Norail Express goes through the Wall

Their lives have since gone different ways but they’ve stayed in touch.

Possibly the quickest bowler in Bangladesh, Mortaza — dubbed the ‘Norail Express’ by the Australian media after his hometown in the Bangladesh hinterland — is a raw talent who began honing his skills early on.

Today, playing his first Test after an 11-month layoff due to injury (more on that later) those skills were in full flow. He didn’t waver for a moment from his task, not even swayed by the fact that Sachin Tendulkar was piecing together a historic century. Much like his friend Pathan, Mortaza was willing to be patient for his successes, a trait quite uncommon in younger players.

The figures — 1/80 off 22 — didn’t tell the whole story. He hit the pitch hard, his slinging action making it difficult for most batsmen to pick him up at first. And he hurried the batsmen with his pace.

Even Rahul Dravid was hustled, and out for a rare duck, leaving one which swung in sharply and bowled him. It was inspired stuff, and drew praise later from Tendulkar and coach Dav Whatmore.

He was useful even when not bowling, flinging himself at the ball on the field and making some very important saves, and then taking a neat catch to dismiss Dinesh Kaarthick.

His athleticism is the more creditable given the injuries he’s suffered in his career. The first was in 2002, when he tripped and injured his left knee while doing a skipping exercise at home. He aggravated the same when he fell down from a guava tree (climbing trees is a passion).

And in his last Test against England at Chittagong almost a year ago, he hurt his right knee and had to travel to Australia for rehab and rest. That, incidentally, was when India were touring Down Under and so the two friends from MRF hooked up again.

In a series shorn of rivalries, this one would be a good start.