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Top-order toppled

Selectors recall Mehrab, Javed

SPORTS REPORTER
Openers Mehrab Hossain and Javed Omar Belim have been recalled yesterday for the triangular tournament and the Test series against South Africa next month.
The three-member selection committee headed by Aliul Islam also included young medium pacer Tarek Aziz Khan in a list of 15 that has experienced a change in the top-order after Bangladesh's failed mission in the World Cup.
Axe fell on opener Al-Shariar, his opening partner Hannan Sarker and Ehsanul Haque.
A change was on the cards since the national team returned home from South Africa with five defeats in six games under their belt. Picking a different combination appeared to be an image-building effort by the selection committee a day after the BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) announced Khaled Mahmud as the new captain after Khaled Mashud decided to step down.
Chief selector Aliul claimed that batting did not click in the World Cup because of some irresponsible batting by the top-order batsmen. He was quick to find a scapegoat in Al-Shariar, who failed in the big stage along with the rest.
"We dropped Al-Shariar because of his irresponsible bat-
ting. When he was supposed to occupy the crease, he played carelessly in every game putting pressure on the others," Aliul said to the Daily Star Sport last night.
He said that failure of the toporder prompted them to bring back Javed and Mehrab.
"The two experienced players have done well in the Dhaka League and I believe they are capable enough to deliver goods as openers."
Mehrab's recall after 14 months gives the talented cricketer a new lease of life after a poor run of form coupled with controversial lifestyle almost brought a premature end to his career. The 24-year-old is the lone Bangladeshi player to have scored a hundred in one-day international.
The return of Javed at the top also reflected a change of heart by the selectors, who ruled the doughty right-hander out of the World Cup squad ignoring popular demand.
Though the 26-year-old has never been a spectator's delight with his limited stroke play, but Javed is matchless when it comes to occupying the crease. He is only the second player in the history of Test cricket to carry the bat through an innings.
For Tarek Aziz it is the second call-up in the senior team since he made his debut in the one-day home series against Pakistan in 2002.
The tri-nation tournament that also involves India will start on April 11. After the one-day meet, South Africa will play the first Test in Dhaka starting on April 24. The second Test in Chittagong starts from May 1.
SQUAD
Khaled Mahmud (captain), Javed Omar Belim, Mehrab Hossain, Mohammed Ashraful, Habibul Bashar, Akram Khan, Alok Kapali, Tushar Imran, Khaled Mashud (wicketkeeper), Sanwar Hossain, Mohammed Rafique, Taposh Kumar Baishya, Monjurul Islam, Tarek Aziz Khan and Talha Jubair.