Walsh, one of cricket’s most prolific fast bowlers who retired as Test cricket’s highest wicket-taker (since surpassed), brushed off the all-spin strategy adopted by Bangladesh in the second Test as an expedient tactic to wrap up a series at home.
“We are here to win Test matches. Whatever surface we play on, whichever combination is the best to get Bangladesh to win Tests, I am always happy with it. Back in the day when the West Indies used to dominate, they had four fast bowlers. Now Bangladesh is dominating with four spinners, so it is just a trend. The surface was never going to be fast bowler-friendly. We thought the spinners would have a bigger role and that has proven to be the case,” Walsh said Monday, while talking media at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka.
Walsh was appointed as Bangladesh’s pace bowling coach back in 2015, filling the vacancy created by the departure of Zimbabwean Heath Streak, who was universally acclaimed for the work he did. At the time, the country was enjoying an unusually rich spell of producing young, promising fast bowling talent. Taskeen Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman had broken through. The likes of Abu Hider Rony were knocking on the door.
It was expected that the arrival of the popular West Indian would inspire the young pacers of the Tigers to lift themselves to the next level. The results however have so far been mixed, as they failed to transfer their limited-overs capabilities into Tests. Having someone of Courtney’s stature as pace bowling coach, it was unexpected for Bangladesh to play an all-spin attack in just-concluded Test. the only instance of such a move for the Tigers.
“Tactically we wanted to play more spinners to win a Test and the series. It was achieved. The ultimate goal was set out. The boys played well. I know the victory might look easy but the first two days of cricket in this second Test was very vital. Bangladesh played very well and came out victorious. I think it shows that whenever given the opportunity, you have to try to do well with it,” Courtney said while expressing his views on the move to play four spinners.
Selecting an eleven without a single bowler who bends his back might send the wrong message to budding tearaways. They might lose their desire to become a pacer, resigned to the belief that Bangladesh is no place to be a fast bowler. But Bangladesh pace-bowling coach does not think this way.
“It is just one Test match that no fast bowler played. We had Fizz (Mustafizur Rahman) in one Test, we had Khaled and Fizz in another Test. This was a Test to try to win the series. For me, it is not about sending the wrong message. Tactically we felt it was the best for Bangladesh to win without a fast bowler. It might be the first time one hasn’t played, but the result matters. It is a tremendous feeling to have a series win. I think everything went according to the plans of the coach, captain and the rest of the guys had to win the series,” Walsh further said.
“There’s a lot of cricket coming up. The ODIs and T20Is will feature fast bowlers. Youngsters will see it and want to play. I think it is the programme that you put in place to encourage youngsters to play, and not just one Test match without a fast bowler.
Bangladesh played their own brand of cricket with too much intensity for a young Windies side itself in transition, and a long, long way from home. Bangladesh’s spinners took all 40 Windies wickets that fell in the series, which is the only instance of taking all wickets by spinners in a two-match battle.