Rakibul, Dollar headed for Cricket Australia

Dhaka, May 11 (UNI) Dollar Mahmud and Rakibul Hasan will be on a four week scholarship programme to Cricket Australia.

Following negotiations between the BCB Game Development Department, the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence (CBCE) and Cricket Australia (CA), the CBCE has confirmed two (2) scholarships in the CBCE cricket program for BCB players in 2007 for a one-month period.

Coach Minazul Nanu has also been selected for the programme.

The trio will depart on May 25 and will return on June 23. They will be attending the training programmes during this period in Brisbane at the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence.

BCB sources said, ''The main purpose of this skill-based four week training program is to provide the players with exposure to different conditions and different coaching methods.

''The players will live at Griffith University and train daily at Alan Border Oval (the home of the CBCE). The players will receive specialist advice in all aspects of elite level cricket ranging from batting skills, bowling skills, fielding skills, psychology of cricket, fitness and nutrition and much more.'' The sources further added, ''Specialist coaches including Brian McFadyen (Australian under-19 Head Coach), Jamie Siddons (Academy Coach) and Dene Hills (Academy Coach) will attend to the players.

The players will also receive video feedback, written and verbal reports and fitness testing while based in the CBCE program.'' ''The CBCE coaching staff will also run one skill testing block in the time the boys are in Brisbane and they will be part of this process,'' the sources added.

While Rakibul Hasan is one of the most promising all rounders in the country, Dollar is a young pacer who is already making ripples in first class cricket.

UNI