Good, can be better

After the Tigers had completed the highest run chase in their one-day international history against Scotland yesterday, cricket fans across the country went bonkers. But at the tiny Saxton Oval in Nelson Shakib Al Hasan and Sabbir Rahman perhaps provided the perfect mood, which is a sense of relief. The duo instead of embarking on any mid-pitch celebrations just smiled back at each other before the customary hug once Shakib hit the winning runs -- a four down the point boundary. It was a sense of relief for them because they have completed the job of beating Afghanistan and Scotland that was expected of them even before the start of the World Cup. And if there is anything the Tigers would relish going into their next serious assignment against England on March 9, it would be their disciplined batting under a world of pressure in a match that started bitterly for them but ended sweetly.

Chasing 319 against any opposition on any ground is a tough ask and it is even harder when you lose your two top-order batsmen -- one to injury and the other to a freak dismissal down the leg side -- with little or no runs on the board. Thankfully, the rest didn't press the self-destruct button and from Tamim Iqbal to a young Sabbir, everybody played their shots according to the merit of the ball. Tamim was sublime with his array of strokeplay, Mahmudullah Riyad gave the impression that he fits in well wherever you want him to bat, Mushfiqur Rahim was oozing class, Shakib, though a bit restrained, more importantly was playing the role of a guide for young Sabbir in a chase that can be best described as seamless.

Five batsmen, four half-centuries and one five-short-of-a-century. But this is the good face of a coin, the other of which is a study of striking contrast. Even we accept the fact that Scotland opener Kyle Coetzer played an exceptionally brilliant innings, our bowlers lacked the necessary discipline on a placid wicket. Save Shakib every other bowler at least bowled one loose delivery in every over and was duly punished. The ground fielding was again appalling and had it not been for Nasir Hossain, Soumya Sarker, Sabbir or Shakib, who took those catches on offer and showed plenty of spring in their feet, it could have been even worse. Like it or not, the rest actually tried to hide at places where the ball had hardly been hit. To be honest, it is very difficult for a captain to set his fields with so many ageing legs.

Scotland's score could have been something like 400 if they were sides like England or New Zealand, the Tigers' next two opponents, against this toothless attack which actually had only four genuine bowlers. It is also inexplicable why the Bangladesh think-tank packed the side with so many batsmen when the top five or six is good enough for putting up a big total, with yesterday's match being another evidence.

And come next Monday at the Adelaide Oval in Australia, the Tigers will need to click in every aspect of the game if they are to create a small piece of history -- beat a nervous England and win a dream ticket to the quarterfinals.