BCB heaves a huge sigh of relief
BCB delighted to learn Bangladesh-Australia Test series to be held on schedule
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and its players heaved a huge sigh of relief as Australian Crickets long and bitter pay dispute is over, clearing the last block that came on the way between the two teams much-anticipated Test series after 2006.
A Test series between the two nations has been due for a longspecifically from 2011 when Australia was set to tour Bangladesh. They however didnt play but compensated with a three-match ODI series just after the 2011 World Cup. Later in 2015, they rejected a tour in Bangladesh, citing security issue. And as all set for a Test series in 2017, the pay dispute between CA and its players suddenly left the fate of the series in limbo.
So when Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland and the Australian Cricketers Association CEO Alistair Nicholson announced the new agreement at a joint press conference in Melbourne yesterday, it was a news to rejoice for BCB and its players.
The agreement ended a 10-month negotiation process that became bitter and acrimonious as Cricket Australia sought to dramatically alter the existing pay model by which players shared in the games revenue.
No Bangladeshi player of the current group played a Test against Australia. Only one Bangladesh player however survived from the 2006 series but Mashrafe Bin Mortaza is no longer a player in Test format.
For the likes of Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah Riyad, Tamim Iqbal who had already spent more than 10 years in international cricket, it was a shocking incident indeed.
Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim some days ago summed up how they badly want a Test series against Australia.
Not only me, no one indeed from our team played a Test against Australia. Let alone a Test, we have played just few ODIs against them. I have grown up hearing the Australian played an aggressive brand of cricket. So it would be huge exciting series.
So far Australia played just four Test matches against Bangladeshfewer than any other country. India played nine Tests while the other nations played more than 10 Tests after Bangladesh elevated to the Test cricket in 2000.
We have never been in tension because we knew they have internal problem, said BCB media and communications committee chairman Jalal Yunus. We were quite confident that the problem will be over at some point. Since the series was supposed to be held at the end of August, we were sure that they would find a solution. We are prepared such way that if they let us know about the series just one day before their arrival, we could manage all things.
We are delighted that the series is going to be held because its an important series for us. And its a series that was deferred twice in the past. We didnt get much opportunity to play Test cricket. So a Test series and that too in our own yard, its a matter of great joy.
Australia however didnt communicate Bangladesh officially after the pay dispute is over. Yunus said there is no need to communicate because the CA was never negative about the series.
They never said that the series is in uncertain state. They even came here to see the logistic support some days ago. So the series was always on, he added.
Jalal Yunus also said the series is important because of the away Test series against South Africa.
We havent been in cricket after the ICC Champions Trophy. So its important to be in the cricket before the tough series against South Africa. Series against Australia will be tougher also. So the preparation will be better.
