Nazrul Kader
Encyclopedia
Nazrul Kader, also known as Lintu, was a left arm spin bowler from Bangladesh. He was a member of the Bangladesh cricket team that played against the MCC
in the historical match at Dhaka
in 1976-77.
, he was the most successful bowler for the local side taking 4/54. In February 1978, he bowled well against the touring Decan Blues side of India
. After the match the Indian captain, Ajit Wadekar
described him as the best Bangladeshi bowler.
Lintu enjoyed his most successful season in 1978-79, against the touring MCC side. His figures include, 4/49 at Jessore, 5/67 at Rajshahi
, 4/58 at Chittagong
, 3/79 and 3/29 at Dhaka
. With his spinning partners, Omar Khaled Rumy
and Ashraful Haque
giving him excellent support, he completely mesmerized the MCC batsman. Only the former test players, Conrad Hunte
(West Indies) and John Jameson
(England) showed the necessary technique to handle him.
, (Chandra
, Bedi
, Prasanna and Venkat
) were coming to the ends of their careers, the spinning trio of Bangladesh
were just beginning to make their mark on international cricket. Helping Nazrul Kader, was Omar Khaled Rumy
, a leg-spin/googly bowler, and Syed Ashraful Haq, an orthodox off spin bowler. Especially during the 78-79 season the trio was in full flow. The slow turning pitches were suitable to them. At Jessore Rumy
(4/30) and Lintu (4/49) bowled the MCC out for only 166. At Dhaka
, Lintu with 3/79, Rumy
with 3/63 and Ashraful with 2/1 bowled the opposition for a mere 210. The trio were lucky to have Shafiq-ul-Haq
Hira behind the stumps, as Hira
was an expert in keeping to the slow bowlers. Keeping to Lintu was a special challenge, because of his extra pace, but Hira was up to the task.
in England
. With the successes against the MCC behind him, Lintu was a certainty for the tour. Yet, when the team was announced astonishingly his name was missing. It was a sort of a disciplnary action for his missing the month-long physical training camp. Now, Lintu apart from being a brilliant left arm spinner, was a highly meritorious student. At that time, he was studying engineering at BUET. Attending the camp would have meant missing a whole academic year.
This exclusion pretty much ended Lintu's brief international career. Soon, he went abroad for further studies, and instead of concentrating on cricket he pursued his career as an engineer. This decision, though sad, wasn't uncommon in the 70s and 80s. With Bangladesh cricket very much at the amateur stages, a number of other cricketers (Mainu, Shirazi, Misha to name a few) gave their professional career greater importance than cricket. Things only changed in later part of the 80s.
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
in the historical match at Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
in 1976-77.
Bowling action
Though he was a spin bowler, he had the fast run up of a left arm seamer. Unlike most other left arm spinners, he mostly bowled over the wicket. He was quicker than most spinners, and he surprised many batsman with his pace. He also had a good "Chinaman" (the wrong one of the left arm spinner).International career
He had a brief, but highly successful international career. In the historical match at DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, he was the most successful bowler for the local side taking 4/54. In February 1978, he bowled well against the touring Decan Blues side of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. After the match the Indian captain, Ajit Wadekar
Ajit Wadekar
Ajit Laxman Wadekar is a former international cricketer. He played domestic first-class cricket for the Mumbai cricket team....
described him as the best Bangladeshi bowler.
Lintu enjoyed his most successful season in 1978-79, against the touring MCC side. His figures include, 4/49 at Jessore, 5/67 at Rajshahi
Rajshahi
The city of Rajshahi is the divisional headquarters of Rajshahi division as well as the administrative district that bears its name and is one of the six metropolitan cities of Bangladesh. Often referred to as Silk City and Education City, Rajshahi is located in the north-west of the country and...
, 4/58 at Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
, 3/79 and 3/29 at Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
. With his spinning partners, Omar Khaled Rumy
Omar Khaled Rumy
Omar Mohammad Khaled was a Bangladeshi cricketer. A middle order batsman and a leg spin googley bowler, he played regularly for the national side between 1976-77 to 1983-84.-As a batsman:...
and Ashraful Haque
Ashraful Haque
Syed Ashraful Haq is a Bangladeshi cricketer. He was the architect of Bangladesh's first ever ICC Trophy victory, over Fiji in May 1979. His 7/23 from 9.2 overs completely destroyed the Fiji middle order, leading Bangladesh to a 22 run win. He was also a member of the Bangladesh side that played...
giving him excellent support, he completely mesmerized the MCC batsman. Only the former test players, Conrad Hunte
Conrad Hunte
Sir Conrad Cleophas Hunte, KA was a Barbadian cricketer. Hunte played 44 Test matches as an opening batsman for the West Indies.-Early life and career:...
