When Cricket Australia announced the fixtures for the 2018-19 summer, it was that same feeling for me all over again: when would Bangladesh tour Australia again?
It’s been almost 17 years since Bangladesh last played a Test series on Australian soil. For any Test-playing nation, that should be unheard of, but alas, it isn’t for the Tigers.
The following will show teams that have toured Australia since July 2003 (Bangladesh’s last Test tour of Australia) and how many Test matches they’ve played Down Under.
• Zimbabwe – two Tests, two losses (one series, one loss)
• India – 20 Tests, ten losses, six draws, four wins (five series, one drawn, three lost, one won)
• Sri Lanka – nine Tests, eight losses, one draw (four series, four losses)
• New Zealand – 12 Tests, ten losses, one draw, one win (four series, one drawn, three lost)
• Pakistan – 11 Tests, 11 losses (four series, four lost)
• ICC World XI – one Test, one loss
• West Indies – nine Tests, seven losses, two draws (three series, three lost)
• South Africa – 12 Tests, four losses, five wins, three draws (four series, one lost, three won)
• England – 20 Tests, 15 losses, three wins, one draw (four series, three lost, one won)
Bar Zimbabwe and the ICC World XI, each side touring Australia has come Down Under for at least three series. Take out South Africa, and no other team has been able to challenge Australia on their shores consistently.
(AAP Image/Scott Barbour)
Bangladesh as a Test team has had moments of steady progress and terrible passages throughout their Test history. When the Tigers played a two-Test series in Australia, they were comprehensively outplayed.
But there was one positive with Habibul Bashar and Hannan Sarkar scoring impressive fifties. Sarkar got twin fifties in the second Test against an attack comprising Glenn McGrath, Stuart MacGill, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee. Considering Bangladesh were very new to the traditional format, it was a massive thing for a Bangladesh batsman do well against a quality attack on their shores.
Under the Future Tours Programme (FTP), Australia was set to host Bangladesh for two Tests and three ODIs in 2018. Considering the rise of Bangladesh as an ODI team and their steady progress in Test cricket, it was the right thing to do by Cricket Australia.
But then came May 2018. Cricket Australia announced that the tour would be cancelled, citing financial reasons. The Bangladesh Cricket Board hit back, stating that many of Bangladesh’s home series haven’t been financially viable, using it as an example of how nations should comply to bilateral series agreements.
To say I was disappointed to the news of CA cancelling the series is an understatement. I was angry and frustrated as to how financial reasons were a viable reason not to follow the FTP. If I as a Bangladesh fan felt this way, then imagine how the Bangladesh players felt when hearing of this news.
They would’ve been fuming. Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim are accomplished Test cricketers with respectable records. For them to play over 12 years of international cricket and possibly never play a Test series in Australia throughout their career is a joke.
Tamim Iqbal (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad)
Take New Zealand, for example. Bangladesh have toured New Zealand five times. They have never won a Test, let alone a series. But their performances, especially with the bat, have considerably improved.
In their past three series, Bangladesh has scored 400-plus in at least one innings, including smashing 595 at the Basin Reserve in 2017, albeit in a losing cause.
Bangladesh will be able to win a Test in New Zealand in the foreseeable future as long as New Zealand keeps on giving Bangladesh the chance to improve their game on their shores.
It took New Zealand 40 years to win their first Test series. Now they’re a formidable side at home and compete well on the subcontinent. How did they become like this? By being given continuous chances to improve rather than be left in the dark.
Bangladesh is a strong ODI team at home and bat well away and became so by being given the chances to improve their game. The same needs to be done for the Tigers to do well as a Test nation.
As an Australian-born Bangladeshi, I have felt conflicted between my Bangladesh roots and the country I have been brought up in at times. I’ve questioned whether I’m Bengali enough or Australian enough at times. The Bangladesh cricket team was the perfect way for me to remain connected to Bengali culture and not feel like an outsider in Australia at the same time.
(Photo by MICHELE SPATARI/AFP via Getty Images)
My only memories of seeing Bangladesh play a bilateral series Down Under was when I was six years old. Tamim Iqbal smashed a quickfire 50 in what was a heavily one-sided ODI series.
When can I experience the next time Bangladesh come to Australia for a bilateral series? I don’t know. Under the FTP, Bangladesh is not scheduled to tour Australia until after 2023. Bangladesh is scheduled to visit New Zealand twice and host the Black Caps once in that time.
Now, it can be argued that Bangladesh is set to host Australia soon. Well, that was meant to be this month before the whole COVID-19 crisis. But that doesn’t excuse the fact that Bangladesh haven’t played a Test in Australia since mid-2003.
And it’s not just Bangladesh being disadvantaged by CA. For Afghanistan’s first Test in Australia, they’ll be playing a day-night Test in Perth. Afghanistan are already disadvantaged with hardly any experience in the Test arena, and they’ll be heavily disadvantaged against a pink ball, let alone the pace and bounce on Australian pitches.
Now, I’m not asking for Bangladesh to come Down Under for a five-Test series, five ODIs and three T20s. Just a simple two-Test series and three-match ODI series. If I’m greedy, two T20s wouldn’t be bad to have.
And for CA not to be financially impacted negatively, don’t play the series in Darwin and Cairns. Play the matches in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra where the majority of the Bangladeshi diaspora live in Australia. Good crowds that would most likely be backing Bangladesh rather than Australia and you’ve got bums on seats.
