Bangladesh fight for pride, South Africa fight for momentum by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	Buffalo Park, East London
Scorecard:	South Africa v Bangladesh
Player:	HH Gibbs
Event:	Bangladesh in South Africa 2008/09

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DateLine: 11th November 2008

 

In the midst of India taking on the now vulnerable Australia and Pakistani team finally setting foot on a cricket field and a rebel league celebrating its second anniversary since inception another bilateral series was being played quietly in the African continent between South Africa and Bangladesh. The series has been sealed in the favour of Proteas and they will be wanting and not hoping to clean sweep the series to gain the much talked factor called momentum to go into the Test series against the same opposition in around one week time. More importantly the eyes of the South African team would be on their next assignment, which will be in the Southern Hemisphere of the Australian continent where they feel have a realistic chance of securing a rare series win in Australia. Bangladesh save for some period of time in the first ODI has looked woefully out of depth against a much more clinical, formidable and more importantly professional opposition in South Africa.

Bangladesh after making some remarkable strides in the World Cup 2007 in the Caribbean was expected to take a leap in its performance to the next level but under the new coach it has more often than not almost regularly failed to play up to the standards that the even the Zimbabwe team of the 90’s regularly did. The Zimbabwe team of the 90’s, was not by in any stretch of imagination world beaters but, they regularly even though failed to beat the stronger outfits gave a difficult time for the oppositions or the way the oppositions were wary of their uncanny ability to spring surprises was more than enough to acknowledge their potential. But the way Bangladesh is regularly being brushed aside by its oppositions with ease can be detrimental for its progress. With the Test series following the ODI series Bangladesh needs to at least put up a fight to pep up their confidence so that they wont be beaten hollow by the South African team or we are going to see the similar results that has become the patent of Bangladesh, losing by an innings with almost a day and a half to spare.

South Africa after a disastrous ODI series in England will be glad with the results shown in the ongoing ODI series and more importantly will want to get this fixture out of their way so that they can concentrate and plan on the strategies to be employed on the Australian soil. It would be an under-statement to say that the Proteas team was not keeping an eye on the proceedings of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and would be extremely happy with the way the Australian team is faring. They also know that it is their only best chance to beat Australia in the coming summer but before that they would like to end their home season on a high note. By beating Bangladesh comprehensively will not prove anything other than maybe improve their points tally in the ODI and Test ranking system. The only thing that will be remembered from this non-descript series will be Herschelle Gibbs being sent home for his indiscipline and nothing more but if Bangladesh team manage to pull out a win they can spoil the mood of the South African dressing room for atleast a few days which on the current form looks highly unlikely.