Moin Akhtar was not purely a comedian and neither was he purely an actor. He was, lets just say, a man with an extraordinary range of gifts suited perfectly to the broadcast medium. He could anchor a show and steal it in a guest cameo; he could lead, he could support; he could make you laugh, cry, or think, and sometimes he made you do all three at once.One of his trademarks in the 1980s was a routine about a Bangladeshi who goes to watch a Test. The humour is spun from the central premise that cricket as sport and spectating experience is entirely alien to him.After the third day, exasperated, the man explains to his friend what he watched. First, he says, two paadris, or priests (the whites, geddit?), came out onto the ground and flipped a coin. They must be about to gamble, he reasoned. Then, one of them goes into a building and walks out with 11 ghndas, or thugs. In defiance, the other paadri calls out two of his own ghndas and they are wielding sticks. One of the ghndas is given a bright, shiny red stone. He spits on it, but then, realising the entire stadium is watching, quickly starts rubbing it clean against his trousers.He then runs in and throws it at one of the men with sticks, who hits it away. These paagal ka bachas, or lns, the watcher says incredulously, run after the stone except the two with the sticks, who run past each other and back.Trust me, its funnier hearing Akhtar tell it, and in the way it plays upon the physical act of cricket as one of rioting or political demonstration, it makes an anthropological observation. Cricket can be visually unfathomable to many not familiar with it, but it is telling that he used a Bangladeshi as the central protagonist - it revealed a widespread assumption in Pakistan that cricket was alien to Bangladesh. That should come as no surprise for it was the residue of an attitude that coursed through the western half of the country when Pakistan and Bangladesh were one. Not a single player born in what was then East Pakistan ever represented Pakistan in Test cricket. The usual excuses were that there was no talent pl and that the region had no real association with the game: an outright falsehd in both cases.The truth is there was plenty bubbling along in the region until 1971, just that nobody in West Pakistan cared to know, or do much, about it. That was standard operating procedure in all spheres of life, economic, cultural or political. There was certainly plenty of fervour for the game, prf of which lies in the heaving stadiums for Pakistans earliest Tests in Dhaka, for side games in Chittagong and in smaller but well-established leagues.A softer manifestation of that attitude - the patronising, the dismissiveness - transmitted itself to the rest of the world and has lingered since Bangladesh became a Test-playing nation. For t long, after every loss (and there were many), Bangladesh have been derided and mocked for not being gd enough, for only being there because they were a useful vote at the ICC. Teams have avoided going there and have been equally reluctant to invite them.These are the churlish reactions of a small-minded sport t full of itself and not concerned enough about its growth. There has never been any doubt that cricket is a better place with Bangladesh in it; instead there has only been doubt about international crickets commitment to helping Bangladesh develop.Despite the prevailing apathy, Bangladesh have created moments of magic, and most recently they lit up 2015 when it lked, finally, as if they had arrived. They got to the quarter-finals of the World Cup and then beat Pakistan, India and South Africa in ODI series at home as if they had been doing it all along. They found fast-fast bowlers and a genius slower-fast bowler; their batsmen began to play smart and prospered; crucially, two planks aligned in the shape of a world-class allrounder and a charismatic captain.For this months cover story, Sidharth Monga travelled to Bangladesh and together with Mohammad Isam not only traces this rise but sketches a rare and vital history of Bangladesh as a cricket-playing country. They are cognisant of challenges - of continuing apathy, for instance, as Bangladesh have not played a Test since July 2015, or an ODI since November last. Militant violence threatens to reshape future opportunities t. Nevertheless it is a stirring tale, to be read by anyone who has ever doubted that nations love for the sport or its aptitude for it.There is a lot else to sink your teeth into. Gideon Haigh weighs in with a masterful essay on Victor Trumper and that photograph; Tim Wigmore catches up with Marcus Trescothick, a decade on from the last international he played for England; there is an encounter with one of the oldest grounds in the subcontinent, and a compelling study on whether batsmen are batting the wrong way round. Intrigued? Read on.Custom NCAA Shirts Outlet . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. Custom College Jerseys . -- There were so many positives from the Orlando Magics first victory of the season that it was hard for coach Jacque Vaughn to stop praising his players. http://www.collegecustomjerseyscheap.com/ . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Discount Custom NCAA Shirts . PETERSBURG, Fla. Stitched Custom NCAA Shirts . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations.Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Sunday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EDT:- CHASKA, Minn. -- The Americans need only five points from 12 singles matches Sunday at Hazeltine to win back the Ryder Cup from Europe for the first time since 2008.- MLB wild-card races: AL: Orioles (at Yankees), 3:05 p.m.; Blue Jays (at Red Sox), 3:05 p.m.; Tigers (at Braves), 3:10 p.m. NL: Giants (vs. Dodgers), 3:05 p.m.; Cardinals (vs. Pirates), 3:15 p.m.- Colorados DJ LeMaheiu led injured Daniel Murphy of Washington .348 to .347 for the NL batting title going into the seasons final day, and Houstons Jose Altuve was set to win his second AL hitting crown in three years.- SAN FRANCSICO -- Vin Scully broadcasts his last game for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 67-year career, even taking over the San Francisco Giants broadcast for the third inning of the regular-season finale at AT&T Park.- ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves bid farewell to Turner Field, their home for the last 20 years. The team is moving to a new stadium in the suburbs next season.- The AP releases its weekly Top 25 college ftball poll at 2 p.m.- EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Russell Wilson is set to start at quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks (2-1) despite suffering a sprained left knee ligament last weekend. Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets (1-2) try to rebound from a six-interception debacle against Kansas Cityy.dddddddddddd Game starts 1 p.m.- TAMPA, Fla. -- Trevor Siemian and the Denver Broncos try to improve to 4-0 when the reigning Super Bowl champions face Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whove lost two straight games. Game starts 4:05 p.m.- PITTSBURGH -- The Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers (2-1). Pittsburgh is coming off a 31-point loss to Philadelphia, the franchises worst setback in 27 years. Game starts 80 p.m.- CLEMSON, S.C. -- A year ago, No. 5 Clemson used a hard-fought, showdown game to launch its run to the ACC title and College Ftball Playoff. The Tigers victory over No. 3 Louisville appears to be a similar springboard this year with Clemson having little opposition to block a return trip to the league title game and the four-team playoffs.- Other follows to various Top 25 college ftball games.- DOVER, Del. -- Brad Keselowski sits on the pole for the race at Dover International Speedway. Four drivers will be eliminated from the playoff Chase. By Dan Gelston. Race starts 2:15 p.m.- PARIS -- IOC President Thomas Bach meets with French President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace as part of his two-day visit in Paris. The French capital is competing against Budapest and Los Angeles for the rights to host the 2024 Olympics. ' ' '