Playing county cricket is a common way for great players from around the world to hone their talents and become used to the seam-friendly conditions of English conditions. However, historically speaking, not many players from Bangladesh have participated in the highly regarded first-class game.
Shakib Al Hasan, who made his mark felt during his stay with Worcestershire in the early stages of his career, and star opener Tamim Iqbal, who starred for Nottinghamshire, are the only two Bangladeshi cricketers who have previously played in the top division. Shakib Al Hasan played for Worcestershire, while Tamim Iqbal participated for Nottinghamshire.
In the past, former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and Enamul Haque Jr. played for lower-tier counties, and there has been a considerable increase in the involvement of Bangladeshi cricketers in lower-tier competitions in recent years. This trend is expected to continue.
The likes of Imrul Kayes, Shamsur Rahman, Junaid Siddique, and Enamul are now in England representing various small counties, and they are reaping the fruits of playing in challenging English conditions during the off-season in Bangladesh while they are away from the Bangladeshi cricket scene.
This season, Imrul is playing for Epping Cricket Club, which is owned by a Bangladeshi immigrant and is competing in Division 1. The Bangladeshi cricketer who is now out of favor with the national team shared his knowledge that the facilities and conditions on the small county circuit may be beneficial for Bangladeshi players who are interested in working during the off-season.
“Even in the minor county, the level of cricket is, to say the least, pretty difficult,” said the player. This is my first season playing here, and the weather and pitches here give a lot for seam bowlers, which makes it difficult for hitters. My current league is Division 1, which is the highest level of the minors. According to what Imrul told The Daily Star, “after that comes the Premier League and then after that comes the main county championship.”
There are some of their county players that also participate in division 1 competition. It serves as a stepping stone for the others in their journey to reach a significant county side. My opinion is that in order to be successful in this game, you need to have a solid batting technique. Therefore, taking all of this into consideration, it is possible for players from Bangladesh to travel over during the offseason in order to gain experience playing in such conditions.
On the other hand, Enamul began his career in 2008 by participating in the small county circuit, and he has been a consistent presence in England during the off-season ever since. The left-arm spinner believes that playing for a lesser county might provide young Bangladeshi players with an opportunity to get experience and compete at a higher level.
“I think it’s a terrific experience for players in Bangladesh, especially young cricketers, to explore by playing minor county, and I think that this is a great opportunity. According to Enamul, there has been a notable rise in the number of players hailing from Bangladesh who are competing in the leagues held in this country.
“I have a strong belief that if a young player from Bangladesh comes to play cricket in this country for at least one season, he will pick up a great deal about the way the game is played here. Additionally, it will assist him in his interactions with other people. “I believe there is a growing demand for Bangladeshi players in the UK, but we need good agents to communicate since we don’t see our top players coming to UK and playing county cricket.” “I believe there is a growing demand for Bangladeshi players in the UK.”