Tractors, only pace from WI and other ideas to guarantee win for Tigers

It was happening again. The trap was set.

A pitch darker than my future, and offering sharper turn than an Agatha Christie thriller, greeted the West Indies at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium for yet another all-important bilateral three-match ODI series.

After getting belted by the Afghans in the prior series in UAE on what could be called average cricket pitches, the Tigers returned to familiar comforts in Mirpur, on a strip of land masquerading as a wicket, looking as dark as the lungs of the average Dhakaite.

The stage was set for a series sweep that would give the cricket board and players enough ammunition to make bold claims of improvement, of even becoming ranked-seventh team in the format in the long run.

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Can Tigers escape their own trap?

Alas, the West Indians turned out to be the most unmalleable of guests, as they ripped apart the script by winning the second tie to square up the series.

While some say the defeat is a wake up call for the Tigers to stop trying to win on such doctored pitches, I say, ignore them; for they only focus on the negatives when one victory is all that is needed to turn things rosy.

For the hosts, the onus of the hour is to further exercise extreme hosting rights to eliminate any chance of losing the marquee series.

Following are a few scenarios which will assist them in their noble quest:

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Tourists must bowl only pacers

Bangladesh had laid a spin trap for the West Indies and rather than falling into it as expected, the visitors outdid the hosts, and bowled a record 50 overs of spin – an utterly unacceptable act if you ask me, one that was totally uncalled for!

And no, I'm not outraged that they outspun the Tigers to set an all-time spin record, but because of having seen a team known for several legendary quicks not bowl a single over of pace in the entire match.

For the sake of the West Indies' cricketing heritage, they need to make amends by bowling only pacers in the third match, leaving the spin bowling only to Bangladesh.

Clockwork counter for Miraz

It's not easy being captain, just ask Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

The poor chap has to bat in the middle-order -- carefully play out dot after dot to shield the batter at the other end from coming into strike and be at risk of getting out -- then bowl 10 overs of off-spin; something he never misses doing, even if it means replacing bowlers who are picking wickets. On top of that, he also has to set the field and solve the open-ended problem of who will bowl when.

While juggling a myriad of responsibilities at once, he made a mistake on Thursday. He forgot when to bring on Mustafizur Rahman in the death overs and as a result, Saif Hassan, a part-timer, had to bowl the final over.

But mistakes happen, more often than not where the process reigns supreme, even with someone like Miraz who has led at age-level cricket and in domestic cricket. So what if he keeps making such amateurish mistakes at an alarming rate, and his record as ODI skipper is worse than anyone in the recent past, he is at least trying!

Just to relieve his misery a bit, after every over the 12th man could run to the field and relay the coaches' instruction about who to give the ball to – that much help is certainly warranted by the skipper.

Plough harder

'Mirpur pitch is a paddy field' is perhaps the longest running joke in Bangladesh cricket.

For years it has been used to disparage the pure-hearted efforts of the wise cricket board to help their precious men's team win some matches. But it appears the trolls were onto something.

Turns out, the dark soil, wide cracks and the explosion of dust is not enough. It's time to take the next step: forget the roller and bring out a tractor, driving it to the centre of the ground and letting it rip on the wicket; creating a pitch where every delivery would challenge Shane Warne's ball of the century.

But will all this be enough, one or one of many might wonder?

I understand their concerns but, with just hours left before the match, that's all that could be done for now. But if the authorities want more ideas, the author is more than happy to offer them -- but no refunds.