Mushfiqur wants Bangladesh to play more Tests

ANSARI:

	Mushfiqur Rahim's team managed to secure their first draw in Sri Lanka © AFP  Enlarge

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has made an appeal for more Tests for his side after they were much-improved competitors in the two-Test series in Sri Lanka. Bangladesh lost the series 0-1 but had positive results, forcing a draw in Galle, their first in this country.

The visitors lost the second Test in Colombo, but there were periods at the Premadasa when they were on par with Sri Lanka. The performance prompted Mushfiqur to ask for more chances to play Tests.

"It doesn't matter if we do well or not, we will have more opportunity if we get more Tests to play," Mushfiqur said. "Those who in authority, I would ask them to give us more Tests. We can show that we can play good, consistent Test cricket.

"It is up to the cricket board whether we play a three-Test series, but we must play eight to ten Tests in a year. You can play as many ODIs and T20s you want, but Test cricket is the ultimate. You have periods of long struggle in Test cricket, it builds character and confidence."

Bangladesh have only played two three-match seriessince gaining Test status in 2000, and the last one was nearly six years ago in Sri Lanka. Bangladesh played just two Tests in 2012, and are scheduled to play four more this year.

Questions remain, however, over the Bangladesh players' durability in Test cricket. They have shown, in these two matches in Sri Lanka, the ability to dominate a session, or even a day, but to string together consistently impressive performances over several days is still a challenge.

"We are working on this but we haven't reached a stage where we can play 10 days of consistent cricket out of 14-15 days," Mushfiqur said. "The focus that is required to face deliveries pitching on the same spot requires mental and technical skills.

"They bowl maidens, build the pressure on our batsmen. When they are batting, they are aware a bad ball is around the corner, so they wait and give enough respect to the good ball. But we have to play a lot more than just the two or four [Tests] per year."

Mushfiqur said the bowling attack needed to develop, but had to be given time. Bangladesh's highest wicket-taker in the series, Sohag Gazi, has completed only four Test matches, and without Shakib Al Hasan the attack has only shown flashes of potential.

"We made only 240 [in Colombo] against a team like Sri Lanka, so that wasn't good enough. We don't have a bowling attack that can bowl them out for 200. [Kumar] Sangakkara and [Dinesh] Chandimal played really well, they didn't give us a chance," Mushfiqur said. "In the second innings, some of us were set but we got out. The spinners should have bowled better on this wicket, which Rangana Herath showed by bowling in one spot."

Bangladesh's next Tests are against Zimbabwe in April, but they have an ODI series and Twenty20 left to play against Sri Lanka over the next 11 days
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Pietersen to miss Auckland Test, IPL with knee injury

March 20, 2013

	Kevin Pietersen's had knee trouble since the tour match in Queenstown © Getty Images  Enlarge
Kevin Pietersen has been ruled out of all cricket for up to eight weeks by the knee injury which has been troubling him during the New Zealand tour. He will miss the deciding Test in Auckland, which starts on Friday, as well as the IPL with a view to him being fit for the Champions Trophy and the Ashes.

The estimated recovery time makes Pietersen doubtful for the return series against New Zealand, beginning on May 16 at Lord's. He first felt the problem, which could be caused by cartilage damage, during the warm-up match in Queenstown, although it only really came to light when he was absent for a session of the Dunedin Test. England were fielding at the time and it was played down as nothing serious. He made 0 and 12 in the first Test, and although he responded with 73 in Dunedin, he was never fluent but remained on the field.

"Pietersen experienced knee pain while fielding in preparation for the four-day game in Queenstown earlier this month, ahead of the Test series," the ECB said in a statement. "This has failed to resolve satisfactorily.

"Recent scans confirm an injury to the right knee with bone bruising and possible cartilage damage to the kneecap. The 32-year-old will return to the UK for further investigations and specialist review.

"The injury is likely to require ongoing assessments and a likely six-eight week period of rest and rehabilitation. Pietersen has therefore been withdrawn from all cricket including the Indian Premier League."

The fact Pietersen has not been kept on in New Zealand with the series at stake shows that time is already of the essence to get him ready for the main events of the English season. In 2009 he was forced out mid-way through the Ashes series with a career-threatening Achilles injury.

Pietersen's withdrawal will mean a likely recall to the middle order for Jonny Bairstow, the Yorkshire batsman who has not played since the Twenty20 series earlier in the tour. His previous Test was against India, in Mumbai, when he stood in for Ian Bell who went home for the birth of his child.

It won't be the first time Bairstow has replaced Pietersen in a Test line-up. He came in for the deciding match against South Africa, at Lord's, last year following Pietersen's dropping after the text-message controversy. Baristow responded with scores of 95 and 54. In five Tests he has scored 196 runs at 32.66.

England will now be sweating on the fitness of two key players over the next two months. Graeme Swann is currently in the early stages of his recovery from elbow surgery after he was ruled out of the New Zealand tour on the morning of the first Test
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