If Bangladesh qualify for the Champions Trophy tournament proper this month, most of their players would be thankful to an Indian cricket equipment manufacturer.

Half the Bangaldesh team have signed with Matrrixx Ventures Inc, a New Delhi-based company, and will play their matches with brand new bats that were gifted to them here.

'We have signed seven Bangladesh players, including the highly talented Aftab Ahmed who hit the winning runs in the famous upset win over Australia in June,' Matrrixx CEO Ajit Menon told IANS.

Bangladesh will play their opening match against Sri Lanka in Mohali in Punjab Saturday. Defending champions the West Indies and Zimbabwe are the other teams in the qualifying round.

The top two teams from the qualifiers will join the six nations in the main round to be played from Oct 15 to Nov 5. The final will be played in Mumbai.

The other Bangladeshi players playing with Matrrixx bats, gloves and other equipment are Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Farhad Raje and Mehrab Hossain (junior).

They have thus joined India pacers S. Sreesanth and Vikram Rajvir Singh, and a host of other first-class players across the country using the bats that get made in Meerut, about 80 from here, in domestic tournaments.

At times even Sachin Tendulkar has used Matrrixx bats, but the manufacturer's name could not be detected as the commercial sticker covers a good portion of the bat, said Menon.

A few Pakistani players like Mohammed Sami and Mohammed Asif too have used Matrrixx equipment.

For someone who has himself played amateur cricket in Australia and England, Menon is perhaps ideally placed to be aware of players' requirements.

'At our factory in Meerut, we have got some fine craftsmen who make the equipment,' he said.

Menon first got in touch with the Bangladeshi players when the team toured India to play in the Duleep Trophy in 2005.

'I first signed a contract with Nafees Iqbal, who is not in the team at the moment, and Ahmed, who was recommended by Bangladesh coach Dave Whatmore,' he said about the 20-year-old right-handed batsman.

'I respect Whatmore's judgement as he has an eye for talent. He said he was one of the most talented players around.'

And when the Chittagong-born Ahmed hit the winning runs against world champions Australia at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, June 18, Menon was excited.

'It gave me a thrill as Ahmed raised his bat bearing the Matrrixx sticker,' he confessed.

On the domestic front, players from Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Baroda, the Oil and Natural Gas Corp and several academies regularly use Matrrixx equipment.

'I don't sell the equipment through retailers, but I prefer academies and Ranji Trophy teams,' said Menon.

'About 50 players in first-class cricket in India use our equipment as of today.'

Matrrixx equipment is also being exported to Australia.

- By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

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