The Bangladesh Cricket Board is struggling to form the divisional squads for the upcoming National Cricket League with most of the top cricketers being engaged with the national and Bangladesh A teams.
According to a the BCB calendar, the National Cricket League will start between October 16 and 18 with two new teams – Rangpur and Dhaka Metropolitan – joining the six divisional sides.
The opening two or three rounds coincide with Bangladesh’s home series against West Indies, which will end on November 2. It means the national players will not be available for the first two rounds at least.
Bangladesh A team will leave for West Indies before the Test series starts at home meaning they too will not be available for the first few matches. A 10-member team from Bangladesh is scheduled to play a six-a-side tournament in Hong Kong in October, which will take away some players for few days.
‘The situation is really grave,’ selector Minhajul Abedin told reporters on Sunday. ‘If we give each team a 15-member squad, we need at least 120 cricketers. With 20 players in each team the number will go up to 160. But I am not sure if we have 100 cricketers available,’ he said.
It may be mentioned that according to BCB rule, no cricketer is eligible to play first-class cricket unless he has the experience of playing at least in Dhaka First Division League.
The BCB made the rule to prevent nepotism in divisional teams that was rampant in the first few season. Even Dhaka Division, who hardly face any player crisis, were accused of fielding a second division player last season.
However, in the present situation, the BCB may need to relax the rule, said the officials.
Selector Abedin said they have already asked the BCB to give a list of registered cricketers so that they can form the teams. He also hinted to allow the under-19 players in the National Cricket League this season.
Meanwhile, tournament officials said they are also grappling with ground crisis to hold the league, the only first-class competition of the country. The BCB has selected primarily Rajshahi, Bogra, BKSP, Sylhet and Jessore as the NCL venues, but even they are sceptical about the standard of pitches.
‘We cannot hold matches in grounds where they will be ended inside two days. If it becomes a trend we will be severely criticised. But we have very little choices,’ said Hafiz Uddin Joarder, member secretary of the tournament.
More on Dhaka Map | Source: newagebd.com
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