by Dhammika Ratnaweera
"Our boys should learn and gain experience even if they don’t win on this Sri Lankan tour" said Bangladesh Cricket Coach Moshin Kamal. The former Pakistan paceman who took over as the Bangladesh Coach from Trevor Chappell further added that we are in the learning process and require more international exposure. The boys were foiled from practices by the stormy weather in Bangladesh. They have been practicing in the indoor nets. But we are deeply concerned about the players physical fitness and every morning we have our training sessions.

The coach also said that we have three good openers and four middle order batsmen. The side is young with only four senior players. I am confident that will do well on this tour.

Kamal also pointed out that we have to take three or four talented batsmen to play against the other Test nations.

Bangladesh Team Manager Mahmudul Haque Manu said that cricket is now the number one sport in Bangladesh. We are babies to the Test arena and have to go a long way. We thank the BCCSL for giving us this tour. We are also aware that the Sri Lankan cricketers have had a very busy programme in England recently and they have to play with our boys following their return. He also said that Bangladesh has a very competitive premier league cricket tournament. Sri Lanka coaches did a fine job to develop our junior cricketers and they emerged runner up in Under 17 Asian Cricket Championships last year and was a big boost.

The first Test match will start on July 21 at the P. Sara Stadium while the second one will commence on July 28 at the SSC grounds. The first time Bangladesh met Sri Lanka was in Colombo in the Asian Test Championship where they lost. In that match young Mohammad Ashraful struck a fine 114 on his Test debut. He thus came the youngest batsman to score a Test hundred at the age of 17 years and 63 days. He beat the 30 year old record set up by Mushtaq Mohammad of Pakistan who scored his maiden Test century at the age of 17 years and 81 days.

The Bangladesh squad: Khaled Mashud (Capt.), Kazi Habibul Bazar, Aminul Islam, Akram Khan, Al Sahariar, Eshanul Hoque, Abdul Hannan Sarker, Mohammed Ashraful, Tusher Imran, Muntasir Rahaman, Enamul Hoque, Monjural Islam, Tarek Aziz Khan, Alamgir Kabir and Talha Jubaer.

(Tour Itinerary)

July 12-14 — three day practice match against Sri Lanka ‘A’ at De Soysa Stadium.

July 16 to 18 — three day practice match against BCCSL Development Squad.

July 21-25 First Test at P. Sara Stadium.

July 28 to August 1 — Second Test at SSC grounds.

August 4 — first One Day International at SSC grounds.

August 5 — Second One Day International at SSC grounds.

August 7 — Third and final One Day International at R. Premadasa Stadium.