Statistical analysis of Bangladesh-Sri Lanka game

[pellu]

Looking at the bowling figures of Bangladesh team, one pattern emerges is that we did not get defensive enough.

	Mashrafe Mortaza	10	0	66			0			6.60	(2nb, 2w)
	Syed Rasel	10	0	58			1			5.80
	Abdur Razzak	10	0	86			1			8.60	(1w)
	Mohammad Rafique	10	0	48			1			4.80	(2w)
	Saqibul Hasan	10	0	49			1			4.90

If we consider the tendency of our different bowlers, Masrafee and Razzak are considered strike bowlers (at least they take more risk to get weekets). Rafique bowls much more flatter trajectory than Razzak. Rasel and Saqib just try to make sure that they do not give too many runs. When Sri Lanka got to 200/1 in 35 overs, the strategy for both Masrafe and Razzak should have been containment not taking weeket (with top 9 of Sri Lanka team being able to bat, even a collapse was not going to help much). Compared to Rafique and Saqib, Razzak has conceeded 38-39 extra runs. If Razzak tried to save runs, he probably could have given less than Rafiq and Saqib. So if Bangladesh got defensive from 35th over onwards, we could save about 40 runs. In that case, the Sri Lanka score would have been around 278. That is still probably beyond our reach but not unimaginable. Bangladesh batsmen could have batted with siginificantly less pressure.

On a more general note, Bangladesh team does not have enough bowling firepower to bowl out a team like Sri Lanka when they have not lost early weekets to get under pressure. Once we saw that we did not get any weeket after 10 overs, we could have gone totally defensive.

[RazabQ]

any chance you are related to Habibul Bashar? LOL

[pellu]

Originally Posted by RazabQ
any chance you are related to Habibul Bashar? LOL

Now that you mention, it was very odd how Habibul Bashar did not mention batting failure during his post-game interview. However, what I had to say is actually criticizing Bashar for not changing strategy during the game. If he were a good captain, he would have had a chat with Razzak (+ masrafee) to try to save run instead of trying to get weeket.

It's just that looking at the bowling figures, reveal an interesting pattern and I thought it is worth sharing. After I started the thread, I read an article in prothom alo that seem to support my assertion. http://www.prothom-alo.org/index.new...p?nid=NDk1NA==

Sri Lanka caption was saying that (translating from Bengali) "Bangladesh has only 5 bowlers. If they get early breakthroughs, they become as strong as seven. Otherwise they are as strong as only four."

Our bowling strategy should reflect that - if we get early weekets play aggressively, otherwise play very defensively (try to save runs).

[Fazal]

Its just tells our strategy of taking only 5 bowlers is not going to work with stronger teams. Against India, we are just too lucky to get away with 5 bowlers. Against SL, thats the reality. with 5 bowlers, the captain;s hand is tied.

But on the other hand too many options confuses our Captain too much. May be that's why Dav wanted to make it simple for Bashar. memorize the order and go through it regardless what happens in the field.

[Protic]

We should use Aftab more often.. He's more like a Scott Styris to us.
We can also use Ashraful to be the Symonds when needed.
Seriously.. we should start thinking over that. Aftab has a 5wicket haul against NZ too.

[Special 1]

Habibul Bashar is an toothless captain. But that is probably the best we have.
We rely too much on Mashrafee to get break throughs early on and there will be days he wouldnt be able to and teams will score big. The bowling of Bangaldesh team did not really bother me. It was the batting which was aweful. It is pretty evident, that if Bangladesh were to ever chase that score, ASH would have to play a major role. What is the point of sending him at number seven? After Saqib, mushfiq, and bashar. I am sorry that does not make sense. He should have come at number 3 or 4. Sending mushfiq in early was simply stupid. He had no clue about what he was doing. What was pathetic was the fact, Whatmore did not realise that we did not need the win, we needed to score 250 and Banlgadesh is capable of that. Even against India, we wasted atleast 5 overs to chase that score down. Rookie mistakes. If you want to go through to the second round, you have to be clinical, just like Sri Lanka was. That is what seperates great teams from good teams and good teams from mediocre teams.
One consolation is that SL will fight hard for those 2 points and hopefully manage to beat India. But seriously, we need to think and set our goals.

[Special 1]

Originally Posted by Protic
We should use Aftab more often.. He's more like a Scott Styris to us.
We can also use Ashraful to be the Symonds when needed.
Seriously.. we should start thinking over that. Aftab has a 5wicket haul against NZ too.

I think he is not fit enuf to bowl or sth like that. I read a post a few months ago.

[Sif]

We simply need to change our startegies and Bashar and BD should be playing more deffensively and offensively so they have a combination of both when needed!!

[Fazal]

Someone mentioned here (I think its Akabir) that Aftab has some back problem ans not allowed to bowl. If its true, then Aftab is out of the equation as the 6th bowler.

When last time Ash bowled for the national team? I have no idea how good a bowler he is now a days. Bringing him suddenly may be much more risker business.

When they selected the team. They added one more batsman to accommodate Ash, because they wanted a genuine opener in Tamim, still have high hopes on Aftab, believe in Sakib, cannot get rid of Bashar. So here you go.... one less all rounder. They knew it..they were over compensating the batting at the sake of bowling.... and they gambled on it knowingly. Short term they will stick with that, whether we like it or not.


In long term we need to think about that.... we need to build a more balanced team i.e add one more all-rounder.