Bangladesh fielding coach hopeful of England tour going ahead

Bangladesh’s fielding coach Richard Halsall has said that he feels safe working in Bangladesh and is hopeful of England’s arrival on September 30 for a tour comprising three ODIs and two Tests. Halsall, the former England fielding coach, said that although the security situation in the country has improved, England will look into it themselves before taking a decision.

Halsall returned to Dhaka on Friday evening, the first of the team’s foreign coaching staff to return after the terror attack in the Bangladesh capital on July 1. Mario Villavarayan, the strength and conditioning coach, came on Saturday, while head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is scheduled to arrive on Sunday evening.

There have been questions about England’s visit to Bangladesh. Eoin Morgan, the captain, had admitted to big concerns over the side’s security. Morgan had suggested neutral venues may be “feasible if it came to that”, but Nizamuddin Chowdhury, BCB’s chief executive, rejected any talk of playing Bangladesh at a neutral venue.

“I am hopeful that the tour will take place,” Halsall said. “England are, I think, committed to playing cricket all over the world. Their Under-19s were here for the World Cup, but, maybe, the security situation in Bangladesh is better now because awareness of the situation is heightened. I think people are bit more honest about the threat level and there’s no denial that there’s a threat. But that exists here and everywhere.

“Being honest about there being a threat is the first step to dealing with it. You have got to get on with it. …

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