Sunday, March 13, 2011

Tigers turn to left-armers


Bangladesh will be looking to spin out the Dutch with a pack of left-armers in Monday's World Cup Group B clash in Chittagong.
The co-hosts will be bidding to build on last week's shock win over England as they attempt to edge closer to a quarter-final place.
The Netherlands line-up is packed with right-handed batsmen, so off-spinner Naeem Islam may have to make way for left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo, according to the Tigers' coach Jamie Siddons.
"We are really looking to bring Shuvo in to add another left-arm spinner in the team," Siddons said. "They have got a lot of right-handers in the team. It will be difficult for them if we put another left-hander in.
"So we are looking at may be shifting Naeem and Shuvo. But we haven't really confirmed that because it's difficult to drop Naeem."
If that is the case, Mahmudullah would be the only off-spinner in a slow-bowling attack that also includes captain Shakib Al Hasan and fellow left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak.
Still in the race for a quarter-final slot, Bangladesh badly need to beat the Netherlands who won the sides' only previous meeting in a rain-affected match in Glasgow last year.
The Dutch have not won a match in the World Cup so far but Siddons warned against underestimating them.

Respect

"Last time we met they beat us - although that was a heavily reduced game," he said. "They are a dangerous team and we have to respect them and play good cricket to beat them."
Bangladesh are fifth in Group B, with a negative net run rate, after two wins from four matches. They complete their group games against South Africa on March 19.
Siddons knows a lot will depend on England's final group game against West Indies on Thursday.
"I guess, if England win against West Indies, it's a long, long away... in that case we have to win two games actually, not just tomorrow. Otherwise it's very difficult," Siddons added.
"I think (improving) the run rate is very difficult here because our wicket is not a 300-run wicket. Our wickets, our grounds are very different from that in India and Sri Lanka."
Dutch captain Peter Borren admitted that scoring against Bangladesh's spin attack would be a challenge on the slow track at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
Options
"It would be difficult, particularly against the slow bowlers. We are exploring all our options, whether we are going to play an extra batsman or an extra bowler," he said.
"We are pretty aware what we are coming up against and the sort of attack that we are going to be facing... we have practised playing spin on slow wickets a lot."
Despite four defeats from four games so far, Borren is confident of salvaging something from the tournament, adding: "To be honest, we played four really tough games and we will be looking to win the last two matches. I think, after playing four tough games, if we can win the last two games then I will be pretty happy with our performance in this World Cup."
The Netherlands play their final Group B match against Ireland on March 18.

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