If Habibtil and Akram learn any lessons from then ippra rance m a Test they surelx’ will not play those
reciii.ss shots after doing all the hard work. In fact, probably xvhen they look back on this memorable day in years to come, they'll probably argue that inexperience was their undoing.
The former, a stylish number three batsman, got a rush of blood while trying to pull Indian paceman Zaheer Khan, bill onlx siiccci-ded i> bit him Mthiight down Saurav Ganguly s throat The Indian skipper gratefully snapped him up at mid-wicket. Up till that moment
Basher xvas in sublime touch from the moment he entered the ground. His aggressive approach produced 71 runs from I 12 balls. It featured ten glorious boundaries. Unfortunately, his partner at the time Aminul Islam didn't tell him to be prepared for a long haul.
One of the most basic rules after a drink break is for the batsman to wait a couple of balls before resuming the innings. No matter whether he has reached a fifty or is on the verge of a hundred, it is essen-lial not to rush.
What a pity ' 2&-year-ojd" Basher whose omission from the team created a national outcry, couldn't have answered his critics in the most emphatic
manner with debut a hundred in front of his home crowd
Akram was going great guns alter a nervous beginning The stocky Chittagonian middle-order batsman liad gone to tea with a straight six off Joshi. But just as Bashar got carried away, the former Bangladesh captain attempting to hit the left-arm slow bowler out of the attack chose a risky lofted shot that ballooned into the air and was grabbed by Rahul Draxid lor a 68-ball 35.'
Another guilty of offering his picket was opener Mehrab Hossain who had no business fishing outside his off-stump io a Zaheer delivery.
Contrastingly. Aminul who earlier played second fiddle to marauding Basher in their 56-nm stand for the third wicket demonstrated his powers of concentration. The veteran batsman had been going through a lean spell for quite a long time, but after more than five hours at the crease had reached his maiden Test half-century. And while others failed to come to terms with a pretty ordinary Indian attack. Aminul hanged around to see the home side through to 239-6 at stumps. But more important his Herculean unbeaten 70 ensured that Bangladesh would bat into a second day- A prospect no die-hard supporter would have dared to Imagine at the start of play.
Even the WorldTel experts (Greig. Chappell. Holding and Shastri) xvere amazed after the Bangladesh captain Naimur Rahman won the somewhat confusing historic toss and took the bold decision of batting first on pitch described by Holding as having a bit of moisture.
Incidentally. Bangladesh became only the fourth team to win an inaugural toss.
The design of the commemorative 24-carat coin created an embarrassing situation for first-time skipper Ganguly who thought he liad chose correctly by saving tails and thus decided to field. However match referee Raman Subba Row saved the day and the rest was history.
A word o| advice for those b*a| roimnenialors who claim lhms*lvrs to lx cxp'rls guttle in front ol the mp-h am) mi k io |.iis Also l Lad the poor TV viewers didn't see the full opening ceremony but one ixrformcd In a nutshell!