Shakib Al Hasan on a mission to impress for Adelaide Strikers
Alastair Cook’s Ashes rabble have been so disappointing that cricket’s scrappers could hardly be worse.
Having accounted for New Zealand and the West Indies in one-day series last year, Bangladesh star Shakib Al Hasan, 26, craves more series in foreign conditions against the game’s traditional heavyweights.
“Obviously it would have been great to play Australia, England and South Africa more often,” said Al Hasan, Adelaide Strikers’ key allrounder following skipper Johan Botha’s thumb injury.
“That would give us experience and allow us to adjust to the conditions because the subcontinent is very different to here, England or South Africa.”
England capitulated 5-0 here in 2006-07 and is headed for the same fate against Michael Clarke’s men on Sunday in the final Test at the SCG.
Bangladesh has lost its four Tests to Australia but gave Ricky Ponting’s unit an almighty fright in 2006, losing by three wickets at Fatullah.
Bangladesh’s first player to 2000 Test runs and 100 wickets, Al Hasan, has never featured in a Test series against Australia but says it is crucial for the 10-ranked Test side’s development to have regular contact with established nations.
Bangladesh beat England at the 2011 World Cup but Al Hasan was diplomatic when asked if the Tigers could have put up a better fight against Australia this summer, saying: “With cricket there are ups and downs.”
“Last time England won easily and Australia came back after 2005 so it is good to see that a team that wasn’t winning is coming hard and winning games. It is always good to see competitive cricket.”
Highly rated allrounder Al Hasan is chuffed to be the first Bangladeshi to grace the BBL in tonight’s clash from 6.40pm against Sydney Sixers at Adelaide Oval and hopes to open doors for his countrymen.
“I had been watching the Big Bash games at home. I am looking forward to playing, very excited. It is a great honour for me and Bangladesh cricket,” he said.
“I hope that in time there will be many more Bangladesh cricketers playing here.”
Al Hasan was Bangladesh’s lead performer as a rookie during the three-match one-day series against Australia in Darwin during 2008 and enjoys conditions here.
“Adelaide is a spinning track and flat so there will be lots of runs. I have to contain with the ball and score runs for the team,” said Al Hasan.
Former South African skipper Botha is one of the coolest customers in the business but Al Hasan is also renowned for composed left-arm spin and sure batting – underlined by a lucrative Indian Premier League contract with Kolkata Knight-Riders.
“I did play with some big names and it is the biggest T20 tournament so I had some great experiences,” said Al Hasan on a Kolkata list last year that included Australian keeper Brad Haddina and South African legend Jacques Kallis.
“I have been playing for the national team for seven years and most of the time I bowl in the powerplay and bat at the crucial time so that is what I have learned and that is what I would love to do for Adelaide.”
Unbeaten Adelaide, seeking to cement top spot on the BBL ladder with victory over the Sixers, will welcome back key pacemen Kane Richardson (gastro) and left-armer Gary Putland (hamstring).
