Cricket: Bangladesh learning to cope away from home

Shakib Al Hasan is right at the top as an allrounder. Photo / Cricketpix

Bangladesh's third test tour of New Zealand started badly in Whangarei this week, beaten by a New Zealand XI in a one-dayer by players on the fringe of their province's Super Smash teams.

In case you missed it, they made 245 for eight and lost by three wickets with eight balls to spare in a rain-reduced contest.

Pluses? Several batsmen got a start and some time in the middle; key bowlers rolled their arms and, well, that's about it. Bangladesh in New Zealand isn't a happy tale.

They have played 13 games on visits since December 2001 and lost the lot.

Pitch conditions and climate seem to count against them plus, in those earlier years they were well off genuine test class. The likes of Shane Bond and Daniel Vettori had a picnic.

If the pitch even hinted at green, they didn't have an answer and the bowling was modest.

Things are changing, however. At home, Bangladesh have been an awkward proposition for a number of years.

They have developed a group of distinctly handy international cricketers, such as lefthand batsmen Tamim Iqbal (test average 40.34 in 44 matches with eight centuries), and Mominul Haque (51.66 in 19 tests, with two of his four tons against New Zealand); quality allrounder Shakib al Hasan, Bangladesh's best player since graduating to test cricket and ranked the world's top ODI allrounder, and No2 in tests; seamer Mustafizur Rahman, named this week by the International Cricket Council as the game's best emerging player; resourceful and experienced wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, and a 19-year-old offspinner Mehedi Hasan, who ripped out 19 English wickets in his first two tests a couple of months ago.

He was Bangladesh's under 19 captain when they made the final of the World Cup this year, and was player of the tournament.

"He's got a very good head on his shoulders," Shakib said of the prodigy.

"Hopefully he'll do well for Bangladesh for many years to come. He's young, and he will find these conditions challenging, but he has the ability to overcome."

Mehedi could be a case study for the entire Bangladesh side. He took his wickets in Chittagong and Dhaka. How will he fare on significantly different pitches such as the Basin Reserve and Hagley Oval?

Spread that question around the rest of their leading players and you have Bangladesh's biggest stumbling block to enhancing their international standing.

There are signs, though, that they are gaining traction in the shorter games.

They made the quarter-finals at last year's World Cup and have a cluster of players whose talents seem more suited to ODI and T20 cricket, which will form all bar the last two matches of their New Zealand schedule.

They face a New Zealand side who should be desperate to keep Bangladesh's record of success in New Zealand at zero per cent.

The 3-0 beating by Australia early this month hurt.

They should, in turn, be intent on inflicting a dose of hurt on the tourists.

But you sense Bangladesh will not be the pushover of earlier years.

They have 22 players in New Zealand, having named a squad, plus extra players who may not be sighted until the tests, but are also on hand if required before then.

England captain Alastair Cook gave Bangladesh due credit after his team were beaten in Dhaka, in the home team's biggest win over their test life.

"It's very easy sitting back and saying 'it's just Bangladesh'," Cook said.

"But on spinning wickets their bowlers are good, they're experienced - I know one of them is only 19 but he is experienced in these conditions and very good."

It wouldn't compare with that test win, but should Bangladesh open their account in New Zealand, they will surely see it as the most positive of signs that they are on the right path.