Do we play enough Limited over cricket domestically?

[MHRAM]

Over the years, I have seen the emergence of not one but two First class cricket tournaments. Bravo for that, it helps us in the long run not just tests but all formats. FC is the pinnacle of all practice matches. Its where players brush up on their skills, practice the skills they already know, and learn patience.

However, apart from the 2 FC tournaments, we have only 2 LoI tournaments

1) A 1.5 month long DPL which is highly competitive.

2) Not the best league in the world, but does the job for us. We can see the talents with our own eyes.

There was a NCL 50-over tournament which I believe was scrapped in a couple of years. We even had a short T20 tournament around 2014 which was to gear up our players for the WT20. I might be wrong about the timing of the tournament though. Also, I have noticed that in the space of a year, we have had

Zero A team matches
Zero academy matches
Huge emphasis on U-19 matches till the world cup this year but nothing at all afterwards.

So the question is, how will our fringe players develop without playing so little amount of domestic cricket? How will our boys develop by simply playing amidst themselves and not tour other countries in the meanwhile? Why are we not harnessing the talent Anamul, Litton, Miraz, Shanto, Sajib, Rony, KI Rabbi. Or is it that we have plenty of cricket already - 5 months of domestic cricket a year alone atleast(more if your team proceeds to the next rounds often)

[Eshen]

Our domestic season runs from September to April. Summer, May-August, is too hot/rainy for cricket.

Between NCL, BCL, DPL, and BPL, there is not really any window open for another tournament.

As for A-team tours, BCB has been paying from their own pocket to send them to other countries. Somehow other boards are not interested to host us at this level. This summer, BCB somehow could not manage to send A-team/Academy anywhere, though they did hold the skill camps and practice matches among our players.

[Rifat]

I think there was a minor mistake by BCB, management. after Qurbani Eid, There should have been a mini series between Bangladesh A and Bangladesh and the Academy team...We probably would not have been as rusty...If humidity was an issue, then make it D/N.


I think everybody was banking on Mortaza captaincy to bail people out every single time...well it only worked half the time this season thus far. Batsmen were more rusty than anything.

[Eshen]

^^ They played practice matches both before and after Qurbani. But practice matches only help you so much.

[jeesh]

At the end of the day our domestic cricket will always be picnic cricket.

Every season BPL teams change like they are drafting from scratch. Very similar with other formats like DPL, NCL, and BCL.

Players just turn up play for that short term and over. Like a picnic. So sense of ownership, teamwork, responsibility. No long term coaching to improve skills, technique over a long period of time.

Just see how the English commentators were talking about their system. Eg: how they spotted Sam Billings in the county academy at 14, and how he gradually came up the ranks in the county team, then English Lions and finally with the national team.

Entire system needs to be restructured. There should be one team for all formats, and that team/squad/coaching staff must be constant.

Picnic cricket means the intensity, competitiveness will never be there to bring the best out of the players.

[MHRAM]

Originally Posted by jeesh
At the end of the day our domestic cricket will always be picnic cricket.

Every season BPL teams change like they are drafting from scratch. Very similar with other formats like DPL, NCL, and BCL.

Players just turn up play for that short term and over. Like a picnic. So sense of ownership, teamwork, responsibility. No long term coaching to improve skills, technique over a long period of time.

Just see how the English commentators were talking about their system. Eg: how they spotted Sam Billings in the county academy at 14, and how he gradually came up the ranks in the county team, then English Lions and finally with the national team.

Entire system needs to be restructured. There should be one team for all formats, and that team/squad/coaching staff must be constant.

Picnic cricket means the intensity, competitiveness will never be there to bring the best out of the players.

Right, I have thought about this a million times about how there is constant shuffling and changing in our domestic teams.

England has a brilliant system in place where their T20, FC, List A teams are all the same and under one entity which has complete control and also takes full control of the stadiums, the age level teams, etc. Heck, even practice matches will see a single county vs a national side.

Australia has it sans BBL, India has it sans IPL. Pakistan doesn't and we know about their struggles. WI doesn't I guess, aklemp will be able to talk us through this. SA does.

The DPL and BPL owners will never want to focus on longer formats. DPL owners might be interested in a short T20 tournament but thats it. NCL has 8 freaking teams so if the NCL is to form a T20/List A tournament with the same teams then it becames difficult and quality decreases.

we can have BCL 50-over and 20-over tournament. However, there is no passion left for the teams themselves. Just turn up and ply. Teams getting changed every single year. Inevitable when you have different sets of owners for different tourneys

[jeesh]

The current administration spoke about decentralisation of cricket-developing divisional centres to develop the game. Either they have forgotten about that or no longer find it practical/attractive.

I also think they ll never move away from the DPL etc. Great for ego boost of directors, BCB sponsors, corporate Bangladesh. And also fabulous opportunity for players to cash in. Now there is BPL too.

[Nadim]

We need more academy nd A team series. We had that between 2011-2014. Last couple of years, not a single A team or Academy series

Our domestic comps are poor standard wise nd we need more A team nd academy tour, both home nd away!!!

[MHRAM]

I don't think you can simply modify the entire system in short term. I am a very lanky dude. Its going to be really difficult for me to become well built all of a sudden. I can workout(i do a bit) and eat heavy but that is still not going to help me much because

a) genetics
b) habit

The problem with our system is pretty much the same. BCB under Papon has been extremely proactive, I hope Papon stays but his tenure will end soon probably.For now, we might need a 5th domestic tournament. A short list-A tourney with 4-5 teams at most. Also, BCB could try to arrange more matches in sylhet. Sylhet stadium has short boundaries but a beautiful stadium non-theless. Unlike Khulna, there won't be accomodation problem either. Also, we have a stadium in Cox's Bazar which hasn't been used for international games either. Khulna stadium and Chittagong stadium has had its fair share of games to be fair. Mirpur gets far too many matches already.

[Rifat]

Originally Posted by Nadim
We need more academy nd A team series. We had that between 2011-2014. Last couple of years, not a single A team or Academy series

Our domestic comps are poor standard wise nd we need more A team nd academy tour, both home nd away!!!

Academy and A team tours are vital for future. If we stop now, We might not see the immediate effect now, but Once Shakib, Mushfiq, Riyad, Mash, Tamim Retires, the impact will be felt.