Dreaming of Test status (4 June 1999)

4 June 1999

Dreaming of Test status

Lenin Gani

Cricket is a strange game. Form and pedigree count for little after a defeat.

Bangladesh's upset 62-run victory of Pakistan on May 31 underlined the fact. Pakistan, unbeatable in four straight matches, were up against one of the lightweights of the cricketing fraternity. Yet as events unfolded at Northampton it was the debutants who pulled the rug from under the 1992 champions after Wasim Akram won the toss.

After superb a opening stand of 68 between Bangladesh's Mehrab Hossain and Shahriar Hossain and useful contributions from the middle-order, especially from Akram Khan (42), the total reached 223 for nine in 50 overs.

The bowlers found the batsmen very unobliging. In fact, speed merchant Shoaib Akhtar, who had managed to frighten most of the batsmen in the ongoing carnival, had a torrid time conceding 12 runs in a single over before being replaced. Only off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq gained some measure of respect by taking 5-35 in overs - the best figures by a Pakistan bowler in World Cups.

The Pakistan reply was a disaster with the top-order perishing with only 42 on the board inside the mandatory 15 overs. Then Akram and Azhar Mahmood steadied the rocking boat, putting on 55 runs for the sixth wicket. But, Aminul and Co kept a cool head in the face of the brief resilience. Once the dependable Moin Khan was gone the situation became hopeless for the Pakistanis and nothing could stop the irresistible Bangladeshis from recording their first victory after seven successive defeats.

Bangladesh, who were the first team to reach England, quickly acclimatised themselves to the unpredictable British weather, and gave an indication of what they were capable of with creditable performances against county sides Essex and Middlesex before going down fighting to Northamptonshire.

Captain Aminul Islam had goals like any other skipper. Winning the coveted silverware was not one of them, rather he came with a mission to defeat fellow ICC Trophy qualifiers Scotland but even he couldn't have imagined toppling the mighty Pakistanis. Experts such as Sunil Gavaskar, Imran Khan and Michael Holding praised Aminul Islam's crew after their Scottish success.

Akram was so impressed that he was bold enough to state that Test cricket beckons Bangladesh.

Strangely though, this has been the case at previous world championships, with rookie teams triumphing against established sides to ultimately become part of the Test scene.

A classic example is Sri Lanka's 1979 win over India. Although they failed to progress any further, on the competition of the meet the Lankans gained universal admiration for displaying grit and tenacity. We all know what they achieved some years later.

In 1983, debutants Zimbabwe rocked Australia, then had eventual champions India on the ropes at Tunbridge Wells until Kapil Dev batted them to respectability. Four years later the Africans gave the New Zealanders a scare when the World Cup was staged outside the England for the first time. It was not until that the sensational defeat of England in 1992, did the ICC finally recognise Zimbabwe as the ninth Test-playing nation. Most recently Kenya caused the shock of 1996 by humbling West Indies by 73 runs. They too have been accorded ODI status and during a tournament in India they upset the hosts.

Bangladesh in their debut at the cricket's greatest event have performed extremely well. After a shaky start against New Zealand, where they scored only 116, the newcomers got better and better as they went along pushing heavyweights West Indies and Australia all the way. And then came the magnificent moment when they stunned the tournament's hot favourites in their last league match.

So, the trend says that we too will lift the ultimate prize in near future, instead of just dreaming about it.

Source :: The Daily Star