Illingworth feels India can emulate Australia’s feat
Legendary English captain says series is equally poised now
On Donald Bradman’s 110th birth anniversary, former England captain Ray Illingworth said India have a chance to match the exploits of the Australian cricket great and his team, adding that the ongoing India-England Test series is still on the balance.
After winning the first two Tests, England were given a reality check by Virat Kohli & Co. at Trent Bridge where they scripted a massive 203-run victory.
With two more matches to go, there are talks of whether this team can ape Bradman’s Australia in overturning a 0-2 deficit against England in the Ashes and winning the fivematch series 3-2 way back in 1936-37.
“Well, India have shown they have come here to fight. They did very well to make a comeback in the series by winning the Test match at Trent Bridge convincingly,” Illingworth said in an interview. “I would say, the series is 50-50 and after the Trent Bridge win, India has a chance to do what no other team could manage to do in many many years after Don Bradman’s team in 1936-37.
“But I would still say, both teams have equal chances. England have to pick up and improve on their performance at the Trent Bridge. India, on the other hand, would be much more confident now after their convincing victory,” added Illingworth who was the England captain in 1971 when India won their historic first Test in England.
Persistent problem
Despite India’s persistent problem in slip catching and not having a settled slip cordon, Illingworth was all praise about the fielding of this team. “I am also very impressed with the fielding quality of this Indian team. Their slip catching has been outstanding in the Trent Bridge Test. Barring a couple of tough chances they almost grabbed everything that came their way. This is the best Indian fielding side I have ever seen,” he said.
The 86-year-old further opined that the current Indian bowling attack is faster than that of England. “Their attack was completely dependable on spinners. Now they have not one, not two, but four genuine quick bowlers, who all are faster than the England bowlers. This is a remarkable change for Indian cricket.”
The fourth Test begins on Thursday at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.
India fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, meanwhile, will make a comeback to competitive cricket after he was declared fit yesterday. Kumar will play in the ongoing India A quadrangular series.
The 28-year-old last played in the third ODI against England and had aggravated his lower-back injury then. He returned with figures of 0/49 in his seven overs in the match.
With two more matches to go, there are talks of whether this team can ape Bradman’s Australia in overturning a 0-2 deficit.
Bangladesh’s record run at the Asian Games changes nothing ahead of their SAFF Championships hosting next week, according to coach Jamie Day.
The Bengal Tigers got out the group for the first time in eight previous attempts in Indonesia last week following up a 3-0 defeat to Uzbekistan with a 1-1 draw against Thailand and 1-0 win over Qatar — teams that are a respective 72 and 96 positions above them in the rankings.
Eventually they were knocked-out by North Korea 3-1 in the last 16 on Friday, but no other subcontinent team made it as far, and hopes are now high that Day can continue his revolution, an expectation the former Arsenal trainee — who only took charge in May — is eager to temper.
“It’s a massive achievement for Bangladesh as before the Games we were expected to finish bottom, but to beat nations ranked higher than ours in the rankings is special,” the 38-year-old former England youth midfielder told Gulf News.
“This has been achieved by hard work and dedication from the boys over the last 12 weeks, we changed their diets and fitness programme and credit to them they have stuck with it.
“While we have done well there is still a very long way to go and things in football change very quickly so while we are happy we are not getting carried away.”
Day’s men now host the SAFF Championships in Dhaka from September 4-15, where they are grouped with Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan, expecting to meet either India, Sri Lanka or the Maldives, from the other group, in the semi-finals.
Bangladesh were at their lowest ebb ranked a record-worst 197th (now 194th) when Day took over three months ago, however every time they have hosted the SAFF Championships they’ve reached the latter stages, winning in 2003 and getting to the semis in 2009.
That’s big for a side who have never qualified for a World Cup and only made one Asian Cup appearance in 1980 where they failed to get out of the group. A quarter-final run in the selfhosted 2006 Challenge Cup and two South Asian Games golds in 1999 and 2010 (the latter again held in Dhaka) are their only other honours.
Seize the moment
“All that changes now for the SAFF Championships is that we don’t get any rest, which may have an opposite affect but only time will tell, hopefully we can produce the same levels as we have shown here (in Indonesia) again.
“All of the same Under-23 Asian Games players will be involved in the SAFF Championships with the older ones added into the squad, which adds some experience.”
Despite tired legs, Day is urging his players to seize the moment. “My message to the players is always do your best and work as hard as you possibly can because that’s something I could have done better.
“I wasn’t as fit as I should have been as a professional footballer and didn’t do enough outside of the game to stay in shape. In other words, I got lazy. You only have a short career so you have to make the most of it,” added Day, who played alongside Michael Owen at England youth level and once got in Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal squad as an unused substitute in the 1998/99 season, before joining Bournemouth, where he played alongside their current manager Eddie Howe. He later went on to play and manage Non-League Welling United. This is not only his first overseas assignment but also his first international job.
“I worked with some great coaches and have used their material in my coaching. I think you take little bits from everyone you have worked with and build your own mould of how you want to manage.
“I would love to win the SAFF Championships especially as it’s at home, as a coach you go into every game thinking that, but reaching the semi-final would be a good target. We know we have some tough games in our group against sides ranked higher than us, so we need to play at our best.
“Football is improving in Bangladesh and there’s massive scope to continue that growth, everybody loves the game, but the challenge is to make a team they can be proud of, that’s my objective. If we could improve our ranking that would be a good starting point.
“We just need to get players fitter and more organised. They all have good ability but the rest will take time.”
It’s a massive achievement for Bangladesh as before the Games we were expected to finish bottom, but to beat nations ranked higher than ours is special.” Jamie Day » Bangladesh coach