During Comilla Victorians five-wicket win against Khulna Titans, Mashrafe Mortaza took his best bowling figures in the BPL. With 12 wickets, this is his best BPL campaign, one better than his previous best in 2012.The performance comes at a time when he has been struggling with a hamstring injury that has forced him to bowl off a shorter run-up - down to 12 metres from the usual 21. Still, watching him bowl on Friday, it didnt seem like he had lost pace - he generally stays around the mid-130s. He regularly troubled the batsmen with seam movement. His body language and the way he executed suggested he was as comfortable with the short run-up as he seems with his regular run-up.That invited the question: would Mashrafe, with a similar approach in Tests, be an effective solution to Bangladeshs long-standing problem with their pace attack in the longest format? He hasnt played Test cricket since July 2009. In the time he has been away, Bangladesh have largely struggled to find control with the new ball, leaving their spinners to take control irrespective of conditions.The situation became dire in the Test series against England last month, when Shafiul Islam and Kamrul Islam Rabbi were used for just 31 overs in which they picked one wicket. Yes, the Tests were played on spinner-friendly pitches, but Bangladeshs lack of pace options was still obvious.Mashrafe will leave for Australia with a 22-member preliminary squad for a training camp next week. He is scheduled to lead the Bangladesh side for the three ODIs and three T20s in New Zealand from December 26, before the Test series begins on January 12.Though it seems an improbable selection at this stage, Mashrafe has little over a month to prepare for the New Zealand Tests. He has spent several months bowling off a short run-up, especially when he was going through long injury lay-offs, which means his tweaked approach may not entirely be alien to him.This is also not the first time that Mashrafe has bowled well off a short run-up in competitive cricket. He did it in last seasons BPL and the Dhaka Premier League, with some success. However, to have him in the Test squad will require him to be fitter and stronger. That Mashrafe is currently going through his longest injury-free spell since he made his international debut in 2001 is also an indication that this could be the right time to ponder over the Test idea, if he is keen. If the pitches in New Zealand continue to remain as grassy as it did against Pakistan recently, there is all the more logic to it.However, the hierarchy of Bangladesh cricket might need a lot of convincing. The selection committee, which includes head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, would also consider factors like his lack of first-class cricket (he hasnt played four-day cricket since January 2014). That proved to be an issue when Taskin Ahmed was discussed as a potential Test candidate against New Zealand. Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan would also be a key decision-maker in this situation.More importantly, when the idea was floated in front of Mashrafe himself, he did not seem to take it seriously. It is possible [to bowl with a short run-up] in Test matches, but one has to pick up wickets, Mashrafe told ESPNcricinfo, before breaking into an amused smile. He did say there was not too much of a difference though. I can bowl all day if I bowl off the short run-up. I also hear that I was bowling with the same pace, around 130kph. Swing can be controlled, but it is hard to hit the yorkers. You need the full momentum and speed for the yorker.Bowling the slower one is possible, but maybe not as effective as with the long run-up. What helps is that the other factors in my bowling remain the same, and these include shoulder and hand speed, and ability to seam or swing the ball. The running speed goes down but otherwise there arent many other changes.Rubel Hossain, who is among the standbys for Bangladeshs training camp in Australia, has been Bangladeshs best wicket-taker since Mashrafe stopped playing Tests. But his 29 wickets have come at an average of 79.58. Robiul Islam came close to being a long-term solution but it is said that the team management has long been unhappy with his fitness.Within the group selected to travel to Australia, Mustafizur Rahman is returning from a shoulder injury while Taskin is still considered a limited-overs prospect. Shafiul was rested after the first Test against England because of tiredness, while Mohammad Shahid, who impressed in Tests in 2015, recently hurt his right knee and a decision on whether he will undergo surgery will be made at the end of December. Ebadat Hossain will require a fitness test in the next few days.It leaves the selectors, who are scheduled to sit down to a meeting on December 4, with a few decisions to make regarding the pace attack. While the ODI attack will rely quite a bit on Mashrafe and Taskin, and Mustafizurs full recovery, the Test attack remains short of quality.So why not Mashrafe, even if he is off a shorter run-up?Fake Soccer Jerseys .