Former Bangladesh national cricket team coach Gordon Greenidge (C) poses for photograph with members of 1999 ICC World Cup team during a reception ceremony at a city hotel on Monday. — Sony Ramany
The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Monday finally cleared its distance with former national head coach Gordon Greenidge as they accorded him a reception at a city hotel nearly two decades after he was unceremoniously terminated from the job during ICC World Cup 1999.
Greenidge, who was given honorary citizenship of the country after guiding Bangladesh to win 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia, came to Dhaka at the invitation of BCB after it was made aware of his interest to visit the country by a former general secretary.
Members of the ICC Trophy winning squad and Bangladesh’s first World Cup team attended the reception, which turned into a reunion, leaving the Caribbean legends somewhat emotional.
Greenidge was given Tk 5, 00,000 by BCB in the programme that the BCB had earlier promised for him for his contribution in Bangladesh cricket. Greenidge donated the amount immediately to Gordon Greenidge Primary school in Barbados where he is the patron of the school.
An emotional Greenidge thanked the BCB for arranging such programme and was delighted to see the faces he worked with 20 years ago.
‘I was always proactive to lift Bangladesh cricket to the highest level of international cricket. I sincerely wish Bangladesh Cricket Board all the best. My sincere good wishes to current Bangladesh players for future,’ he said during the reception program.
Greenidge performed the job of the head coach of the Tigers for three years and under the realm of Greenidge, Bangladesh qualified for the ICC World Cup for the first time after winning the ICC Trophy in Malaysia in 1997.
Greenidge was also the coach of the Tigers in the 1999 World Cup where Bangladesh defeated Scotland and Pakistan which helped them receive the Test status next year.
However, Greenidge was sacked before Bangladesh’s World Cup match against Pakistan in Northampton and came here just once since then.
‘Well, that part was disappointing,’ Greenidge told reporters after the program.
‘I expected more time with Bangladesh cricket but it was not to be. But I have no yells but I’m disappointed. But these things happen,’ he added.
The 67-year old Caribbean legend said that he cherished every moment he worked here and hoped to continue this relation in the coming days.
‘I cherish all my memories here. I just met Lipu [Gazi Ashraf Hossain] after some time. I believed Sad [former CEO Tanjeeb Ahsan] is not well…Now we have met again and I sincerely hope that we can actually renew that relation and continue where we left off,’ he added.
Greenidge also said that he was a regular follower of Bangladesh cricket and hoped them perform well as a team.
‘I do follow Bangladesh cricket of course. How do I not follow Bangladesh Cricket!
‘I just want to see the team play well as a group, individually you can have this. But it is better when it plays better as a team rather than individually,’ he added Greenidge will leave Dhaka on May 18.
Source: New Age.
