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SERIES SALAD

BISHWAJIT ROY
Sometimes looks can be deceiving. After watching Paul Piente, an Australian gentleman with a long beard, one can be pardoned for seeing the ghost of legendary English cricketer WG Grace.
It certainly could have not been Grace, who has passed away a long time ago. But seeing Paul Piente, who was one of the few foreign spectators sitting in the corridor just in front of the press box during the third day of the first Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand, one could easily have mistaken him as Grace.
The 54-year-old Australian, who arrived in Dhaka yesterday morning to mark his first tour in this part of the world, rushed to the Bangabandhu National Stadium no sooner had he learned that a cricket match was going on there.
"As a traveller, I'm always attracted by the masses and I thought that the stadium would be a great place to talk to people," said Piente, who has been running a live-house (Tourist Park) in Melbourne for the last 17 years.
"I work nine months and for the remaining three months I spend my time travelling to various countries. And it was my long desire to visit Bangladesh because I've heard a lot about this country," said Piente, who has not shaved his beard since he was 19.
A passionate cricket fan Piente however dislike the present Australian team because of the their on-field attitude.
"No doubt Australia is an invincible cricket team but I hate their ugly on-field aggressiveness. I don't like anything rude in sports. I also don't like the Americans for a similar aggressive attitude and that's why I have never gone to the States," said Piente, who was a schoolteacher in his early life.
OF AN OVERZEALOUS VENUE MANAGER
The reporters have never been in the good books of certain Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials. While one reporter of a newspaper was yet be granted a proper entry pass for no apparent reason, others suffered a different kind of embarrassment after the third day's play ended at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Some reporters tried to enter 'the
playing area' as they had done on two previous days without any obstruction. But on Thursday a security guard barred them saying that the Venue Manager has enforced a restriction.
So the curious reporters wanted an explanation from that venue manager Khondokar Golam Morshed, who is a retired major. After a brief puff he reluctantly appeared and said that he just doing his job. But when asked how did he allow the same reporters entry into the playing area on the first two days he said it was purely a mistake.
"Reporters with accreditation are allowed to move freely in zone 3 and 6. But the playing area falls under zone 2." Perhaps he was wittingly forgetful that some areas of the ground, separated by a rope from the playing area, are not part of zone 2.
But it is sad that there is no
consistency on the part of those persons responsible for looking
after the gates. Besides, what's the harm if journalists enter that
restricted area after a day's play so that they can give cricket lovers a broader perspective of a day's play? OFFICIALS HAPPHY, NOT FANS
Although it all points to a defeat inside four days for Bangladesh in the first Test against New Zealand, it's better then what happened in 2001 when the Tigers toured Kiwiland.
Bangladesh suffered defeats inside three days in both Tests on their maiden tour of New Zealand three years ago. So, with another eight second innings wickets in hand and still 184 runs in arrears, the
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boys of Dav Whatmore can feel that it is a small improvement.
"There are lot of positives in Bangladesh's performance and definitely we are improving if we consider what happened against New Zealand in 2001," said a BCB official
Bangladesh lost their first Test at Hamilton by an innings and 52 runs and suffered a similar innings and 74-run defeat in the second Test at Wellington.
While the officials can claim some satisfaction, fans on the hand voice their frustration after seeing the home bowlers being sent to the cleaners by the lower half of the Kiwi batting.
"I love cricket but of course I would never watch this kind of boring match. I just came here to kill my time while I was fasting," he said.