closing your eyes. There is difference in "attitude" and there is difference in "physical fitness" too.

Let us define the "attitude" first. In Philip's opinion, our cricketers do not lack skill or quality. The thing that is absent in them is - the willingness to overcome nervousness and the eagerness to beat opponents, no matter how strong they are. This outlook is inherent among the Australians and we are short of it. This is the secret of the twenty-year old Australian cricketers to defeat the semi-national sides of BCB-11for several occasions. The match temperament comes up with the experience but "approach" has to be within by born. I saw some of the player's from the visitors, got hurt by the ball but they were giving their best to conceal it-not to show in front of their opponents so that they could take an advantage of it.

Professionalism is stick upon the name of any Australian cricket squad. They are professionals and all through. They realized it long before that the days are in front are the days of "power cricket". One can't simply survive by skill these days. Physical fitness is now an integral part of cricket. All the CBCA members were terrific in their vigor and fitness-absolutely eye catching. This is the second decisive factor that not all of our cricketers could make up. Definitely, you have to have a chiseled shape and a hard enduring body to fight with them.

We have learnt it late, and now we can see a gym set in BCB that is only for the cricketers. Weight training builds up stamina and power and these things are the prerequisites to play in international level. Perhaps our cricketers apprehended it more than ever in this Zimbabwe tour.