'We don't stand for this; we are not that kind of team': BD fast bowling coach Donald on Mathews being timed-out

Bangladesh fast bowling coach Allan Donald has expressed his shock and disappointment at the team's 'timed-out' dismissal of Sri Lanka batter Angelo Mathews.

In an interview with cricket-based website CricBlog, Donald spoke in detail on the incident.

"I think it [the timed-out dismissal] really overshadowed a clinical performance by Bangladesh. I'm sort of a bit still shocked about it to be honest. It's just my values that I have as a person and as a cricketer."

"I certainly have never, ever in my entire life since I was playing cricket at age group, club cricket, provincial cricket, international cricket… never, ever, ever have seen anything like that."

"Last night I sat in bed and I just thought 'what just took place there?' For me, the question I asked was 'what just happened there?' I even sat in the changeroom and I was dead quiet. We didn't shake hands [with Sri Lanka], and you walk on the field, and I knew what was going to come after Sri Lanka had fielded… it was just going to be a very, very blank reception and that it certainly was."

Donald, who has received widespread praise for his coaching of the Bangladesh fast bowling unit felt the decision by captain Shakib Al Hasan and the rest of the team didn't represent what his team stands for.

"I almost actually thought of going on that field and saying 'enough is enough, we don't stand for this. We are not that kind of team who stand for this.' That was my immediate thought. Things happen so quickly, but you're talking about authority and I'm not the head coach, I'm not in charge. I just saw Marais Erasmus say 'please, Angelo you can now depart the ground.' And, seeing Angelo pick his helmet up and then walking off and throwing it against the advertising boards; it just was…. I was surprised."

The former South Africa fast bowler who was known for being one of the scariest bowlers to face expressed he does not want to see this sort of thing happening in the future.

"You talk about the respect and the dignity for each other and for the game. The spirit of the game. I just don't want to see things like that. That's just me. I just don't want to see that sort of thing in our game where, OK someone was sharp out there and said 'well, you can appeal.' I was like 'really? This is not going to happen. This cannot be happening. This can't be happening!' But we saw it. I don't know, mate, my instincts would have immediately told me get out there and say 'hey, that's just not going to happen. It's just not going to happen.'"

The 57-year-old felt the incident overshadowed what was an otherwise a very good Bangladesh win, who still have a chance of finishing in the top eight and getting a Champions Trophy spot.

"It really overshadowed a great win. It absolutely; not really, it absolutely overshadowed everything because there was a lot of niggle out there; there was a huge amount of niggle when Sri Lanka started bowling.

"There was anger. The only word you can use, really, is anger. At the end of the day, then like I normally do, I'm almost out there on the park first shaking hands and I just knew that these guys were heading for one place and that's the dressing room. There was no eye contact at all, no conversations, nothing."

"I don't know, a lot of these cricketers today can call me old fashioned but I just don't think there is any place for it. I just don't think so."

Donald elaborated on an incident involving Bangladesh left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam having to replace his boots in a Test match against Ireland where such a thing could have gone against his team.

"I take an incident that happened to Shoriful Islam where he came out in the wrong shoes against Ireland in a Test match. He had green boots on with whites, and it took him time to take those boots off; well over time, well over. Talking about exactly the same incident and nothing was said. Nothing. Not a thing. Not a word."