Warne and Hughes call for Bangladesh dumping

Shane Warne feels sorry for Bangladesh and doesn't think they should be playing Tests while Kim Hughes, the former Australia captain, agrees with Richie Benaud that it's time to kick them out. Warne, writing a column in The Times after Bangladesh's innings defeat at Lord's, said while they were gaining experience they were getting "embarrassed and humiliated" every week.

"The worst aspect is that I cannot see any light on the horizon for Bangladesh," Warne wrote. "I have not seen anything to suggest that they might be even a moderate team in the years ahead."

Warne said if Bangladesh and Zimbabwe were cut from the Test arena it would free up space in the playing schedule. "Most people - certainly most players - believe that it is too cramped as things stand," he said. "Fewer countries means less cricket means more rest means fewer injuries means a better standard when we do play."

After Benaud called the Test a "shambles", Warne suggested Bangladesh play first-class matches against provincial teams in other countries. "To be brutally honest, they are not up to standard and should not be playing Test cricket," he said. However, he wants them to retain international status.

Hughes said Bangladesh weren't "up to standard". "It's going to go backwards if you keep getting thumped," he said. "It's embarrassing. It's bad for the game. It belittles averages and aggregates. And it's bad for spectators. Why would you go along and watch that lot?"