Mash recalls a Cardiff limousine ride

Bangladesh's ODI captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza attended an anti-narcotics programme at the city's Prottoy Medical Hospital today and he said that BCB's decision to restrict the players to two NOCs per year should not be a big problem for the cricketers.

Mashrafe also talked about coach appointment and Chandika Hathurusingha's situation.

The Bangladesh captain suggested that every Bangladesh player wants to play for the country and the decision should not pose any big problem for the cricketers who want to play in overseas leagues.

Asked about why BCB were implementing such a rule, Mashrafe said that there is room for discussion when it comes to such matters.

"There is always room for dialogue. I feel that through discussion any potential problem can be solved.

"In fact I once heard that the rule was going to be implemented internationally, where cricketers cannot play in more than two overseas leagues."

When asked about his opinion on whether a Bangladesh local coach will be appointed as head coach of the national team, Mashrafe said: "I don't know for sure if a coach from Bangladesh will be appointed but if it happens then we will carry on as expected."

He suggested that it's the players job to go out onto the field and play cricket. He talked about playing under Khaled Mahmud Shujon and reiterated that the players will adapt to any decision that BCB takes.

 He reminded that Hathurusingha's resignation is not final yet.

"I have said this before that it's not confirmed yet whether Hathurusingha will stay or leave. He is supposed to come here and discuss and if he wants to stay then it would be the end of discussion.

"We are under the BCB and the players will accept any decision that the BCB takes regarding coach appointment."

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.

The excitement of the Dhaka Premier League will be ramped up as the top six clubs, with very little separating them in the points table, resume battle as the Super League gets underway from today.

At the Sher-e-Bangla National stadium in Mirpur, table-toppers Abahani Limited have been clinical in the 12-team first and will hope to continue in that vein when they take on defending champions Gazi Group Cricketers, who scraped through to the Super League at the last moment after a disappointing start to the tournament.

Bangladesh ODI skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has been instrumental behind Abahani's success during the league phase as the right-arm pacer sits top of the wicket-takers' list with 30 wickets in 11 games at a spectacular average of 13.26 and economy rate of 4.38.

His best figures of six for 44 came against Agrani Bank on March 6, when he bagged four wickets in four consecutive deliveries in the over of the tournament with the batting side required 13 runs off six balls.

Abahani's Nazmul Hossain struck a magnificent unbeaten 150 off just 120 balls in the last group stage game against Shinepukur Cricket Club to post a huge total of 335 for four and the left-hander will be oozing confidence alongside in-form openers Anamul Haque and Saif Hasan, while skipper Nasir Hossain also had some good outings with the bat.

"In the Super League stage each team will have to play five games where we are leading at the moment and we have to at least win four of those. I believe even if we are able to execute 80 per cent of our full effort we will be able to become champions," Abahani pacer Taskin Ahmed told reporters at the Academy ground in Mirpur yesterday.

With eight wins in 11 games Abahani lead the table with 14 points while Gazi, with six wins, have 12 points.

Gazi will look to continue the momentum gained from the latter stage of the league after a disappointing start and Mominul Haque, who has just one fifty from 11 games, will have to step up. Young off-spinner Nayeem Hassan, on the other hand, has bowled well to pick up 20 wickets at an economy rate of 4.07 and will be a crucial weapon.

At the BKSP in Savar, Legends of Rupganj -- in second place with 14 points -- will take on fifth-placed Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club who have 12 points.

Rupganj's batsmen are in terrific form. Opener Abdul Mazid is the top scorer among Bangladeshi players with 536 runs in 11 games at an average of 53.60, a tally exceeded only by Khelaghar Samaj Kallyan Samity's Indian recruit Ashok Menaria, who has 570 runs.

Rupganj skipper, the experienced Nayeem Islam, stands in third position with 529 runs. Tigers' wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim's inclusion will also help Rupganj's fight for the championship.

Sheikh Jamal will bank on the experienced spin bowling department with the likes of Tanbir Hayder, Elias Sunny, Sohag Gazi and Nazmul Islam expected to play a crucial role. Opener Shykat Ali and skipper Nurul Hasan will have to take responsibility with the bat.

At the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, the surprise package of the ongoing DPL -- Khelaghar on 14 points -- will once more look to surprise. They will look to their in-form Indian recruit Menaria, as well as opener Robiul Islam, against Forhad Reza's Prime Dowleshwar Sporting Club, who are a point behind on 13.