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Cry for proper domestic cricket-I

Lutfur Rahman
After recent dismal performance of our cricketers, both in one-dayers and Tests, everybody is advocating for strengthening and streamlining domestic cricket. I personally feel that non-existence of effective longer version domestic cricket tournaments on regular basis is also a contributing factor towards poor showing by the players.
From the mid-70s up to the 90s a variety of one-day and longer version tournaments were regularly organised and teams took part wholeheartedly. As a result a number of brilliant cricketers came through the system during drat period.
Cricket always started with the Damal Summer Tournament followed by the highly competitive Dhaka Leagues. In between Shaheed Smriti and Independence Day Tournaments were also held. After those one-day events over came the longer version tournaments - the National Cricket Tournament involving teams almost from all the districts of the country, Youth National Championship was held simultaneously all over the country.
These competitions were held annually without interruption.
Different District Sports Associations staged their respective Leagues. Nirman School Cricket Tournament was undoubtedly best event for unearthing talent at the grass root level. The brainchild behind it was KZ Islam, the president of the then BCCB in the eighties.
With such a rich cricket heritage people will definitely think why arc we in such a mess now?
I have tried to analyse the basic causes as follows:
(a) The BCB has not yet been able to introduce a firm yearly cricket
calendar on a regular basis.
(b) The Board is not very serious about staging competitive Dhaka League timely and last year it was not even staged.
(c) It seems BCB is rather serious and interested in international cricket than equally concentrating on domestic affairs. Here commercial interest may play a leading part. International cricket means income whereas domestic cricket means only expenditure.
(d) With the introduction of National League involving the Divisional teams, the authority discarded the most important National Cricket Championship, which featured district and services teams and had a greater number of cricketers taking part. It does not make any sense when the need of the hour is more and more longer version tournaments.
(e) For acquiring technique and temperament to play 4/5 day matches an expanded longer version domestic structure is essential. But we don't stage any such tournament of serious nature in the country-
(f) Pitch is one of the main factors for the development of cricket in the country. We must have a number of good quality grass pitches with sufficient bounce where batsmen and bowlers will have equal advantages. Such pitches are also required for practice purposes. Everybody knows about the present uncertain nature of the pitches we have in the country.
(g) Looking at the personnel involved in the Development Committee of the Board one can easily form an idea up to what extent this committee will be successful in developing game in the country.
The introduction of longer version National League did not benefit any cricketers. The authority seems to be running it as a routine exercise rather then putting any serious thought. The tournament could not generate any enthusiasm among the players and fans alike. No rational thought was given to the composition of the divisional teams so that competitiveness exists among them. Besides, the tournament was never inspiring because it was staged mostly on under prepared wickets. Our playing fields are mostly used for multipurpose activities, where except "Horse racing", all kinds of sports are held, not to mention of the different kinds of'melas' during the peak cricket season. One cannot prepare good wickets on such fields within a short period of time when the fields are handed over for cricket. To prepare a good pitch it takes about 3/4 years time. The recent move to convert some divisional stadiums purely for cricket is appreciated. Thus yearly cricket activities may be planned for these fields/stadiums without any interruption. But we must have separate cricket fields at least in all the district headquarters.
In Pakistan days, each of the district associations used to look after all sorts of sports activities in a single field. We are still continuing with this tradition. But in the era of specialisation after getting the Test status such sports bodies cannot serve the purpose. There must be several sports bodies for separate sports at the district level. To start with, at least, three main sports, viz. Cricket, Football, and Hockey, separate bodies need to be formed at the district level. The previous cricket board had taken a decision for the formation of Divisional Cricket bodies in each division to look after the game that idea has gone into cold storage.
The writer is a former chief selector of Bangladesh Cricket Board.