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Bangladesh will get test playing status after securing South African support |
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News |
May 24, 2000
Dhaka,
May 23 (UNB) – It is almost confirmed that Bangladesh will enter the
elite club of test playing nations after securing South African support
for its plea for test status in next month’s ICC meeting billed for
London. Bangladesh
Cricket Board (BCB) and United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) made
the announcement today in Dhaka and Johannesburg respectively. Earlier
on Wednesday, Bangladesh got the support of Australia.
The
executive committee of UCBSA has unanimously decided to support
Bangladesh’s application for full member status of the International
Cricket Council (ICC) meet in June. “At
a meeting of the EC last Wednesday, we decided that Bangladesh’s
application is consistent with the ICC’s global policy. Bangladesh has
strong cricket culture and a passion for the game at all levels,” said
Percy Sonn, the acting president of UCBSA. Bangladesh
need the support of seven test playing countries, out of nine, to earn the
status. In the last ICC meeting, Bangladesh, proposed by Pakistan, got
five votes. Besides Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe
voted for Bangladesh. BCB
president Saber Hossain Chowdhury said Bangladesh have no problem to
fulfill the criteria for test status but everything depends on ICC meeting
because “we need votes”. Saber
sounded optimistic about a unanimous decision from the next ICC meeting
allowing Bangladesh to become the tenth test playing nation. The
cricket boss said the support and assistance of the UCBSA represent an
important step forward for Bangladesh cricket. “BCB looks forward to
close and productive working relationship with the United Cricket Board of
South Africa.” He
said the support of the two cricket giants will not only help us to earn
test status but also overall development of the game in Bangladesh. Bangladesh
earned associate membership of the International Cricket Council in 1977
and applied for Test Status after winning the ICC trophy ten years later
in 1997. |