Bangladesh U-19s find positives in rain-marred UK tour
Bangladesh Under-19 team's just-concluded tour of the United Kingdom was heavily marred by inclement weather, with only two of the six scheduled YODIs producing a result. Still the team's management is glad that a few individuals made their mark in the limited opportunities that were on offer.
Earlier this month, the Young Tigers travelled to the UK for a one-off YODI against Ireland U-19 side followed by a five-match series against their English counterparts.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Against Ireland, Bangladesh U-19 reached 209-7 in 37 overs before rain abruptly ended the game in Loughborough.
In the series opener against England, Rizan Hossan's brilliant hundred, aided by left-arm spinner Samiun Basir Ratul's four-wicket haul, helped the tourists earn a massive 87-run win.
The hosts won the rain-curtailed second match by four wickets in DLS method after English opener Isaac Mohammed, nephew of English all-rounder Moeen Ali, struck a match-winning hundred in Loughborough.
The third and fourth match in Bristol and Kent respectively ended in a no result as in both games the first innings couldn't be finished due to rain while the fifth YODI was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
In between the constant rain interruptions, youngsters Rizan and Ratul impressed, with the former making 159 runs in three outings against England, which included a hundred and a half-century, and the latter finishing the series as the joint highest wicket-taker with eight wickets in three innings.
"I think Rizan and Ratul have been really consistent for us and we can think of fast-tracking these two cricketers," U-19 team selector Ehsanul Hoque told The Daily Star on Monday.
"The England side was a difficult opposition and playing against them that too on their soil was more challenging… I think our players got a good taste of playing in that condition despite all the rain," he added.
Meanwhile, head coach Naveed Nawaz feels that his charges learnt a lot from this tour.
"It was a great experience. Unfortunately, rain spoilt most of the matches but I am sure our boys learnt a lot from this," the Sri Lankan said.
"Experience of conditions will help players learn to navigate and to know what England U-19 looks like to do strategic comparisons since we might play them in the World Cup as well," he said, adding that he feels there are still few places up for grabbing for the World Cup bound-flight.
The U-19 team is scheduled to return home today. They will next play a five-match YODI series against Afghanistan at home next month, which will be their last bilateral series before the Asia Cup, slated to begin in December.
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