The County Scene: Week 7 - Bangladesh Under 23s in town

Oh sorry, I appear to have made a mistake from the off - the children currently playing Surrey (who in turn have fielded an inexperienced XI) in a tour match at the Oval are the actual Bangladesh national team! None of this team are over 25, although Mohammad Ashraful, the enigma wrapped in a mystery all bound together by a conundrum, is already celebrating his 100th first-class appearence. This indicates a squad with experience beyond their years, yet the fact remains that they cannot regularly compete with the big guns, despite plenty of promising performances from individuals, with the likes of Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah and the captain Shakib Al Hasan putting their hands up to be counted in the last few months. This tour, which includes 2 tests and 3 ODIs against England, followed by matches against Ireland, Holland and Scotland (which they must win), is a big one for Bangladesh. They cannot afford to keep chopping and changing their lineup, discarding duds and bringing in youngsters. The current squad needs to prove themselves worthy of a place in the side, keep that place and push on to break into the cricketing elite.

As for the match itself, it appears to be a useful exercise for both teams - although the cold (man up, I played in Aberdeen last week) London weather is not quite what the tourists were experiencing in St Lucia last week! Bangladesh looked as though they had the better of the day, reducing Surrey to 135-6, thanks to the uncapped Robiul Islam's 3-67. However, experience told as two of the regular first-teamers, Matthew Spriegel and Stuart Meaker, lifted them to 318-7d. Spriegel looked patient in compiling 108*, while Meaker, a pace bowler of whom Surrey have high hopes, recorded a career best 94 before being trapped in front by Shahadat Hossain. The tourists reached 12-0 at the close with no alarms and no surprises as Radiohead might say.

It is worth noting at this point that I am expanding The County Scene to include home internationals and tour matches. But you probably got that from the above verbosity. Anyway, who is the Victoria Sponge Lad of the Week? Read on...

Zander de Bruyn (Somerset) - I expressed a wish last week that Somerset would start standing up and five of them duly obliged. It could be Alfonso Thomas or Damien Wright for their bowling heroics in the drawn Championship match with Lancashire. It could be Peter Trego for 108 off 88 in the same game. But then came yesterday's run chase against the Unicorns at Taunton, the second CB 40 win of the week. 234-3 with 17 balls remaining is impressive, all the more so at 9-2. de Bruyn hit 106*(110), in a partnership of 149 with James Hildreth (a stunning 84 off 54). De Bruyn was also in the runs in the championship game and contributed with the ball all week, so he gets the nod. An experienced campaigner, who far from disgraced himself in his 3 test apprearences for South Africa (his 3 wickets were Tendulkar and Ganguly twice), he has since brought his considerable skills to Taunton in all forms of the game - a real go-to man for Marcus Trescothick.

Mark Wagh (Nottinghamshire) - not to be confused with Mark Waugh, the man with the best nickname of all time in cricket - Afghanistan, the forgotten Waugh, after playing second fiddle to brother Steve for Australia. This Mark Wagh led his team to a rain affected 5 wicket win over struggling Hampshire, who seem cursed by my prediction that they would win the league! A rapid unbeaten 131 on the last day, backed up by 54 from Hashim Amla, took Notts to the target of 245 after 4 closely-fought days. Michael Carberry again carried Hampshire's batting with 132 and Steven Mullaney hit an unbeaten ton in the first innings to lift his first-class average to an outrageous 89! But it was Wagh who stole the show. A man who has been around the scene for 14 years now, although never really getting close to the England squad, he has a batting average of 40 and a safe pair of hands in the slips.

Steven Patterson (Yorkshire) - a great week for the lad. While normal first choice seamers Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad enjoy success (Bresnan) or time on the golf course (Shahzad) for England, Patterson has assured the typically grumpy Headingley members that they need not be missed. Career best figures of 5-50 against Essex in the championship set his side up for a crushing innings and 96 runs victory, helped by centuries from Andrew Gale and Anthony McGrath lifting Yorkshire to 516. He then recorded further List A best figures of 6-32 against Derbyshire, bowling them out for 141 as they won by 100 runs. However, an economy rate of 5.5 an over may stand against him in the final count.

The winner - jury is hung, in keeping with everything going on this week! Steven Patterson and Mark Wagh... LADS
RM