Siddons slams poor facilities in Bangladesh

	'Everyone is talking about the national team but I think we need to focus on the development activities' - Siddons © AFP

Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, has blamed the poor cricketing facilities and infrastructure in the country for his team's dismal showing in international cricket. Bangladesh's only Test victory has been against Zimbabwe, while they have lost 25 out of 29 ODIs and eight out of nine Tests since beating South Africa in a World Cup match last year.

"The players are not to be blamed at all," Siddons told the Daily Star. "The fact is that we need to give them the infrastructure first to teach them. You need the facilities. You have to have modern gymnasiums and many other things at least at all national grounds. You have to have level three qualified coaches, proper ovals for the players ... and I can go on and on."

Siddons added that the impact of poor facilities was evident in the domestic competitions and as a result, many are unable to compete at the international level.

"Our domestic competition is where the problem lies," he said. "No money is being spent in infrastructure. There are no practice facilities for anyone outside the national team. We need to look at the real problems. We have to focus on where they (players) are coming from. They are not ready to play international cricket.

"Everyone is talking about the national team but I think we need to focus on the development activities. For example, the facilities for the premier cricket competition here are the worst I have ever seen."

Siddons, however, backed his side to improve despite limping out in the group stages of the recent Asia Cup. He said he was particularly pleased to see his side compile 283 against India, their highest score against them. However, he urged for more consistency in the batting, especially after Pakistan raced to a ten-wicket win chasing a paltry 116 in a dead rubber in Karachi a few days after the India game.

"Yes, they had one slip up in Pakistan and that was in the last game and against a good team so that can happen. But we played good cricket in Pakistan because the players amassed their highest score ever against India, so it's a very good stat.

"But I am concerned that the batsmen are not scoring consistently. They will definitely get better but they have shown improvement over the last three months, with the younger guys making centuries."