Did change in leadership reflect in tactics?

The batting effort of Chattogram Challengers has largely been dependent on their two foreigners -- Will Jacks and Benny Howell -- throughout the Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). While Jacks provides the runs at the top, Howell arrives to finish with a flourish. Whereas in the middle, the local stars such as Afif Hossain, Sabbir Rahman and Mehedi Hasan Miraz have not been able to gun down big runs.

Meanwhile, national team spinner Nasum Ahmed's form has been the only constant for Chattogram so far. Even in the match against Sylhet Sixers, with Mehedi Miraz replaced as captain, the bowlers were often confused about their approach.

Thus, when Chattogram owner Rifat Uzzaman had told the media yesterday that the team management's reason for taking away captaincy responsibilities from Miraz was due to differences in technical planning, it raised eyebrows. "The kind of cricket we were playing was high risk and there were some differences with Miraz in that regard," he had said yesterday.

According to their team sources, coach Paul Nixon had given them some directions before leaving for England. And yet, when Chattogram turned up for their game against Comilla Victorians, the same patterns emerged.

Nasum tried to contain with the ball but Comilla's Faf du Plessis, hitting a 55-ball 83, and Liton Das, notching a smooth-sailing 34-ball 47, had applied early pressure before Cameron Delport finished with a flurry of boundaries, scoring a 23-ball 51, as Comilla piled up 183 for three.

The same pattern then emerged with the bat. While Will Jacks fired at the top, the rest of the top and middle-order, including Miraz, was ineffective. At one point, Howell ended up joining opener Jacks in the middle as the latter kept seeing partners departing from the other end.

Unlike other matches, Howell, with 12 overs to go, did not take advantage, departing for just two. Thus, Jacks' 42-ball 69 was the only sublime effort in the chase as Comilla bowled Chattogram out for 131 runs to bag a big 52-run win.

While change of leadership was supposed to be about more innovative, high-risk cricket, how much the change in leadership was reflected in the on-field tactics, is up for debate.

Shakib turns it up a notch as Khulna stutter to Comilla spin

Fortune Barishal skipper Shakib Al Hasan turned it up a notch with the bat before his tactical manoeuvring as captain in Barishal's bowling Powerplay worked wonders in defending a small target. There was also some evidence of Shakib's work with power-hitting skills. With his side succumbing to Khaled Ahmed's pace early after the right-arm pacer accounted for both Barishal openers Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle, Shakib had to not only stabilise the innings but also pick up the scoring rate. A heave over cow corner and then guiding a shot over mid-off for six certainly showed that he found some joy from new technical work. His 41 off 27, which included three sixes, along with Nazmul Hossain's 40-ball 45, saw Fortune manage 145 all out, as the rest of the batting line-up failed to make significant contributions.

However, Shakib then adjusted to the small total knowing he can count on Afghan spin wizard Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Only one over of pace came in the Powerplay as Shakib and Mujeeb bowled eight overs on the trot. At the end of nine overs, Khulna reached 31 for 2 with Shakib accounting for both wickets. The pressure created in that spell then produced two wickets for Bravo as Khulna slumped to 35 for four in 10 overs.