Posted by In our book, that’s progress. Sri Lanka are knackered, India are emotionally spent and these days Bangladesh can take advantage of that to get themselves into a position to lose to Pakistan.
It’s not full-on, double-shifts-at-the-bunting-factory glory, but it’s not bad. Life’s all about taking pride in minuscule progress anyway, whether it’s gaining the ability peel a potato without slicing off your fingertip, achieving a hair style that isn’t fully embarrassing or beating higher-ranked cricket teams suffering from collective depression.
Has enough time elapsed that we can link to our post from February 2006 in which we said that Shakib Al Hasan was going to be good? For the benefit of the nine people who started reading the site since the last link, here it is. Marvel at our cricketing insight, conveniently ignoring the links that lead to a post extolling the virtues of Sri Lanka’s Andy Solomons (although Andy did hit his first hundred last week).
There was a time when we happily clogged up this site with dull, self-serving updates about unknown Bangladeshis hitting fifties. We currently feel quite enthusiastic about going back to that state of affairs.
Shakib is two days younger than me. In 10 years we’ll both be almost 35. He’ll have played 100 tests and I’ll still be waiting for my first.
Our lives are on somewhat different trajectories. Depressing.
The most interesting post amongst the reams of early-vintage Shakib love is this one
http://kingcricket.blogspot.co.uk/2007/04/saqibul-hasans-shovel-shot.html
2007 that is. Dilscoop my arse.
Someone else linked to an old Shakib Al Hasan post.
This means you all want more, right?
Bangladesh have produced one in a million, suprise victories over higher ranked teams before, but two consecutive victories over India and sri lanka in conditions they both like looks suspiciously like real progress.
And it wasn’t just a case of India and Sri Lanka cocking up – India’s bowling was taken to the cleaners, and Sri Lanka’s batting was throttled after getting the big three cheaply. Pretty much the same way anyone else would beat them.
Bangladesh generally seem to be too much in awe of Pakistan to be able to beat them, but I bet they give them a close run.
Tell you what it is; it’s Stuart Law bringing a bit of Lancashire to Dhaka is what it is.
Stuey must have had a little smile to himself when he realised he would be coaching a player called Nasir Hossain
If we’re getting all nostalgic over old posts, I think you should do a “where are they now?” on this lot.
http://kingcricket.blogspot.co.uk/2007/04/ones-to-watch-2007.html
Could do, actually. But why not start with 2006 and Graeme Swann?
Well, I already know where Graeme Swann is now.* But I have no idea what happened to James Benning.
*In general terms. Obviously I don’t know exactly where he is and what he’s doing at this precise moment in time, because the restraining order stops me from finding that sort of thing out.
James Benning?
Was crap at Surrey, went to Leicester, was crap. Left. Appears to now be playing for Bucks.
I went to journalism college with Richard Dawson.
He used to tell stories about batting against Brett Lee in Perth.
No joke of a lie.
Is it a real final or a best-of-x final? I could see Bangladesh beating Pakistan in a single game, but if they have to win (x/2)+0.5 games (where x is an odd number greater than 2), I’m going with Pakistan.
It’s a final-final.
First class stuff, Ed. This country wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in if more people provided generalised formulae rather than just example, example, etc. My wife has always objected that I sing “Happy birthday to X (where X is the name of the person whose birthday it is today)” to my kids on their birthdays, but she is so wrong.
Well i believe it would be a good final as Bangladesh are on a role. I believe Pakistan will win by 5 Wickets
Well done King. Your predictive powers are demonstrably perfect. You said they’d lose, and they did. 100% accurate on the predicting stakes.