Boundary wrote:So, after the WI terrible losses I was livid! We embarrassed ourselves and a few weeks later we wallop Bangladesh at home. It's only one Test mind you and so a little premature but I wanted to sort out my feelings properly. I don't think I am a knee-jerk kind of fan, so here goes.
Firstly, we don't tour well. At all. To compound this wherever we tour we are likely to be more widely televised than home matches. So in the eyes of the world, the view is always negatively skewed and this matters. But since we don't tour well, then we must play at least as many games at home as away. That way we have a chance of a more reflective record. Also, it's about time we play more, 3 Test series should be standard, 2 minimum, can we really be outclassed 3 times in a row over and over again?
The second point is that we have a 1st class structure. I bet most BD fans are feeling like we did after the WI tour but we have the Logan Cup that has been the basis of our performance, good or bad. The fact that Heath and the coaches know that Shingi has more stamina than Chatara is because of the FC game. We don't have a lot of funds in the game but that is the goose there, without it there's no egg - golden or otherwise. So let's do our best to make sure we have the Logan Cup to feed players into the national team so that if we have players who aren't up to it, who are embarrassing the whole nation, who crack under pressure - then we can replace them. That also keeps so-called seniors motivated.
Finally, I know I wanted to throw the baby out with the water after the WI performances. I had a rant here where I suggested we throw the whole lot of them out (to be fair I wanted to spare Jarvis, Mawoyo and Chatara) and place our hopes on the young ones. This was rightly based on the fear that we are on the way to losing our test status. That performance in the Caribbean proved to me we were inferior to BD and possibly Ireland and Afghanistan as well. BUT, we have shown fight. Not least from Taylor and Cremer, both woeful on tour but full of fighting spirit at home. Fighting spirit I thought we would lose with Price's gentle retirement. Jarvis is proving that he is learning with more experience (hence he'll be even better as we play more), Shingi, Chatara, Meth, Vitori and even Chigs and Mpofu (not forgetting Hami
) prove that we have stock in reserve if we manage it well. Querl & Co. can then join the party in a few years' time if we keep it going. So there, I was wrong.
But I wasn't wrong about worrying about the mental frailty of the team, particularly batting wise. I still believe in the top order line, if fit, of Mawoyo, Vusi, Hami and Taylor. Now with those 4, the odds must always be that collectively they should put at least 150 to 200 on the board, regardless of individual form. That Taylor did it proves that it can be done. Next match someone else needs to step up. What was more pleasing about the WI (with Ervine) and BD (Cremer, Waller and Meth) was the middle order/upper tail resistance. Next time it could be Chigs, Mutumbami or Williams. That's how we build stiffness. But we have an attitude problem towards spin, even in a pitch without demons we wilted at the sight of Ajmal. Same thing with Shillingford. So that concern still remains valid.
So what does this mean about this big win (assuming of course we respond well in the 2nd Test)? Well, let's stick with this group, move heaven and earth to pay players their wages and give them adequate support staff. Let's make sure we don't allow the Logan Cup to die. And let us allow mistakes on the field, none of us are perfect; accept lows and highs. I expect that if we maintain this level (and sort out the batting mental strength) we should compete with NZ and WI too. That was perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the last 2 tours. Losing to these guys isn't a problem, massive loss of confidence against them is. But I'm glad we seem to have more fixtures this year.