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. Cheap Soccer Jerseys . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. https://www.cheapsoccerjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. Soccer Jerseys 2020 . Ryan Garbutt had a goal and two assists as Dallas snapped a six-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Soccer Jerseys For Sale . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season.TORONTO -- Midway through his first at-bat Sunday, Blue Jays slugger Josh Donaldson was hopping around in pain after fouling a ball off his right knee.From there, he was all smiles.Donaldson had his first career three-homer game , Troy Tulowitzki also went deep and the Blue Jays beat the Twins 9-6 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.Donaldson hit a solo homer off Kyle Gibson in the second, then delivered a go-ahead, two-run blast off Pat Light (0-1) in the seventh.Its one of those things, as a baseball player, you want to happen one day, Donaldson said. You dont know it its ever going to happen, its kind of a rare thing. I was happy to do it.Dozens of fans tossed hats onto the field to celebrate the home run hat trick after Donaldson, the AL MVP in 2015, hit a solo shot off Alex Wimmers in the eighth. Groundskeepers and even the Blue Jays mascot helped clear the hats away. Donaldson came out for a curtain call as the crowd of 47,444 roared their approval.Ive never had a curtain call before so that was nice, Donaldson said. I tried to enjoy it for a second. (Encarnacion) was on deck after I hit the third one and he had a huge smile on his face. That kind of brought it into reality a little bit there. Donaldsons fourth multi-homer game this season and the 10th of his career also marked the 17th three-homer game in the majors this season.It doesnt get any better than that, manager John Gibbons said. Hes heating up.Jose Bautista had his first three-hit game of the season for the AL East-leading Blue Jays.Minnesota lost its season-worst 10th straight. The Twins have lost seven straight in Toronto.We scored over 20 runs in three games and couldnt find a way to win one, manager Paul Molitor said. It shows you how theyre rolling offensively.Scott Feldman (7-4) earned the win by getting two outs in the seventh. Jason Grilli worked the eighth and Roberto Osuna finished.ddddddddddddwins outfielders Robbie Grossman and Danny Santana collided while chasing a high fly by leadoff batter Bautista in the first. The ball dropped in for a double, and Bautista later scored on a sacrifice fly.Santana finished the inning but was replaced by Eddie Rosario in the second. Molitor said Santana would be placed on the disabled list with a sprained left left shoulder.Minnesota led 5-2 after scoring four off R.A. Dickey in the fifth but the Blue Jays cut it to 5-4 in the sixth. Tulowitzki hit a leadoff homer, his 22nd, and Kevin Pillar doubled and scored on a base hit by Devon Travis.EIGHT IS ENOUGHThe Twins have allowed eight or more runs in a franchise-high six straight games.CANADIAN COLORSThe Blue Jays celebrated Canada Baseball Day by wearing red caps and jerseys. Fans received red and white t-shirts.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: Triple-A OF Logan Schafer will join the team in Cleveland Monday to replace Santana.Blue Jays: Donaldson hopped around in pain after fouling a ball off the outside of his right knee in the first. He was checked by the trainer and stayed in. ... C Josh Thole is expected to be designated for assignment Monday when the Blue Jays add C Dioner Navarro. Thole could return when rosters expand Thursday.UP NEXTTwins: LHP Hector Santiago (10-8, 5.16) starts the opener of a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday. Santiago has not pitched since Aug. 20 because of a sore left thumb. RHP Trevor Bauer (9-6, 3.88) starts for the Indians.Blue Jays: RHP Marco Estrada (7-6, 3.47) faces Orioles LHP Wade Miley (8-10, 5.51) as the Blue Jays begin a three-game series in Baltimore on Monday night. Estrada is 0-2 with an 8.36 ERA in his past three outings. ' ' '
