With a hope to show improvement from their first full trip, the Bangladesh cricket team left the city last night for Johannesburg.
The Tigers will play a Twenty20 international against the Proteas which will be followed by a three-match one-day series and two Test matches during their month-long tour.
The Tigers played their first full series in South Africa in 2002 and had a bitter experience of making a meek surrender in both Test and one-day series under Khaled Mashud, who recently retired.
The overall record also speaks in favour of South Africa but there was only one sweet memory for the Tigers when, in the 2007 World Cup, they beat Graeme Smith's men.
In the last few series the bowlers showed some sort of consistency to create chance against Australia and New Zealand but batting remained the same and the batsmen should play their part if they wan to avoid the same blues.
"It's a big challenge to face South Africa in their own conditions. I think our bowlers did well in the last couple of series but we have to do well as a team and every department to show the improvement in the tour," said pace spearhead and Bangladesh vice-captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza while talking with the reporters at the Zia International Airport.
Shakib Al Hasan, who had a brilliant all-round time against New Zealand in the recently concluded home series, also said that it would be a tough challenge for his side.
"We are going to face a tough time but we have to enjoy the cricket. I am looking forward to enjoy cricket in South Africa," said Shakib.
Nayeem Islam however was not ready to promise anything before the series rather he was looking forward to cement his place in the side.
"I think it's better to talk after the series," said the young all-rounder, who showed his potential against the Kiwis.
Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful however was confident that his side will show their improvement during the tour.
"No doubt it's a challenging tour for us but we created few opportunities in the last two series and won a one-day match against New Zealand. I am hopeful that we will able to create chances also in South Africa and one success is not unlikely if our top order batsmen clicked," said Ashraful.
Bangladesh Leaves For South Africa
Bangladesh cricket team will fly to South Africa tonight to play three one-day internationals and two Tests besides a Twenty20 international during a monthlong tour.
The Tigers will kick off their second trip to South Africa with the lone Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on November 5 and then play a three-match one-day series and the two-match Test series.
Most of the current team players have had the experience of playing in South African conditions but it's for the first time that all the players led by Mohammad Ashraful are going to play a full series as not a single player have survived from that first tour in 2002-03.
After the first trip, Bangladesh toured the country to play the 2003 World Cup and the 2007 Twenty20 World Championships while rookie players like Nayeem Islam, Imrul Kayes and Mahbubul Alam have played in the country with the GP-BCB Cricket Academy.
"It is the first Test series for everybody in South Africa. We had the experience of playing in that condition but Tests are a a different ball game," said Ashraful, who was in the team for both the World Cups along with deputy Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
Bangladesh batting was terrible in the first trip when they suffered innings defeats in both matches under the leadership of Khaled Mashud and after six years, the challenge remains the same as they have to bat well to show any improvement.
Ashraful's men were competitive in the just-concluded home series against New Zealand but there were reasons to worry with their batting performance in the series as the efforts from the lower order salvaged the Tigers.
Coach Jamie Siddons has issued a warning after the series that in South Africa if his top four batsmen fail like the home series against the Kiwis, they cannot expect the same service from the lower order batsmen all the time.
Ashraful was however very optimistic about a much improved batting performance in South Africa.
"It's a big challenge but I think the wicket will be good for batting because we are going to play the series in the middle of their season. We just need to stick to our basics," he said.
The Tigers will kick off their second trip to South Africa with the lone Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on November 5 and then play a three-match one-day series and the two-match Test series.
Most of the current team players have had the experience of playing in South African conditions but it's for the first time that all the players led by Mohammad Ashraful are going to play a full series as not a single player have survived from that first tour in 2002-03.
After the first trip, Bangladesh toured the country to play the 2003 World Cup and the 2007 Twenty20 World Championships while rookie players like Nayeem Islam, Imrul Kayes and Mahbubul Alam have played in the country with the GP-BCB Cricket Academy.
"It is the first Test series for everybody in South Africa. We had the experience of playing in that condition but Tests are a a different ball game," said Ashraful, who was in the team for both the World Cups along with deputy Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
Bangladesh batting was terrible in the first trip when they suffered innings defeats in both matches under the leadership of Khaled Mashud and after six years, the challenge remains the same as they have to bat well to show any improvement.
Ashraful's men were competitive in the just-concluded home series against New Zealand but there were reasons to worry with their batting performance in the series as the efforts from the lower order salvaged the Tigers.
Coach Jamie Siddons has issued a warning after the series that in South Africa if his top four batsmen fail like the home series against the Kiwis, they cannot expect the same service from the lower order batsmen all the time.
Ashraful was however very optimistic about a much improved batting performance in South Africa.
