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Pretty Potchefstroom hosts Tigers

Cricket BiSHWAHT Roy in Potchefstroom
On Thursday it was too hot, but the weather suddenly took a u-turn the following day. Clouds hovered in the skv and a gentle breeze was constantly blowing. It was not sure whether the conditions were perfect foi the teams --Bangladesh and South Africawhen they were involved in the first one-day of the three-match series at die picturesque Senwes Park ground yesterday.
But it was indeed pleasant for the cricket loving people in the tranquil.city to watch an international match while lying on the grassy embankments with their friends and family.
"It's very difficult to predict the weather here. But it's wonderful to watch cricket in these conditions,” said Wikys. a student of the famous North-West University and an ardent follower of the game.
The sudden change of the weather however didn't change the mind of the stand-in skipper Johan Botha as he did not hesitate to bat first on a placid wicket.
Here a cricket match means a picnic no matter who is playing against whom. Passing time by watching a cricket match is a great pastime for the people of the city, the home of Northwest cricket.
The Potchefstroom, the aca-demic city hosting the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University, offers a very unique experience for the visitors as there is the Mooi River, a nature park, beautiful monuments and churches, a wild animal park, a bird sanctuary, a caravan park and of course the famous Senwes Park.
It's not your typical brick-built stadium rather the authority stuck to the natural beauty and the local community feels proud about the stadium and hardly miss the chance to watch international match here whenever the opportunity comes to their way. It was however not possible for the
authority to keep away from commercialization as they had to change the name of the stadium to the sponsor name from the previ ous nameofSedgars Park
So far only eleven one-day internationals matches have been played in this venue and the last match was held way back in 2006.
This means that the cricketloving people hardly have the chance to see their heroes in action anil when the opportunity does come along at the picturesque Senwes Park, they grasp it with both hands.
The Bangladesh team however is quite well-known amongst the local fans as theTigers have already previously played one Test and one one-day international at this venue in 2002. Both occasions however ended in humiliating defeats for die tourists.
Inspite of that, players like Mohammad Ashraful and Tamim Iqbal are very much popular in the city.
"I like Ashraful and especially
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Tamim Iqbal. Tamim is wonderful batsman and he is nice to watch. Actually it's a very exciting young team," said Wikys.
There are also a number of Bangladeshi expatriates, mainly from Chittagong who appeared at the stadium by taking a day-off and they are definitely expecting somethingspecial from the Tigers.
Something special from Ashraful, Tamim and co. would also please the local crowd as it would keep in tune with their sentiment of 'love cricket and love to watch cricket' regardless of who is playing.