Home ›› 06 Mar 2022 ›› Sport
Bangladesh head coach Russel Domingo said that he is clueless regarding the number of catches dropped by the Bangladesh cricketers because, during practice sessions, he finds everyone very good at catching the ball.
Domingo came to the press conference after the second and final Twenty20 match of the series against Afghanistan, which ended the tour and he left the country for South Africa on Saturday night.
The South African coach told the reporters that he is also very frustrated to see several catches being dropped throughout the series against Afghanistan.
“We have dropped nine catches in the last five matches. If I knew what it was, probably we would be doing it. It could be concentration things, a confidence thing or dealing with pressure, I am not sure. We just got to make sure that we must try and improve because we make too many mistakes in the field that cost us. Cost us in the World Cup, cost us here. Cost us in Test matches, just too many dropped catches,” he said on Saturday.
“Look you can catch as many balls in practice and do all the drills, but at the end of the day, the player is going to catch the ball in the game, that’s the bottom line,” added Domingo.
In the past six months or so, Bangladesh national team has had three fielding coaches. Ryan Cook was appointed in July 2018 and worked till the end of ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Cook did not continue after his tenure, and the BCB was also not interested to extend the contract with him as the standard of fielding was not satisfactory. After him, Mizanur Rahman Babul was appointed as the fielding coach for the home series against Pakistan and New Zealand.
Babul was replaced by Rajin Saleh, a former cricketer regarded as a good fielder during his playing days, but the scenario hardly changed. BCB is likely to appoint Australia’s Shane McDermott as a full-time fielding coach for the Tigers till the end of the 2023 World Cup.
Domingo feels that if the standard of fielding is not improved, the results will not change.
“The boys have to get better. The best players are playing. We have to make sure they get scores and take their catches. Dropping nine catches in five games is unheard of. It is unbelievable when you think about it,” he said.
Bangladesh had the chance to dismiss the Afghan openers early. Hazratullah Zazai could end up for a duck if Nasum Ahmed could have held the ball in the third delivery of the innings, but he could not, and Zazai stayed unbeaten on 59.
Usman Ghani, who finally got out after scoring 47 runs from 48 balls to ensure the team’s win, could also have been neutralised early if Afif Hossain could catch the ball at square-leg when the batsman was on 39.
Later, Mohammad Naim not only dropped a catch at square-leg to give Ghani another life but also allowed the ball to cross the boundary rope for four runs.
The most ominous sign of the Bangladesh team’s fielding is beside the seasoned cricketers like Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah, who often drop catches, young cricketers like Nasum, Afif, and Naim are also dropping catches at crucial times, which makes Domingo more disappointed,
“We wanted to win the T20Is, so I am disappointed with the way it finished today. There were a lot of positives in the first game, but not many in the second game. It was a very disappointing performance,” he said on Saturday.
