DARWIN, Australia, 17 July 2003 — One of the most lop-sided contests in cricket history begins this week when Australia host Bangladesh in the first of two Tests that could make David’s mythical battle with Goliath seem like a fair fight.
While Steve Waugh’s Australians are regarded as one of the finest sides ever to play the game, the Bangladeshis rank as possibly the worst Test cricket team of all time.
They have not won a single match since being handed Test status in 2000 and there appears no chance of that drought ending against a ruthless Australian side.
Even the venues and timing of the series add to the irreverent spirit of the occasion.
Cricket Australia decided to break with tradition and play the two games out of season in the country’s tropical north.
The first Test, starting tomorrow, will be held in the Northern Territory Darwin, the heartland of Australia’s Aboriginal community, with the second match, starting a week later, in the tropical Queensland city of Cairns.
Darwin’s Marrara Oval has never hosted a first-class match, never mind a Test, and a temporary pitch, weighing 36 tons, was shipped in from Melbourne and dropped into place by a giant crane.
There is nothing temporary about Australia’s team, however. They have selected a full-strength side for the series, despite the temptation to experiment with younger players.
“We expect it to be Test match and we’re going to play as hard as we can,” Australia captain Steve Waugh said.
Of the 19 Tests Bangladesh have played so far, 18 have ended in defeat with the other match, against Zimbabwe, being drawn when rain washed out the last two days.
They have lost 13 of those matches by an innings and eight inside three days and have been dismissed for less than 150 on 14 occasions. “The success of the tour or otherwise ... can’t be judged in terms of wins or losses but more on individual improvement in the areas that we’ve identified in each player, said Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, who led Sri Lanka to victory over Australia in the 1996 World Cup final.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been heavily criticized for allowing such an obvious mis-match to take place but players from both teams have defended the series, pointing to the rise of other smaller cricketing nations, including New Zealand who took 26 years to win their first Test.
The teams are obliged to play the series in order to fulfill their commitment to the ICC’s world championship, which decrees that all 10 Test-playing nations must play each other home and away within a five-year period.
Bangladesh have surprised everyone by winning two of their three lead-up games in Australia, albeit against modest opposition, and Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist diplomatically said they might even catch the world champions off guard.
UAE Cricketers Vow to Win
Berth in 2007 World Cup
In Karachi, the United Arab Emirates are striving to get a place in cricket’s 2007 World Cup with an aim to achieving One-Day International status, UAE’s Indian coach Syed Abid Ali said yesterday.
“I see a lot of potential in UAE cricket and hope that our targets of winning a berth in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies and getting the one-day status from the International Cricket Council (ICC) are achieved,” Ali told AFP.
UAE featured in the 1996 World Cup co-hosted by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka but failed to qualify for the next two in 1999 and 2003. Ali, 61, who is here as coach of the UAE youth team competing in the Youth Asia Cup, played 29 Tests and four one-day matches for India between 1967 to 1975.
“Since we are in ICC’s high performance teams, both the ICC and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are helping us and now it’s up to the boys to prove themselves,” he said. Under Ali, the UAE retained the ACC Trophy last year. Ali disputed the idea that ICC has taken a strong stance on giving rights to new countries after Bangladesh’ dismal showing since being granted Test status in 2000.
“No, even after what happened to Bangladesh, ICC has been actively helping the other fledgling countries to grow,” he said. The former Indian all-rounder sees good prospects in the resumption of ties between Pakistan and India.
“I feel the more cricket is played between Pakistan and India the more they come close and the relationship is normalized,” said Ali, who could play only one exhibition match in Pakistan in 1970 during his career.
Latif Confirmed as Captain
for Bangladesh Series
In Karachi, wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has been confirmed as Pakistan captain for next month’s home series against Bangladesh, officials said yesterday.
The 34-year-old was reprimanded earlier this month for making public a letter he wrote to the International Cricket Council (ICC) about match-fixing.
But Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Tauqir Zia told a news conference in Lahore that Latif would continue as captain unless he suffered a dramatic loss in form or had fitness problems.
“He has done a good job as captain so far and his performance has also been good. We see no reason to replace him as captain for the series against Bangladesh,” said Zia.
