Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 130 Sun. October 03, 2004  
   
Sports


Nafees eyes different kind of hundred


Young batsman Nafees Iqbal loves to play strokes and wants to draw inspiration from his swashbuckling century against England in a three-day match last year. But the talented right-hander realises that he needs to develop a more mature approach to become an established opener.

Back to the camp after enjoying an additional five-day break, Nafees is looking forward to playing another big innings in the three-day match against New Zealand at BKSP, where he scored 118 against the English-men.

The game will help him to push for a Test call up when the selectors name a 13-member team for the first Test starting October 19.

The nephew of former Bangla-desh captain Akram Khan has already played four one-day internationals including both games in the ICC Champions Trophy. But statistics hardly do justice to his undoubted ability.

"It is frustrating that I continue to make the same mistakes which I even did in the three-day match against England. This is nothing but a tendency to go for excessive stroke-play," Nafees told reporters while explaining his failures in one-day cricket.

But he wants to seize another opportunity to prove that he has what it takes to become a Test batsman.

"A Test cap is a dream for any cricketer and I want to impress everybody in that three-day match," said Nafees while referring to the lone warm-up match against the Kiwis, which starts on October 14.

Stephen Fleming's men will arrive in Dhaka on October 11 for two Tests and three one-day internationals.

Nafees along with his Chitago-nian mate Aftab Ahmed and pacer Nazmul Hossain were allowed an extra few days rest since they toured England as part of the Under-19 team before being picked for the Champions Trophy.

The dashing batsman, who made the headlines by terming England left-arm spinner Ashley Giles as an ordinary bowler after cracking that magnificent hundred, however has since failed to deliver and had to wait almost a year before a comeback.

"I am looking forward to repeat that feat against New Zealand but I have to be more restrained in my shot selection," said the 20-year-old.

"I was well set in the first match against South Africa but unnecessarily I went for another big shot", he said referring his first comeback match in the Champions Trophy where he top-scored with 40 in Bangladesh's poor total of 93.

"I tried to check this bad habit in the second match against West Indies but again I was guilty of playing lofted shots at the start of the innings."

Meanwhile, coach Dav Whatmore has made batting and more batting his number one priority. The Australian knows that if his boys are to survive in a five-day contest they must learn how to occupy the crease instead of throwing their wicket away that has been a major concern in recent times.

The 21 probables will have an extensive session in the centre wicket at the BNS provided there is good weather on Monday.

Picture
BATTING AIDE: Sri Lanka batting specialist Owen Mottau (L), who arrived in Dhaka on Thursday, offers some tips to wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud before a net session at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. PHOTO: STAR