Gifts showered in B'desh on gifted cricketers

It was like manna from heaven for the victorious Bangladesh cricketers after they stuffed the Kiwis in their four limited over one-day internationals in their backyard. The Bangladesh cricketers who have always been examples to the game won all four matches.

Elated by their victory that stunned the cricket world and warmed the cockles of the Bangladeshis, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hosted a grand reception for the team and showered them with goodies.

The cricketers had prepared assiduously and were ready to fire all cylinders on the Kiwis and outplay the visitors in every game. That they achieved a clean 4-nil sweep was something that has never occurred before in the history of their game.

New cars and plots of land in the smartest capital of Dhaka came the way of the cricketers from the Prime Minister in recognition and appreciation of this victory that will be etched in annals of their game.

Glorious accomplishment

To quote the PM - It's a glorious accomplishment for the country.

I'm so happy that I cannot express my delight. I was working and watching the last match on television. I could not hold my excitement when it all came down to four runs in four balls'.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan who piloted the team to this success with some brilliant captaincy and who deservedly won the man of the series was presented with two limousines and got two extra bonuses. The Bangladesh Cricket Board also presented bonus money of 5,000 dollars to each member of the team.

The Bangladeshi cricketers richly deserve the recognition and the rewards. They showed what determination and the will to win can do even when up against the strongest of teams.

The Kiwis were better trained, had better cricketers man to man and arrived with a tremendous reputation. The Kiwis proved their capabilities by performing brilliantly in triangular tournament in Sri Lanka.

Second to none

But against the Bangladeshis, they met their Waterloo. Former Aussie cricketer and now coach of the Bangladeshis Jamie Siddons who has been with them for some time now, had confidence in his charges and instilled in them that they are second to none; and that if they play true to ability and believe in themselves they can rub the Kiwis in the dust in Bangladesh.

And the cricketers did just that. They did not worry or let the big names in the New Zealand squad upset them. Throughout the four games they played the better cricket and rattled the visitors who at the end of the series acknowledged the Bangladeshis.

The New Zealanders must certainly be licking their wounds as they were given a lesson by the Bangladeshis on how to play good and match winning cricket. They have not pressed the panic button and not made wholesales changes in picking a squad to play India, in India, next month.

This stunning triumph should spur the Bangladeshis to make their presence felt when they host the 2011 World Cup next year along with India and Sri Lanka. Winning the World Cup is not beyond them, if they perform like they did against the Kiwis.

No significance

When this column is being read, the one and only Twenty20 bash between Australia and Sri Lanka would have ended in Perth. This game will be of little or no significance, because it will be the outcome of the three 50 over games to be played later that would matter.

The good news from the Aussie camp is the return of dashing wicket keeper batsman Brad Haddin and fast bowler Peter Siddle after recovering from injury. Both missed the tour of India for the recently concluded series.

The Lankans were off to a dream start on this short tour beating Western Australia convincingly in a Twenty20 bash. Skipper Kumar Sangakkara was quickly into form cracking a sterling century.

The Lankans must guard against complacency. The cunning Aussies have a tendency to first, front up weak teams and lull visiting teams and then put their best men in the front line when the big games come around and fire.

Aussie done in

The Aussies who were done in by the Indians in the Test series and also lost the three match one-day series one-nil, after the first and third games were abandoned without a ball being delivered owing to rain, will be smarting and waiting to devour the Lankans.

After this Twenty20 game, the Lankans will take on the Kangaroos in three 50-over internationals. The Aussies will be led by that master tactician Ricky Ponting who is back after skipping the one-dayers against India.

Ponting will be leading a team packed with experience in addition to some promising youngsters who are expected to carry the Aussie challenge in the sub continent in their endeavour to retain the World Cup and make it three-in- a row.

The Aussies who had their pride wounded in India, will want to rediscover their true potential and not be disgraced by losing in their own backyard. If the Lankans can shoot down the Kangaroos, it could put Ricky Ponting's captaincy on the line.

Ponting, Watson back

Ponting and Shane Watson did not figure in the one-dayers against India, preferring to fly back and recharge their batteries to show that they can fire all cylinders on the Lankans and then do similarly against England in the Ashes series.

There will be a surfeit of cricket in the coming days with Australia hosting the Sri Lankans, Pakistan playing South Africa in Abu Dhabi and India taking on New Zealand in India. Sadly Pakistan still can't play cricket at home owing to the unsettled conditions and security problems. It was a pity that they missed out hosting the 2011 World Cup with India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They are hosting South Africa on a neutral venue Abu Dhabi. All teams are putting on show their best players in an endeavour to pick their best men to try and win the 2011 World Cup which will bring fortunes to the winning team and its Cricket Boards.

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