96pc players pass in beep test!

The much-talked about beep test of the domestic cricketers took place on Tuesday, with majority of the players accomplishing the new fitness benchmark while a few of the experienced campaigners lagged behind.

‘In Dhaka till now 96 per cent have passed. They have fulfilled the set target,’ national selector Habibul Bashar told reporters at the academy ground in Mirpu after players took the beep test.

Dhaka division batsman Zahiduzzaman scored highest 12.9 in the test while former skipper Mohammad Ashraful got the lowest 9.6.

BCB, in an attempt to improve the fitness level of domestic cricketers, bumped up the required beep score from last edition’s nine to 11 for the forthcoming season of the National Cricket League, starting from October 10.

BCB, however, became more lenient on Monday after uproar from multiple domestic veterans about sudden change in benchmark, as they left it to the team selectors to make the final decision.

But the board’s bold decision has already brought in some positive result, with the average beep score of players in Dhaka exceeding the previous year.

‘The players in Dhaka on an average got over 10 in the test, which is quite good. Because the average score of last year was less than this,’ said BCB fitness trainer Tushar Kanti.

Bashar reassured the players who have failed to score 11 on Tuesday by saying the board is willing to give them multiple chances to prove their fitness.

‘We have said this already that if someone fails to fulfil the set target we will take the test two, three and even four times. They will get the chance to reach this level,’ he said.

Bashar also claimed that the majority of the players have taken the new beep test standard as a chance to improve their fitness and hoped to start a new trend in Bangladesh cricket with this change.

‘I think the players have taken it very positively. This will eventually benefit the players and I am happy that they all have realised it.

‘We have decided that we want to create a brand for our cricket in future. The first condition will now be fitness and fielding,’ Bashar said.

Ashraful failed to hit the required mark but welcomed the new challenge as he felt it will help the players improve their fitness.

‘I think this is the right method. This is how we will improve our fitness level,’ Ashraful said.

Left-arm spinner Arafat Sunny, who came back from a knee injury, scored a whisker below the required mark but was pleased with his improvement.

‘Two days ago our trainer took a preparatory test. I scored 7.7 there because of the pain in my knee… Today also from level seven it started to hurt. But I still increased my score to 9.8 [10.9],’ Sunny said.

The players, who couldn’t fulfil the BCB’s criteria, will have another chance to prove their fitness on Friday.

‘On October 4 we will get another chance. If I train in the next three-four days I will improve inshallah,’ Ashraful said. 

BEEP TEST results

Mohammad Ashraful 9.6

Nasir Hossain 9.7

Abu Hider 11.1

Zahiduzzman 12.9

Shykat Ali 11.4

Arafat Sunny 10.9

Marshall Ayub 11.4

Shamsur Rahman 11.3

Al-Amin jr 11.3

Mehedi Maruf 11.8

Shuvagata Hom 11

Nazmul Islam Apu 11.1

Jubair Likhon 11.2

Ali Ahmed Manik 12.8

Shakil 12.6

Elias Sunny 10

Nadif Chowdhury 10.4

Mohammad Sharif 10.6

Shahadat Hossain 11.2