Unfair criticism

SPARE a thought for Bangladesh, the youngest of Test-playing nations who are at the receiving end of criticism from past and present international cricketers who are baying for their blood and calling the international governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC) to strip them off their Test status.

The criticism on Bangladesh comes in the wake of their three-day Test defeat at Lord's at the hands of England where they were outplayed in all departments of the game.

Let this be said in defence of the poor Bangladeshis. No subcontinent team has performed well during the early part of the English summer. To play Test cricket in England in early season when the ball is swinging and seaming, experience - primarily of what to play and what to leave - is everything.

Sri Lanka was fortunate that their first four tours to Old Blighty since 1984 was in the second half of the summer when the pitches were dry and hard and quite subcontinent like. When they were asked to tour in the early part in 2002 Sri Lanka lost the three-Test series 0-2.

People who criticize Bangladesh cricket are those who are ignorant of what is happening there. The adverse comments that Bangladesh has to put up with currently are quite acceptable from critics who have never been to that country or followed their development program which is currently taking place.

This is not the first time that Bangladesh cricket has come under fire. Why the ICC is turning a blind eye on all the criticism that is being leveled at Bangladesh is because they are well aware of the development that is taking place there.

They know that it is a matter of time before Bangladesh will start to give other Test playing nations a run for their money. The ICC and the ACC for that matter are funding Bangladesh in their development process.

One of the key figures involved with the development of Bangladesh cricket is a Sri Lankan. Carlton Bernadus, the former Sri Lankan under 19 coach and former Colombo Colts CC cricketer is the director of game development planning of the Bangladesh Cricket Board. He has been with them since 2000, the year the country was elevated to Test status.

Despite all the condemnation that Bangladesh is currently undergoing from all and sundry, Bernadus paints a rosy future for a nation rated as one of the poorest in the world.

"It is unfair for past and present cricketers to criticize the state of Bangladesh cricket without knowing actually the massive development plans that has been put in place," said Bernadus.

"When Bangladesh got Test status five years ago virtually all their national cricketers were on their way out. They had to draft in young players and as a new Test-playing nation it is taking a little time for them to get established in the big league," continued Bernadus.

"When I first came here they had only one cricket tournament for schools. Today they have tournaments from under 13 to under 17," said Bernadus.

"Their junior cricket has improved so much that the Bangladesh under 15 side came to Sri Lanka recently and beat them. They also beat Sri Lanka in the under 17 Asia Cup an year and a half ago. Their under 19 team toured Australia and beat the under 19 side in two matches and won all the side games.

They also beat Australia in the under 19 World Cup Plate final." Bernadus said that in collaboration with Cricket Australia, the Bangladesh CB has made rapid progress towards professionalizing their cricket administration.

They have a professionally reputed coach, a CEO, 35 level II coaches and 12 Level I instructors. Further they have put a first-class cricket structure in place which is functioning for the past three years.

"I don't think apart from England and Australia that any country pays every cricketer who appears in its domestic tournaments," he said.

In collaboration with the MCC, two junior cricketers are annually sent to England to learn and play, three go to the Australian Academy and several of them play club cricket in Australia and England, the expenses of which is borne by the Bangladesh CB.

Bernadus further said that a centre of excellence with all modern facilities is currently under construction in Mirphur, Dhaka with the input and management provided by Cricket Australia. It is expected to be ready by October this year.

Also assisting is the British Council who in collaboration with the Bangladesh CB is providing English language classes and computers for all national, senior and development squad coaches. They also have an annual nationwide pacer hunt fast bowling camp.

"It is a massive investment, the results of which are now currently being shown by the performance of the juniors. It will only be a matter of time before these juniors start filtering into the national team and make Bangladesh a more competitive side," said Bernadus.

He said that in another five years Bangladesh will be a force to be reckoned with and warned Sri Lanka that very soon unless something radical is done about our present school cricket structure, Bangladesh would surpass and beat us at all levels of the game.

"We can't go to each and every country and tell them what we are doing. We have put our case forward at the right forum," said Bernadus. He said that if all Test-playing nations can give junior tours to Bangladesh and provide assistance wherever possible instead of criticising their performances, they might make progress faster than expected.