Venue problems as Bangladesh move forward (3 July 1999)

3 July 1999

Venue problems as Bangladesh move forward

Zahid Newaz in Dhaka

A hectic season awaits Bangladesh from September next, but ground is the prime concern. Bangabandhu National Stadium in capital Dhaka is the key venue for cricket in Bangladesh. Now it is occupied by booters as the premier division football league is going on there.

Bangladesh Cricket Board officials are annoyed whether they will be able to prepare pitches at the big bowl for longer version of matches before the Test playing countries started tours. The stadium that hosted mini-world cup last year will be handed over to the BCB on September 8.

A permanent ground is a long-standing demand for country's cricketers as well as the officials. But it is yet to be fulfilled. Even Bangladesh's satisfactory performance in the World Cup couldn't satisfy the authorities to allot the number one national stadium only for cricket.

There are also problem in hosting three-or-four-day matches outside the capital as the district headquarters have no facilities to host guests in international standard hotels or rest houses. Port city Chittagong is the only exception.

Amidst the apprehended problems of grounds and accommodation, the West Indies and Sri Lanka national teams will be visiting Bangladesh to play some three-day, four-day and one day international matches.

The West Indies team is expected to be in Dhaka in between September 20 to 25 on way to Sharjah while the Sri Lankan team will tour Bangladesh in January next year.

During or after the tour of India, South Africa may also play at least a one day international early next year.

The England A team will tour Bangladesh in November on way to New Zealand. Well known English MCC will be visiting Bangladesh next January also to play some longer version and one-day cricket matches.

Besides, Australian A team may tour Bangladesh in March next year and Bangladesh have also invitation from Pakistan and India to tour the countries to play some three or four-day matches.

"Bangladesh will have a busy season from September. We received a good number of commitments from different Test playing nations during the ICC Annual General Meeting," said BCB President Saber Hossain Chowdhury who in the meeting was re-elected ICC Executive Board Member from the Associate Group and returned home Wednesday after attending it.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, he said a qualified cricket coach either from Australia or South Africa will be appointed by August next to look after the Bangladesh team.

"Both boards have been approached. We are expecting a reply from either side," he said adding apart from looking after the national team, the new coach will work with the regional development officers at the divisional headquarters.

The new coach will be the successor of West Indian Gordon Greenidge with whom Bangladesh's contract expired on June 30.

"BCB will also form a new selection committee by early August," Saber added.

Replying to a question, the BCB supremo said, it is still uncertain whether Bangladesh have to play the ICC Trophy or not to qualify for next World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2003.

It will be decided in the next ICC meeting in June next year.

Host South Africa expressed their interest to organise the World Cup with 14 teams. In that case Bangladesh and Kenya will directly play otherwise the two teams will play the ICC trophy to qualify.

Bangladesh have an another chance to play in the World Cup directly if they earn the test status before formulating of the next world cup format.

Regarding the hot issue of Bangladesh Test Status, Saber said all the nine ICC full member countries unanimously supported the Bangladesh's claim for test status.

Out of nine, five members expressed their opinion to give test status this time (1999), but rest four members advised to review the Bangladesh's performance for another one year.

The BCB chief informed that the next Asia Cup Cricket will be held in Sri Lanka sometime in April or May next year.

Source :: CricInfo 365