(West Indies) and John Jameson
John Jameson (cricketer)
John Alexander Jameson MBE is a former English cricketer who played in four Tests and three ODIs for England from 1971 to 1975. Jameson represented Warwickshire from 1960 until 1976....
(England) showed the necessary technique to handle him.
The spinning trio
At a time when the famed spinning quartet of IndiaIndian cricket team
The Indian cricket team is the national cricket team of India. Governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , it is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test and One Day International status....
, (Chandra
Bhagwat Chandrasekhar
Bhagwat Subramanya Chandrasekhar is a former Indian cricketer who specialised in leg spin. Considered amongst the top echelon of leg-spinners, Chandrasekhar along with E.A.S. Prasanna, Bishen Singh Bedi and Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan constituted the Indian spin quartet that dominated...
, Bedi
Bishan Singh Bedi
Bishan Singh Bedi is a former Indian cricketer who was primarily a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. He played Test cricket for India from 1966 to 1979 and formed part of the famous Indian spin quartet. He also captained the national side in 22 Test matches...
, Prasanna and Venkat
Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan
Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan ; is a former Indian cricketer. He played for Derbyshire in English county cricket from 1973 to 1975. He played Test cricket for the Indian cricket team, and later became an umpire on the elite International Cricket Council Test panel...
) were coming to the ends of their careers, the spinning trio of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
were just beginning to make their mark on international cricket. Helping Nazrul Kader, was Omar Khaled Rumy
Omar Khaled Rumy
Omar Mohammad Khaled was a Bangladeshi cricketer. A middle order batsman and a leg spin googley bowler, he played regularly for the national side between 1976-77 to 1983-84.-As a batsman:...
, a leg-spin/googly bowler, and Syed Ashraful Haq, an orthodox off spin bowler. Especially during the 78-79 season the trio was in full flow. The slow turning pitches were suitable to them. At Jessore Rumy
Omar Khaled Rumy
Omar Mohammad Khaled was a Bangladeshi cricketer. A middle order batsman and a leg spin googley bowler, he played regularly for the national side between 1976-77 to 1983-84.-As a batsman:...
(4/30) and Lintu (4/49) bowled the MCC out for only 166. At Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, Lintu with 3/79, Rumy
Omar Khaled Rumy
Omar Mohammad Khaled was a Bangladeshi cricketer. A middle order batsman and a leg spin googley bowler, he played regularly for the national side between 1976-77 to 1983-84.-As a batsman:...
with 3/63 and Ashraful with 2/1 bowled the opposition for a mere 210. The trio were lucky to have Shafiq-ul-Haq
Shafiq-ul-Haq
Shafiq-ul-Haq was a Bangladeshi cricket player who played in the 1979 ICC Trophy and the 1982 ICC Trophy in England. In the latter tournament he captained the side and they finished fourth...
Hira behind the stumps, as Hira
Shafiq-ul-Haq
Shafiq-ul-Haq was a Bangladeshi cricket player who played in the 1979 ICC Trophy and the 1982 ICC Trophy in England. In the latter tournament he captained the side and they finished fourth...
was an expert in keeping to the slow bowlers. Keeping to Lintu was a special challenge, because of his extra pace, but Hira was up to the task.
An abrupt end
During the summer of 1979, Bangladesh made their international debut abroad taking part in the first ICC Trohpy1979 ICC Trophy
Canada proved too strong for Malaysia, Rasiah Ratnalingham's excellent analysis of 12-5-18-3 not enough to stop the Canadians winning by 44 runs thanks to 77 from Cecil Marshall and 4-33 from John Vaughan...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. With the successes against the MCC behind him, Lintu was a certainty for the tour. Yet, when the team was announced astonishingly his name was missing. It was a sort of a disciplnary action for his missing the month-long physical training camp. Now, Lintu apart from being a brilliant left arm spinner, was a highly meritorious student. At that time, he was studying engineering at BUET. Attending the camp would have meant missing a whole academic year.
This exclusion pretty much ended Lintu's brief international career. Soon, he went abroad for further studies, and instead of concentrating on cricket he pursued his career as an engineer. This decision, though sad, wasn't uncommon in the 70s and 80s. With Bangladesh cricket very much at the amateur stages, a number of other cricketers (Mainu, Shirazi, Misha to name a few) gave their professional career greater importance than cricket. Things only changed in later part of the 80s.
The big loss
Lintu's unfortunate departure was a big loss for Bangladesh cricket. Bangladesh had to wait for another decade before the arrival of the next quality left-arm spinner (Enamul Haq Moni). Even now, many consider Lintu to be the greatest left-arm spinner to come from Bangladesh.External links
- http://www.articlesbase.com/cricket-articles/the-spinners-2090427.html by Rafiqul Ameer
- http://www.articlesbase.com/cricket-articles/the-first-generation-cricketers-of-bangladesh-2210264.html by Rafiqul Ameer