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Friday, 7 September, 2001, 09:48 GMT 10:48 UK
Bangladesh: Worthy of Test status?
Bangladesh have suffered another crushing defeat, this time against Sri Lanka in the Asian Test championship.
After an abysmal run of results, are they worthy of Test status?
Having lost by an innings and 264 runs to Pakistan in the first Test - the sixth highest victory margin in Test history - Bangladesh are facing another heavy loss.
Awarded Test status in June 2000 by the International Cricket Council, Naimur Rahman's men are now heading for their fifth defeat in as many Tests.
But their Australian coach Trevor Chappel sounded an optimistic note after the Pakistan defeat, insisting that lessons had been learnt and there was room for improvement.
The gulf in class between Bangladesh and their more illustrious rivals is obvious, but should they be given time to improve as a Test nation?
Or should the ICC re-consider its decision to grant them Test status?
I think the future of Bangladeshi cricket is positive. We should not be impatient to see a miracle so early.
I think it was the right choice to give Bangladesh Test status. One cannot learn their mistakes if they do not play with somebody better than them. I sincerely hope Bangladesh learn from their losses and one day are the best.
Gordon Greenidge must be smirking if not grinning. He was dismissed as coach of Bangladesh when he said that they are not ready for Test cricket. I think they could have waited for another three years.
I remember Sri Lanka being in the same shoes as the Bangaladeshis not too long ago. Look at how formidable a team they have become. After seeing the brilliance of Ashraful, I have no doubt that it was a right decision. They had to start sometime before they could rise. The time was now. It is a matter of time before they produce more Ashrafuls and some good bowlers, too.
Giving Bangladesh Test status is the best decision ICC ever made.
It took all teams some time to come up to standards of Test Cricket. The Bangladeshis should be given the same amount of time to reach that standard.
I think Bangladesh got the Test status too early. They deserve to be in the scene but it's too early for them. I think other cricket teams will take full benefit from them and will break all the records. Despite all this I have a feeling that this team will produce bowlers like Wasim Akram and batsmen like Sachin Tendulkar someday. It's just a matter of a few years. I wont be surprised if someday a Bangladeshi becomes a fastest century maker or the fastest bowler.
The ICC were right to give Bangladesh Test status. They have a common cricket heritage that they share with Pakistan and India. They will develop as a competitive side only if they can play against top class sides. They will be outclassed for a while but they will improve with experience. It only took Sri Lanka three years to record their first Test win over India after being granted Test status in 1981 and since then they have beaten all Test playing countries with the exception of the West Indies.
Of course they should be given the chance - how else will they become competitive?
Give them some time and they will show their true potential. They showed glimpses of it in the second innings against Sri Lanka.
After seeing Mohammad Ashraful's inspirational century on debut (the youngest ever test centurion) I am led to believe there is hope after all. I think it's a matter of time before they become competitive against countries like India and Zimbabwe! Good luck to them.
The schedule was very unfair to Bangladesh. Two away Test matches with hardly any practice home or away. Combined with this, Sri Lanka have just come off a Test series with India and are on top form. It wasn't all bad, they have just produced the youngest ever test centurion!!!
Yes, why shouldn't they be allowed to retain Test Status! Not so long ago Sri Lanka were the whipping boys but now through experience and hard work on the Test Circuit they are becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Lets face it, when people criticise Bangladesh for their continual poor performance at this level should perhaps concentrate their minds on England's appalling and inconsistent performances over the years. Just because we invented the game doesn't give us the right to be so arrogant about so-called "lesser" countries not being good enough to play with the "giants" of cricket, when in fact England are nothing more than minnows themselves!
Bangladesh may have lost back to back games, but I do believe that they will bounce back and be a strong Test nation. Bangladesh has a tremendous interest and desire to play cricket at the highest level. When those elements are present it's only a matter of time before Bangladesh will be a formidable Test team.
Suresh de Costa, Sri Lanka
I do believe that Bangladesh should be given more chance to improve themselves. It will be a great mistake if ICC takes away its test status.
The elitist attitude of Test cricket has to stop. I admit that Bangladesh might have recieved their test status a little too early, but how long will we continue to see the same nine teams playing cricket? We need to spread cricket globally and the best way to do that is to give new countries an opportunity to play against the best.
You have to start somewhere. When Sri Lanka first started they were losing by innings but they became World Champions. Unless we are prepared to give other countries a chance - cricket will never spread its wings.
Sri Lanka has been a test nation for over 10 years and it is only now that England is giving it a test match. I hope that Bangladesh do not have wait that long!
We need to bring them up. We can do that only by making them play more and more matches against established teams. They deserve Test status, but steps must also be taken to improve their standards.
There is a massive gulf between Test cricket and other forms of cricket; there is no other alternative but to learn it the hard way! The most heartening thing is that there is genuine support for Bangladeshi cricket. It is a matter of time before Bangladesh cricket infrastructure rises to the occasion - give them a chance!
Bangladesh will never be able to produce world class players if they don't play against other world class players. It takes a half a generation before new Test-playing countries start to become semi-competitive - look at Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. In ten years time, when England have just lost the first Test in Decca by eight wickets, we'll be having the same talk about Kenya!
I think Test cricket has come too early for Bangladesh. The ICC should have let them stabilise as a One Day International side, allowing them to take part in triangular tournaments throughout the world. While on these tours, they could have played against good First Class sides.
They are not ready at all for Test Cricket. I hope the ICC take note of this and don't try to rush Kenya down the same road.
Test status to Bangladesh should've been given after five years. It's too soon. Ordinary players against Bangladesh will now break all records made by cricket greats in the toughest of matches, easily. It will be very sad to see this happen.
Test Cricket is a different game all together; it can't be compared to sports like football, rugby and hockey etc. It's a game of intelligence, strategy, strength, planning and endurance. I was very disappointed to see a club team like Bangladesh given Test Status.
If Andorra can play football and the Netherlands can play rugby then why shouldn't Bangladesh play Test cricket?
Bangladesh deserve a chance, it was not long ago that Sri Lanka where the whipping boys for Test nations.
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