Mash recalls a Cardiff limousine ride

A police chase stopped play at a Cardiff cricket match as officers pursued suspected car thieves through the grounds where the match was going on.

Radyr was playing Marylebone Cricket Club when officers ran across the pitch and into a neighbouring field, leaving players and spectators watching on.

It ended soon after when officers re-appeared with five arrested youths.

It is alleged a stolen BMW was involved in the incident and had earlier driven through nearby Hailey Park in Llandaff North.

Jo Morgan, the scorer at Radyr Cricket Club, said they had heard the helicopter for a while before they saw a police car heading towards the pitch.

"The police got out and ran across the field," she said.

"They went into the neighbouring fields and within 10 minutes they were all walking back through with five youths."

South Wales Police has been asked to comment on the incident.

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal believes that youngsters can learn from ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza's dedication and the importance he gives to domestic cricket.

The left-hander was speaking about Mashrafe becoming the highest wicket-taker in a single edition of the Dhaka Premier League and was asked why the youngsters had failed to challenge the 34-year-old veteran in the country's lone List A competition.

There have also been questions about whether Mashrafe's feat exposed the failure of youngsters to step up to take the leading role.

Tamim initially backed the youngsters over their dedication but added that they must improve in order to get the desired results on the international circuit.

"That's one aspect we need to improve," Tamim said when asked about the fading performances from young bowlers in the league this season.

"In the national team we still believe that the bowlers actually win games for us, evidenced during the big wins in series against India, South Africa and Pakistan. The batsmen also performed but it was the bowlers who contributed to the wins. You can win matches at the international level when the bowlers perform their best. So I hope that the bowlers who are out of form will return to their flow soon.

"The batting department in the national team is stable now and if the bowling department starts to perform then we will be able to win many tough matches in the coming days," he said after working on the rehabilitation of his injured knee at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

There remains a huge concern over who among the next generation of the Bangladesh national team can fill the gaps and take the responsibility currently borne by senior members in the team such as Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad.

Unfortunately the Tigers' think tank is still searching for those kinds of cricketers among the next generation. And the fact of the matter is that not many youngsters have displayed either the consistency or the tendency to take responsibility and learn from their mistakes as their predecessors did.

The performances of the young pace bowlers on sporting wickets in the ongoing league showed their lack of hunger, especially when Mashrafe, at the age of 34 and with the weight of 17 years of top-level cricket on his knees, remains on the top of the wicket-takers list.

He surpassed Abu Hider's tally of 35 for Gazi Group last season before taking two more in Abahani's victory on Monday and now sits on 38 scalps -- 10 ahead second-placed pacer Qazi Onik, who has played five games less than Mashrafe this season -- with one game left to play in the country's lone List A competition.

Among the top ten wicket takers this season, six are fast bowlers and the majority are experienced campaigners like Forhad Reza, Mohammad Shahid, Shafiul Islam and Mashrafe. They were accompanied by two Under-19 seamers, Onik and Robiul Haque.

Interestingly, the likes of Taskin Ahmed, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Abu Hider have remained rather ineffective, bagging 16, 15 and 14 wickets while playing nine, ten and eight games respectively. However, all three of these seamers have been expensive, with economy rates nearing six per over.

So, while praising Mashrafe for his marvellous achievement, the think tank must also reflect on the other side of the coin.

Before the BPL tournament began this year, Rangpur Riders skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza had asked the Riders' owners for an ambulance.

The people of Rangpur had been suffering from a lack of precious and necessary services in the recent times and Bangladesh captain Mashrafe extended a helping hand with an ambulance which was of great relevance to the Narail Sadar Hospital.

Mashrafe launched the Narail Express Foundation to help out with various social and cultural agenda.

Yesterday, Rangpur Riders confirmed on their official facebook page that they have handed over the ambulance to the Narail Express Foundation.

"For the overall development of Narail, a small gift from the Rangpur Riders family has been handed over to Narail Express Foundation," the Riders facebook post read.

A post on Mashrafe's facebook page informed that the vehicle was handed over to Mashrafe's foundation within seven days of the end of the BPL final. The post also said that the ambulance would be available for emergency services.

Mashrafe led the Rangpur Riders to their maiden BPL title in the recently concluded tournament.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza hogged the spotlight on the opening day of the two-day players' transfer for the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

The Bangladesh limited-overs captain, who will fly for Colombo today to lead the Tigers in the three-match ODI and two-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, signed for Legends of Rupganj at almost the last second of the bourse after he had mistakenly gone to the Bangabandhu National Stadium -- where the event had been taking place for a long time before shifting to the home of cricket in Mirpur this season.

Mashrafe was excited that the transfer system returned to its traditional form after the player-by-choice system was used in last two seasons.

"I am excited that players transfer returned to the traditional system because it gives players the freedom to choose their team," he said. "It's a good occasion to celebrate," he added.

Among the other Colombo-bound players, Shuvagata Hom signed for defending champions Abahani along with uncapped left-arm spinner Sanjamul Islam, while wicket-keeper batsman Nurul Hasan signed for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club.

Even in his absence, Mahmudullah Riyad was another centre of attention. According to Legends of Rupganj officials, the all-rounder -- who was dropped from the team for the second Test against Sri Lanka and included in the ODI team after a lot of drama -- informed them at the eleventh hour that he had changed his mind and would be joining Abahani. It was said in shushed voices that Riyad was going to receive the highest payment, Tk 60 lakhs, this season.

When attention was drawn to Riyad's last moment change, Mashrafe said: "I cannot say anything about the other two national pool players. During the transfer we talk with lots of players."

Abahani are most likely to fill their national pool quota by roping in Tamim Iqbal and Mosaddek Hossain.

A useful all-rounder in domestic cricket, Nasir Hossain joined Gazi Group Cricketers along with Suhrawardi Shuvo, Naeem Islam, Abu Hider, Nadif Chowdhury and Shafiul Islam.

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club were also busy on the opening day as they registered experienced campaigner Abdur Razzak alongside Elias Sunny, Tanvir Haider, Nurul Hasan and Fazle Rabbi. They are also expected to rope in Imrul Kayes.

"I am happy with my team as there are several players with huge amount of experience in domestic circuit," said Sheikh Jamal skipper Razzak.

Mohammad Ashraful also turned up to Mirpur to sign for Kalabagan Krira Charka on a day when a total of 87 players participated.

Former Bangladesh Under-19 pacer Mohammad Saifuddin and fast bowler Abul Hasan will fly out to Colombo tomorrow to take part in the one-day warm-up game on March 22 ahead of the limited-overs leg of Bangladesh’s tour of Sri Lanka, which starts with the first ODI on March 25 in Dambulla.

The two will be sent to Colombo for experience with the national team. Bangladesh team manager Khaled Mahmud informed of this development during the fourth day of the second Test between the teams at the P Sara Oval in Colombo today.

Saifuddin, who played in Bangladesh’s run to the semifinals of the Under-19 World Cup early last year, will be part of the senior group for the first time, while Abul -- who in 2012 against the West Indies became the first cricketer to hit a century from number 10 on debut – has been out of national reckoning since he played in an ODI against Pakistan in April 2015.

Both players will fly back to Dhaka on March 23, with Saifuddin expected to take part in the ACC Emerging Cup. The 16-member Bangladesh ODI squad will fly out to Colombo today.