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Bangladesh's fast-bowling coach Allan Donald is impressed with the hunger displayed by the national side's fast-bowling unit and how they stepped up in the last five months.
He also said that the pacer Taskin Ahmed has a 'massive heart'. "These kids want it, that is the great thing. My way of coaching is the mindset, mental, attitude and creativity. At this level, these things run (parallel). Every single training session is to buy into creating pressure. Taskin has a heart of gold, he has a massive heart. Once he is back to lead the attack, we will see a lot more of the hunger. I am excited with what I have seen," ESPNCricinfo quoted the South African pace legend as saying. Donald is confident that bowlers like Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Khaled Ahmed can repeat their great performances in overseas tests. "I was really impressed with Shoriful, especially in the one-dayers. I saw him in the U19 World Cup in South Africa. He was very impressive. He was already highly rated when Bangladesh won the World Cup. I think the bigger surprise for me was Ebadot and Khaled. I was surprised by their engine capacity. Fast bowling is about huge guts and determination. I have never seen two spinners and two seamers in a Test match before, but the way they conducted themselves, especially in Durban where they were magnificent. Apart from one mad half-hour that knocked us back, I thought by bowling South Africa out in both Tests was a fantastic effort. I am delighted with what I have seen. I think the discussions that we had in every single training session, and the learning we get out of it, is substantial. I am pleased with where we are going," he said. On old-ball bowling training sessions with Bangladesh fast bowlers, he said, "The biggest thing here is old-ball bowling, Today (May 12) was all about the old ball. Every training session, I have emphasised a lot on getting the ball to reverse, and be really patient and creative with the old ball. I do not have to tell these lads about bowling on their conditions. They know what to expect. But the overall patience, persistence, and creativity that we bring is going to be testing." The pace legend also keeps in the mind the early impact and wants the bowlers to understand what they would be expected to do with the new ball. "I have realised this week that your length needs to be a bit fuller with the new ball. We have to get the best out of it in the first 30 overs. Getting Sri Lanka 40 for 3. The other thing is ball-conditioning. It is very sweaty and humid. In typical sub-continental conditions, after 30 overs, how much patience and discipline we can show by building that pressure (will be crucial). When the ball gets old, the reverse swing issue needs to come in. So it is a step by step process. It is going to be testing. Discipline, mental and creativity is going to be huge." he said. During this two-test series against Sri Lanka, Donald will have a huge task in his hand, to prepare one of Bangladesh's least experienced fast bowling attacks for the Lankan challenge. The home side is without its two important spinners, Shakib Al Hasan and Mehindy Hasan Miraz and their most in-form pacer, Taskin Ahmed. Ebadot Hossain is the most experienced fast bowler in the current squad with 14 Tests, while Khaled Ahmed and Shoriful Islam have played a combined total of eight tests between them. Rejaur Rahman Raja and Shohidul Islam are uncapped players. The first test will start from May 15 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. (ANI)
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