cricket with balls

There seems to be almost no proof of Shakib’s existence before he topped the world’s all-rounder rankings.  It was like he wasn’t there, and then, wow, there he is.  Was made captain of the Bangladeshi team because he was the only one with a driver’s license who had kissed a girl.  His left arm spin looks shit at times, but occasionally he gets it right.  Takes a lot of 5 wicket hauls, although at least some of them have to be because all other Bangladeshi bowlers are heaps shitter than him.  Is also a decent batsman, currently he bats in the Bangladeshi death seat of the middle order.  Has the captaincy insticts of a rotting seagull.

For months I have been living in a endless spire of two particular countries playing each other over and over again with the result ever changing. Today I had to give up a ame of cricket because I can’t move my neck, so the last thing I wanted, was to watch another one sided bashing of young kids.

The team that was losing is very likeable, they have a breath taking opening batsmen, a hard working all rounder as captain and a bunch of kids who all have some talent but didn’t look ready.

Then there was the coach, that embittered bald angry violent scowling hard man who had given three years of his life and probably a easier job somewhere else because he wants to make this a tough side to beat. He becomes the face of the team because he can’t hide his emotions and tells it like it is in interviews.

When the other hangers on cheered his opener’s many runs from front and square on the balcony, the coach was usually nowhere to be seen or way in the background gently clapping while the others celebrated like they had won the Ashes, World Cup, World T20 Asia Cup in one go. He expects these guys to make big scores, and doesn’t get carried away.

On Thursday this team started their third series against England this year, it has been 247 days since they have one an international match, they’ve never beaten England and yet again their opposition treat them like a joke by resting their ket batsmen and bowler.

It should have just been a continuation of defeat.

But there were changes made, the captain was given a break so another all rounder could come in and captain his side while making about his 17th comeback from injury.

He didn’t captain like they couldn’t lose this game, he captained like they had a real chance.

Their batting was plucky and safe, their main man hadn’t fired but they had 236.

A team that has performed this bad in the recent past shouldn’t be able to defend 236, but they kept hanging in, taking wickets, playing as a team, they even had time to give a mate an over for fun.

They had an ally in the opposition. A grizzled batsman who seemed to be batting for his career and not quite thinking.  The opposition also lost a man to injury during the game and their big middle order weapon never fired.

That didn’t mean this team of underdogs had it easy, it still went to the wire.

With 8 balls to go they looked like their team performance was in vain, but they kept at it, and they even had a moment of premature-celebration when they took the 9th wicket assuming the injured batsman would not come in.

He did, and that must have put them young team off.  Two balls later the opposition only needed 6 runs off 4 balls, and it looked all over.

That was the moment when the big bad old boy of world cricket steals the game and leaves the fans with nothing but embarrassment at ever having hope.

Instead a slower ball was bowled, the only opposition batsman that really scored was caught behind and this nation finally beat their one bogey side.

It was just a one dayer in just another meaningless series, but when they won it was everything.

The players celebrated like they had never won before, the coach transformed from the most miserable man in cricket to its happiest, the support staff were so happy they were almost hurting each other with bear hugs.

This isn’t going to change this team.

The next game against England isn’t going to be magically easier, this young side isn’t about to take world cricket by storm, but when you haven’t won in 247 days, a win is a massive event.

Maybe this will give them confidence, maybe it will be a blip.

But when this side wins a match cricket fan’s smile, and that is a good thing.

Well done, boys.  And I think I speak for almost everyone who loves cricket when I say that.

My neck is still very fucken sore, but now it is sore from screaming like a dickhead when you took that wicket.

Now, how about one more win?

The sophisticated good looks and smoothness is the reason many refer to Mahmudullah as the Bangladeshi Cary Grant. His simple elegance means that he is more than capable with bat or ball. He is also cool in a crisis, has great posture and a cosmopolitan feeling to him. Seems to get ignored in a team of underachievers. Has the capability to be a poster boy for Armani in Bangladesh. Should be batting at 5 in this side and bowling more overs than he does. Is one of 73 off spinning all rounders in Bangladesh first class cricket.

There was a moment on the last day when Mushfiqur Rahim kept getting hit on the fingers.

It wasn’t some important moment in the game. Bangladesh had already batted like left handed children using right handed scissors for the first time. The players and reporters were already preparing for their days off. Cleaners were coming into place. Old Trafford’s accountants were working out how much they had lost. And the sky programmers were busy planning back ups.

All of this was put on hold as Ajmal Shahzad kept hitting Rahim’s little fingers.

Shahzad is playing his first test, he has a first class bowling average of 33, without injuries he is about the 8th choice bowler in England’s attack. Yet on this day he regular beat up the hands of Rahim.

Rahim who has the best footwork of any Bangladeshi by so far that if Uday Hussain’s nephew was to start coaching the team and cut Rahim’s feet off, Rahim would still have the best footwork.

It seemed that the only thing delaying England’s win was Rahim walking around in pain or calling for the physio.

England knocked Bangladesh down, held back the one kid who could fight and let their wimpier kids kick the living shit out of them for a couple of hours.

Bangladesh have good days in test cricket, this wasn’t one of them.

Their last 19 wickets went for 213 runs.

But it was Rahim’s fingers that took the biggest beating.

With the game over he could have backed away and slogged like others did after him.

Rahim just kept getting behind the ball, kept taking the ball on his gloves, kept trying not to show the pain and played out 42 balls before he was eventually caught at mid on chipping a ball.

It was Bangladesh. A mediocre innings of much pain that meant nothing and gave even less.

Bangladesh lost in an embarrassing way.

Siddons is closer to going.

Tamim continued the rise.

And Rahim has sore fingers.

Bangladesh

Tamim is a world class batsmen, Shakib is very smart bowler and Bangladesh often play cricket like a bunch of kids who turned up at the park.

England

Seem to crawl up into a ball and cry when Tamim bats, but luckily Bangladesh helped them with the rest.  Swann’s five for and Bell’s hundred seemed like gifts.

Can Bangladeshi draw?

No. Poor little fellas. Watching them lose 9 for way fucken less than they should have was horrible.

Play of the day

You have to give Matt Prior credit, he played as slow and carefully as he could, and then did a Mike Gatting in the 90s. As he walked off he looked at the screen in disbelief at the level of stupidity he showed. I bet Craig K had a smile on his face.

Testicular moment of the day

Tamim wears his underwear on his outside.

Working class moment

Bangladesh win this award today. They’re like the scummy family from the shit part of town who is mostly full of complete losers that would steal your car and leave vomit in the back seat. Shakib and Tamin are the two who get good jobs and move to the nicer parts of town.

Question of the day

Why does Shahzad’s head look so weird on cricinfo?