Bangladesh's fast changing structure

YOUNG KIDS in rich houses play the game on their computers. The poor choose the best of streets. Cricket is a passion in Bangladesh, threatening the popularity of football even as the nation prepares to usher in a new era with the likely sanction of Test status.

It is as if Test status will blow away all the ills facing the country. For the tired rickshawpuller or the relaxed man behind the wheel of a Pajero, there will be a new meaning to watching cricket once Bangladesh becomes a Test-playing nation. It is amazing how much a sporting feat can mean to the common and the privileged citizens alike.

An overflowing audience at the Bangabandhu National Stadium for an India-Pakistan clash signifies the essence of having cricket in this small part of the sub-continent. Wasim Akram and Sachin Tendulkar are household names in Bangladesh, just as Aminul Islam or Akram Khan. Only the degree of their following varies. Cricket has made deep inroads in this country which makes more news when ravaged by natural calamities than for a sporting achievement.

Cricket has come a long way since a team of Burmese became the first set of cricketers to visit Dhaka in 1952. It was some game of cricket, what with the Burmese in the slips smoking, and some not even donning the white flannels.

Roquibul Hassan earned nothing when he first played for Bangladesh. When he retired the fee was 1000 takas. Today it is 6000-7000 takas per match. Of course, the club offers its professionals a fabulous amount of four to five lakh takas a season.

``The future is bright for cricket in Bangladesh with Government patronage and private sponsorship. The standards have grown and there has been a steady improvement from the time Bangladesh won the ICC Trophy in 1997,'' observed Hassan, presently one of the National selectors.

Bangladesh is eager to get Test status. Why not, asks Hassan. ``We should get the Test status. The ICC slogan is globalisation but you need to recognise the effort at the highest level. Why should we have just nine teams playing Test cricket in a game which is more than 100 years old'', Hassan made a valid point.

The structure in Bangladesh is changing fast. The focus is on improving the state of facilities. ``We need ICC help in this because it is not possible to spend millions on infrastructure. Once the status comes we will find the avenues to achieve our means'', Hassan promised. Bangladesh may take a few years to do well. The exposure will help the young players and give the experienced administrators the will to improve. The players have shown the way with their feats and it is now for everyone associated with the game to come together for a cause.

From the time when first-class cricket was played on coir matting, cricket has made ample progress in Bangladesh. The true bounce on those pitches produced some quality batsmen who were adept at playing strokes square of the wicket. ``It has changed now. We don't get batsmen who play the cut and pull but overall the standards have gone up significantly'' said a modest Hassan, who was a dashing opener and came close to playing Test cricket before the liberation.

Cricket was always a grand attraction for the masses but it was only towards the mid-80s that it gained recognition as a sport with the potential to grow. Cricketers from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England appeared in the Dhaka league which was gained popularity in the sub- continent.

It was in 1987 precisely that cricket finally arrived as a professional sport. The Dhaka league attracted some of the big names of the sub-continent. Triggered by a fierce desire to win among the clubs there was some fierce trading of players and money flowed into the league.

Earlier, there were not many tournaments in Bangladesh which led to an intense fight for places in the side. There were few facilities but the game had strong roots. The fruits are being enjoyed now and that is why there is need for the administrators to be ambitious and honest. Cricket was a rage in Bangladesh, then East Pakistan, from 1965 to 1971. Dhaka was next to Karachi and Lahore and there were some very keen contests. Mohammad Quamruzzaman, a sports scribe for 34 years, recalled with pride ``we had some very talented players here but they were never considered by Pakistan for Test cricket. Teams came from India and went back impressed but players from this region never found their way into the Pakistan team.''

Quamruzzaman, who kept himself informed of Indian cricket through the Sports and Pastime,added ``cricket was very competitive in the 60s and 70s. There were six clubs and we used to have one-and-a-half-day matches, starting on Saturday afternoon and finishing on Sunday.''

In his opinion, the standard had declined in the last 20 years. The game too had been restricted to Dhaka and Chittagong. ``In the last ten years, almost no match has been played in places other than these two centres. There is little exposure for the game in districts like Rajshahi, Faridpur, Mymensing, Shylet, which were all centres of active cricket two decades ago.''

The talent scheme in Bangladesh is carried out on a strong footing, with potential players being identified in schools. These players graduate to club cricket and qualify for the national team after going through the grind.

Cricket is played in 64 districts in Bangladesh with each district having its own league. The best competition is seen in Dhaka which has a premier league involving 12 teams; first division of 12 teams; second division of 20 teams and third division of 32 teams. Then there is the promotional league of about 70 teams with the winner qualifying for the third division.

The first-class structure was changed in 1999 with the introduction of the national league. Earlier, not all districts would participate and some players missed out showing their potential. So the Bangladesh Cricket Board introduced competition on regional basis with players representing six regions - Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal. Matches are played on home and away basis and the standard is generally said to be impressive.

Bangladesh had applied for Test status in 1997 and the time has come for it to gain recognition. ``For a third world nation, such distinctions provide great pride'' remarked Hassan, the glint in his eyes reflecting the sense of achievement. The seeds were sown when this humble cricketer smashed some of the big names in Pakistan cricket long time ago.

After liberation, Bangladesh strove to make a mark for itself. Cricket might well be the forum for the country to showcase its abilities to organise and play. It may be a game invented by the English but the prosperity of cricket is linked to the sub- continent. Bangladesh is set to become its latest elite member and the nation waits eagerly for the momentous occasion. For cricketers and their followers in Bangladesh, it will indeed be a moment to cherish, second only to those glorious days that followed the country's liberation from Pakistan.

VIJAY LOKAPALLY

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