GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Former South Africa Test captain Neil McKenzie was scheduled to link up with Bangladesh yesterday, after he was appointed batting consultant to the touring side for the ongoing white-ball series against West Indies.In a statement, the Bangladesh Cricket Board said McKenzie would work with the team until next year’s Cricket World Cup in England and Wales.There will be little time for McKenzie to settle in as Bangladesh clash with the Windies in the second One-Day International of the three match series here today, at the National Stadium at Providence.
Bangladesh won Sunday’s opener at the same venue by 48 runs, to register their first success of the tour. They were crushed in the preceding two-Test series, undermined by their brittle batting. In fact, they failed to post 200 in any of their four innings in Antigua and Jamaica, and were embarrassed for a record-low 43, in the first innings of the opening Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground when they crashed to an innings and 219-run defeat inside three days.
McKenzie fills the void left empty by former Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera, who was axed following last year’s ICC Champions Trophy in England.
High performance coach Simon Helmot has served as batting coach on recent tours.
Bangladesh play their final ODI against the Windies on Saturday at Warner Park in St Kitts before turning their attention to a three-match T20 International series beginning next Tuesday at the same venue, and ending with a double-header at the Central Broward Regional Park in Fort Lauderdale on August 4 and 5.