Until CA announce they’ll be hosting a bilateral series against Bangladesh, the thought of whether Bangladesh tour Australia ever again in my lifetime will continue to spiral in every Bangladesh fan living Down Under.
To see some of Bangladesh’s finest cricketers in Australia only during ICC events shouldn’t be acceptable, but alas it has been so far.
Dear CA, get your act together and focus on cricket instead of the gimmicks you’ve centralised in our game.
Sincerely, every cricket fan who wants the game to expand for good.
Tash
Guest
Well written!! I completely agree with every single statement made in the article. CA is foolishly underestimating the fan power of the Bangladesh cricket team in Australia. They have no clue as to how many Bangladeshi Australians are hungry to see both their teams in action live in the stadium. Bangladeshi Australians even go to watch other subcontinent teams, wouldn't they go to support their own team? As for financial income from TV rights, any cricket fan will be watching cricket on TV as long as matches are broadcasted.
Peter Farrar
Guest
There is is a well argued case in this article. I would like to see Australia invest in 'minnow' nations with 2 test series being scheduled. After all, this can go a long way to developing these teams to be even more competitive in the future. Personally i'd love to see the Bangladesh team and where they are at with their capability.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Are all of those series part of the Championship? I thought it was only three home and three away series?
Rajiv Mukerjee
Guest
As in most things the marketplace plays a large part in what sporting fixtures will take place . I can't see many people outside the Bangladeshi community ( and likewise the Afghani community ) caring very much whether their beloved teams tour here or not . I even doubt whether the much larger Irish diaspora and community care much about whether their national cricket team plays in Australia or not ( I've never met an Irishman who cares about cricket although I have met a Dutchman who does ) It all rather reminds me that when the Socceroos plays some Asian team like Nepal all the local Nepalis turn up . Well good for them but don't expect all those who call Australia home to get excited
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Of course, got it.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Adding Melbourne and regional areas it sounds like you’d get a good number to Tests in Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think the option to play white ball cricket in February makes a lot of sense and if there was a triangular series with the Black Caps, I think people in Melbourne & Sydney would turn up in good numbers. CA has it's own formula where it has the Tests in Australia done & dusted by the end of the first week in January, then the BBL kicks in and perhaps there are some white ball internationals. If Bangladesh was to be considered for a Test series, they'd be part of the usual 4 or 5 Tests with another Test playing nation like the Windies, Sri Lanka or perhaps New Zealand filling the other 3 Tests. The only way Tests against Bangladesh would be played in February, is if Australia agreed to tour and right now, we both know that's highly unlikely, certainly in the next 6 - 12 months.
Insult_2_Injury
Roar Rookie
Exactly, coulda played a 2 Test series this past February and actually had some live international cricket in Australia.
Simoc
Guest
I completely agree. However the previous CA administration was hopelessly incompetent from top to bottom and were only interested in dollars and themselves. Most of the useless ones are gone. Bangladesh is on the rise and playing two tests against them here and there on a regular basis can only help both countries.
The Recalcitrant
Guest
We have neglected Ireland too. Get them down here.
HR
Roar Rookie
They're looking for ways to splash some cash around, as far as I know... :silly:
Micko
Roar Rookie
Fair point. Get CA & AFL to help fund it. :stoked:
Nick
Roar Guru
Australia could show the decency of putting them on Broadway for at least one test. England ALWAYS give a team the honour of playing at Lords in a test series, no matter who they are. If there's 40k Bengali in Sydney then it's better to have it there than cairns where the Bengali population is 100.
HR
Roar Rookie
That's a lot of capex and maintenance costs for the occasional big sporting event.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
So not enough to warrant a test being played in a major city then?
Micko
Roar Rookie
You'd think the NSW government, along with the local councils would help build a grandstand at least.
Al
Guest
Jack-all seating at No. 1 Sportsground, I'd say. We've hosted a few Shield games and they've been well patronised.
Corncob
Guest
Is cricket a sport or is it a business? If you are India, England or Australia it is now a business. Decisions are based on profit and loss and so they only play countries that can generate a profit.....and it must be a handsome one at that. If you are another test playing nation you can expect to pick up the crumbs that are left over. If you are an associate nation like the Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia your only consolation is that you are playing pure cricket, the way it was originally played. Hard, fair and for a genuine love of the game. Maybe India, Australia and England should just play amongst themselves and allow the rest of the cricket world to develop cricket into the global game it could be.
Brian
Guest
I hate cricket's own backyard first culture. However it has to be noted that the ICC wanted a 6-6 or 7-5 test world championship. That would have meant Bangladesh begginning in div 2 but having the chance to qualify to the top 6 or 7 via cricketing merit. As it was Bangladesh, West Indies etc all rejected that model instead lobbying for the 9-3 we got where basically Bangladesh have left Ireland, Afghanistan etc out in the cold. The world test championship doesn't even have relegation So Australia now has most of series as part of the world test championship. Those few that aren't like the test against Afghanistan should go to them as they would otherwise have no tests at all
Arnab Bhattacharya
Roar Guru
I reckon Bangladesh should tour during February. Bangladesh has their domestic comps between September-January. The wickets in February are slightly slower meaning the spinners come more into play. Considering AFL doesn't start till March or so, why not play a game or two at Spotless Stadium? Olympic Park is accessible through public transport meaning Bangladesh and Australian fans get to see a game in Sydney. The pitches there are quite slow and low which suits Bangladesh. And with a seating capacity of 25k, you'd get close to a packed house for the limited-overs matches.