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Bangladesh Ready For Two-Day Test Warm-Up

Friday 14 November 2008

Bangladesh's final preparations for the two-match Test series against South Africa which begins next week in Bloemfontein comes in the form of a two-day game against a South African Airways Challenge XI in Kimberley.

Bangladesh go into the match, which starts tomorrow (November 15th) without pace bowlers Mashrafe Mortaza and Syed Rasel as well as missing left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak. Both pace bowlers are nursing back injuries while Razzak has flown to Australia for independent analysis of his bowling action after his quicker ball was identified as suspect during the Test series against New Zealand in Bangladesh.

“The Test series is obviously going to be tough but the process remains the same for that and also for this two-day game," coach Jamie Siddons said.

You still have to leave the good balls alone while batting and pitch balls in the right areas when bowling. You can not lose concentration for one session even. Test matches are won by teams that win most sessions over the five days.

“I have seen massive improvements in our team over the last 13 months. It still does not show in the results but if they continue to do the right things we’ll see good things in this series or the next series or maybe after two or three series. I am happy as long as the players are improving because that’s our goal for this group who I think are the best cricketers in Bangladesh,” the Australian added.

Bangladesh lost the three-match One Day International series against South Africa 2-0 after the third and final match in East London was abandoned due to rain.

Bangladesh (from): Tamim Iqbal, Zunaed Siddique, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Ashraful (captain), Roqibul Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehrab Hossain jr., Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Mahbubul Alam, Shahadat Hossain, Nazmul Hossain

SAA Challenge XI: Wendell Bossenger (captain), Andre Seymore, Charl Petersen, Dean Carlous, Lundi Mbane, Aubrey Swanepoel, Mithokozisi Shezi, Divan van Wyk, Warren Swann, Jonathan Beukes, Khayelihle Zando