|
|
|
| June 9, 2003 | Monday | Rabi-us-Sani 8, 1424 |
BCB vows to lift national team
DHAKA, June 8: The Bangladesh Cricket Board has pledged to heed the recommendations of an inquiry into the national team’s dismal performance in this year’s World Cup in a bid to lift itself out of the sport’s basement.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) set up an inquiry in March after Bangladesh failed to win a single match in the World Cup in South Africa and announced its findings late on Saturday at a press conference.
According to the committee, late nights out, complacency and team politics were responsible for Bangladesh’s poor showing in cricket’s showcase, in which the team lost every match, including to non-Test playing sides Canada and Kenya.
“We have the report and we will correct the loopholes,” BCB president Ali Asghar, a member of parliament, told reporters.
He rejected suggestions of any foul play by skipper Khaled Mashud, saying “both the ICC and the BCB had found no basis to carry out further investigation into his role.”
The committee criticised Mashud for being irresponsible in his duties as captain and player and also had harsh words for administrators and management.
“The truth remains that there was noticeable inadequacy and complacency on the part of both the (past and present) boards,” the committee said in its report after a three-month long inquiry.
It said this had “been adequately reflected in the quality of the team’s performance.
“The sooner things are put right, the sooner cricket will improve,” said the committee, comprising of a retired bureaucrat and an army officer.
“We feel inadequate management, lack of leadership and the lack of guidance of a good coach did contribute to poor performance, yet each one of the players had an obligation to the nation to play well despite heavy odds.”
Bangladesh have lost 18 of 19 Tests since gaining Test status in 2000, most of them by more than an innings. It has also not won a One-day International since beating Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup in England.
But cricket officials are determined to improve the performance of the national team, now under Australian coach Dav Whatmore, who helped Sri Lanka win the 1996 World Cup.
The committee also blamed former Pakistani paceman Mohsin Kamal, who was their coach during the World Cup, assistant coach and another Pakistani Ali Zia, and manager A.S.M. Faruque for not performing their duties properly.
Bangladesh are now hoping new coach Whatmore will change the fortunes of their side, but he has warned against expectations of a fast turnaround.—AFP
|
|
|
|
