McKenzie to shape up BD’s struggling batsmen

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Friday appointed former South African batsman Neil McKenzie as their new batting consultant to help shape up their woeful batting unit.

Bangladesh failed to score 200 runs in any of their last six Test innings and were bowled out for 43 in an innings during the ongoing series against the West Indies.Bangladesh Cricket Board in a statement said McKenzie, 42, who played 58 Tests, 64 one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals for South Africa, would work with the Bangladesh team until the World Cup 2019 in England and Wales. He is expected to join the team in Guyana on July 24 during the three-match ODI series against West Indies, the BCB said. McKenzie, who acted as South Africa’s batting consultant twice following his retirement in 2009, would replace former Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera, whose contract was not renewed after the ICC Champions Trophy in Britain last year.

High performance coach Simon Helmot acted as interim batting coach in the last few series but under his guidance the team’s batting failed to match up to expectations. Bangladesh appointed Englishman Steve Rhodes as their new head coach in June and named South African Ryan Cook as the new fielding coach earlier this month.