Domingo named new Bangladesh cricket coach
DHAKA: The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Saturday named South Africa’s Russell Domingo as the new head coach of the national team, replacing Englishman Steve Rhodes. The 44-year-old has agreed to a two-year term with the BCB and is expected to arrive in Dhaka on Wednesday to take charge.
“He has a wealth of experience and we have been very impressed with his passion and coaching philosophy,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan said. Bangladesh were struggling to appoint a head coach ahead of hosting Afghanistan for a one Test series in early September and a tri-nation tournament with the visitors and Zimbabwe.
The Tigers had no coach for over a month after the BCB parted ways with Rhodes following the team’s eighthplace finish in the league stage of the World Cup. BCB Director and former skipper Khaled Mahmud took temporary charge during an 0-3 defeat to Sri Lanka in a threematch one-day international series in late July.
Hasan said they chose Domingo ahead of other candidates because of his availability. “We also sought a fulltime coach... (Domingo) said he was very keen to work with the boys and didn’t want any holiday breaks. These are the reasons why we found him suitable,” he added.
Domingo, the lone candidate to face an interview for the post when he arrived in Dhaka on August 7, said he was eagerly looking ahead to his new challenge. “I have followed Bangladesh’s progress with keen interest and I am extremely excited to assist the team in reaching the goals that they are capable of,” a BCB statement quoted him as saying.
Domingo was the assistant coach of South Africa in 2011. He replaced Gary Kirsten as national team head coach of the Proteas in 2013 and remained there 2017. He led South Africa to semifinals of the 2014 World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.
Domingo will have compatriots Charl Langeveldt and Neil McKenzie among his support staff. Bangladesh last month appointed Langeveldt as the pace bowling coach and retained McKenzie as batting coach.
Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has also been appointed as new spin bowling coach up to ICC World Twenty20 in Australia next year.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Cricket Board have decided to rest out-of-form opener Tamim Iqbal for next month’s one-off Test against Afghanistan following a request from the player, an official said yesterday.
Afghanistan arrive later in August for their maiden Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong from September 5. Chief selector Minhajul Abedin said Tamim would also be rested during a tri-nation Twenty20 tournament from September 13 which will also involve Zimbabwe.
Abedin said the board had accepted Tamim’s request for a break. “He will now rest both in the Test match against Afghanistan and also the tri-nation tournament,” he told AFP. Bangladesh’s top run scorer in all formats, Tamim struggled in the recent World Cup where he scored only 235 in eight innings at 29.37 average.
He was later made interim captain for a three-match one-day international series in Sri Lanka in the absence of injured skipper Mashrafe Mortaza. But the leadership role failed to bring out his best as Tamim made only 21 runs in three matches and Bangladesh lost the series 0-3.
Team-mate Shakib Al Hasan, who did not play the Sri Lanka series, advised Tamim to take some time off to regain form. Tamim is now expected to return during the November tour in India when Bangladesh are scheduled to play two Tests and three Twenty20 internationals. — AFP