"It's a big challenge but I think the wicket will be good for batting because we are going to play the series in the middle of their season. We just need to stick to our basics," he said.
Abdur Razzak Reported once again
Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak once again found himself in controversy after umpires Asoka de Silva and Daryl Harper reported his bowling action.
The umpires, who conducted the just-concluded Test series between Bangladesh and New Zealand, found Razzak's faster delivery a reason for concern after the drawn second game at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. The two umpires have asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to review the bowler's action.
"In their report the umpires explained they had concerns over the player's faster ball and, having monitored it during both matches of the series, decided it was appropriate the delivery should be scrutinised further under the relevant ICC process," stated an ICC media release.
After the ICC obtains three copies of the relevant footage -- one going each to the player, Bangladesh Cricket Board and one retained by the governing body itself -- Razzak is required to submit to an independent analysis of his action by a member of the ICC panel of human movement specialists, appointed in consultation with the BCB within 21 days of the report being received by the cricket board.
Thankfully for the Tigers, Razzak can play during the three-week period he has been granted by the ICC for observation. And that means he will be available for the upcoming tour of South Africa.
BCB cricket operations committee chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain however said that the board would seek an extension, maybe after the series against the Proteas.
"We will correspond with the ICC to get an extension and maybe have the analysis in Dhaka after the team comes back from the tour," said Ashraf.
"If not, then we can have it in South Africa if the ICC has any of their panel members present there during the time of the tour," added Ashraf.
After the panel member reviews Razzak's action, 'the report must be filed with the ICC within 14 days of it occurring', according to the ICC regulations.
If a player is found to have bowled with an illegal action during the independent analysis then he will be banned from bowling until he undertakes remedial action and is reassessed. If the independent analysis finds the player guilty of bowling with an illegal action for a specific type of delivery only then he can continue to bowl in international cricket with a warning that if he is reported again then he will be banned from bowling with immediate effect. Until the receipt of the report of the independent analysis by the BCB then the player can continue to bowl.
But Ashraf said that it is too soon to give a verdict on the 26-year-old's action.
"I think it is too early to say anything and be negative about it because it was his delivery that came under question. One must remember that the umpires might have judged the incident through the naked eye," said the former national captain.
"I think the test will certify his action, whether it falls under the given degrees or not," added Ashraf.
This is the second time Razzak has been reported in his career.
The first instance was during an Asia Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo in 2004 in what was only his second one-day international. The then high performance unit manager Richard McInnes cleared him six weeks later and Razzak resumed his international career in January 2005.
The umpires, who conducted the just-concluded Test series between Bangladesh and New Zealand, found Razzak's faster delivery a reason for concern after the drawn second game at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. The two umpires have asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to review the bowler's action.
"In their report the umpires explained they had concerns over the player's faster ball and, having monitored it during both matches of the series, decided it was appropriate the delivery should be scrutinised further under the relevant ICC process," stated an ICC media release.
After the ICC obtains three copies of the relevant footage -- one going each to the player, Bangladesh Cricket Board and one retained by the governing body itself -- Razzak is required to submit to an independent analysis of his action by a member of the ICC panel of human movement specialists, appointed in consultation with the BCB within 21 days of the report being received by the cricket board.
Thankfully for the Tigers, Razzak can play during the three-week period he has been granted by the ICC for observation. And that means he will be available for the upcoming tour of South Africa.
BCB cricket operations committee chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain however said that the board would seek an extension, maybe after the series against the Proteas.
"We will correspond with the ICC to get an extension and maybe have the analysis in Dhaka after the team comes back from the tour," said Ashraf.
"If not, then we can have it in South Africa if the ICC has any of their panel members present there during the time of the tour," added Ashraf.
After the panel member reviews Razzak's action, 'the report must be filed with the ICC within 14 days of it occurring', according to the ICC regulations.
If a player is found to have bowled with an illegal action during the independent analysis then he will be banned from bowling until he undertakes remedial action and is reassessed. If the independent analysis finds the player guilty of bowling with an illegal action for a specific type of delivery only then he can continue to bowl in international cricket with a warning that if he is reported again then he will be banned from bowling with immediate effect. Until the receipt of the report of the independent analysis by the BCB then the player can continue to bowl.
But Ashraf said that it is too soon to give a verdict on the 26-year-old's action.
"I think it is too early to say anything and be negative about it because it was his delivery that came under question. One must remember that the umpires might have judged the incident through the naked eye," said the former national captain.
"I think the test will certify his action, whether it falls under the given degrees or not," added Ashraf.
This is the second time Razzak has been reported in his career.
The first instance was during an Asia Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo in 2004 in what was only his second one-day international. The then high performance unit manager Richard McInnes cleared him six weeks later and Razzak resumed his international career in January 2005.
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