New Delhi, India (BBN)-The two-match Test series between Bangladesh and South Africa that arrived at its conclusion on Monday turned out to be one of the most pointless tournaments to be organised in recent times.
Six out the 10 days were washed out without a ball being bowled.
Amit Banerjee feels that the international cricket schedule in the subcontinent should be pushed back slightly to prevent the administrators from continuously disappointing the players and the fans, reports the Cricket Country.
That the Indian subcontinent enjoys an extensive monsoon, with the word ‘heavy’ being an understatement for its downpours, is a known fact.
While the monsoon is a blessing from nature for a wide variety of things, especially the core practice of agriculture, it would certainly not be a welcome sight in a cricket match.
This is something that the administrators of the sport in the countries in this region should understand, which should also reflect in their planning of home tours.
South Africa toured Bangladesh in the months of July and August, a time when the expression “pouring cats and dogs” becomes a commonplace.
South Africa had blanked the hosts 2-0 in the Twenty20 International (T20I) series at the start of the tour, before the Bangladeshis managed to script a brilliant turnaround in the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series, winning it by a 2-1 margin.
There could not have been a better build-up to the Test series between the two, in which Bangladesh would want to prove once and for all that they were no pushovers in the longest format of the game.
Alas! The two matches met with results that were hardly any different from the one-off Test against India, a damp squib caused due to relentless rains that is.
The spectators at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium and the Sher-e-Bangla in Chittagong and Dhaka respectively got to witness some exciting contests between bat and ball in whatever bit of cricket action they could get, especially in the first Test where Bangladesh managed to get a 78-run first innings lead.
Hashim Amla appeared to be quite angry at the end of the series, and rightfully so, calling it “bizarre” among other things.
It probably would have evoked stronger reactions from other cricketers, ones who are not as patient as Amla.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials, on the other hand, defended their decision to host South Africa during the monsoon months by stating that they would not get the opportunity to host them for the next eight years if they did not host them now.
One wonders though, if it merits hosting the No. 1 Test team in such circumstances, only for the visitors to leave in a bad taste.
The Bangladeshi fans, known for their undying passion for the game, turned up in large numbers for both Tests, and would be left fighting the venue authorities for their ticket refunds.
Most importantly, cricket would suffer at the end of the day.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) should lend a helping hand to BCB in terms of giving them better slots for hosting Test series against teams other than Zimbabwe and West Indies.
The BCB too should exert themselves in this regard, and fight for better slots, for they are no pushovers anymore.
BBN/SK/AD
