Bangladesh on Wednesday were left to rue another Test near-miss but took heart from running New Zealand close in Chittagong.
Coach Jamie Siddons said he joined millions of Bangladeshis in mourning the defeat after New Zealand chased down a massive 317-run target to grab victory.
But he was happy his team were at least creating opportunities to win their first five-dayer against major opposition since gaining Test status in 2000.
”I am disappointed as I said before the game that we will play for a win,” said the Australian.
”It hurts when you come so close and do not win, but we need to learn how to win and create chances. If we do that I am very happy.”
He added that Bangladesh could have won if more umpiring decisions had gone their way.
”I thought we playing at home with changes to the New Zealand side and with our side improving, we had more chances,” he said.
”I think you need the 50-50 umpiring decisions to go your way, they weren’t close but they didn’t go our way.”
Skipper Mohammad Ashraful said it was once more a case of one man standing between Bangladesh and victory after New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori’s match-saving 76.
”It was Inzamam-ul Haq at Multan in 2003 who snatched victory from us, then Ricky Ponting at Fataullah two years ago and now it’s Vettori who stood between us and the win,” said Ashraful.
Bangladesh’s sole Test success in 54 attempts was against fellow minnows Zimbabwe here in 2005. They have lost 48 Tests and drawn five.
However, man-of-the-match Vettori said Bangladesh’s Test status should not be in question.
”I never said anything like that, from a country like New Zealand which took some 50 years to win their first Test match we are never in a position to say that who belongs to Test cricket and who doesn’t,” Vettori said.
”We respect Bangladesh and if you look at some of the games they have played in the last four five years, they set 307 for Australia, beaten us in the first one-day and knocked off many sides, so they have
a making of a good side.”
”Individually they have some talented players and got a little way to go to putting together as a team and in my opinion they are talented enough to be involved in Test cricket.”
Siddons said Bangladesh would hit back strongly in the second Test starting in Dhaka on Saturday.
”The pitch in Dhaka will have variable bounce so we hope to catch them on the hop,” he said. – AFP
