Sports Reporter :
Bangladesh suffered a 2-0 defeat to South Africa (SA) in the two-match Test series in South Africa recently.
The tourists lost to the hosts by 220 runs in the first Test at Kingsmead in Durban on April 4.
The visitors tasted a humiliating 322-run defeat in the second Test at Saint George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on April 11.
The two Test matches between Bangladesh and South Africa was part of ICC World Test Championship. South Africa took the second position bagging 60 points from seven matches, while Bangladesh took the eighth position earning 12 points from six matches.
Captain of Bangladesh Test team Mominul Haque said, ” We could not play well against the high-class spin bowling attack. Our two to three batters could perform against the superb spin bowling performance. We don’t know how to face quality spin attack. We have to improve in this sector.”
He said, ” After winning the Test match against the Kiwis in New Zealand, the expectations of the cricket lovers of the country became high. But we could not improve our position. We have to
come out from our position. We have to develop our batting side and improve our weakness.”
It may be mentioned that ace batsman Mushfiqur Rahim hit a superb 51 in the first innings on the second Test. But Mushfiqur Rahim returned to the pavilion after playing a reverse sweep.
Team Director Khaled Mahmud Sujon said, ” Mushfiqur Rahim knew that he was the last specialist batter. In this situation, he struck an unexpected reverse sweep shot and paid heavily.”
Sujon said, ” We didn’t imagine that in this situation a noted batsman like Mushfiqur Rahim could play a callous shot. A batter can hit that kind of shot in ODI or T20I as the batter has a responsibility to chase the run in those shorter version cricket. But no responsible batter would play such kind of shot when he had to sustain in the pitch.”
Selector Habibul Bashar said, ” Our players became upset after playing irresponsible cricket. We have to come out from this position if we want to display a better brand of cricket in Test matches.”
He said, ” We used to play spinners from our boyhood. So, I can’t consider such kind of batting against the spin attack in Port Elizabeth.”
Batting Coach of Bangladesh team Jamie Siddons said, ” Our batters selected to play worst shots. They hit lousy shots. The spinners got advantage in this pitch. It was a tough task for a batter to face such kind of turning and bouncy wicket. I never saw this kind of pitch.”
He said, ” The condition was one of the reason for dismal batting performance. Our batters have to take pressure and then, select the appropriate shots.”
