Optimistic Tigers to leave for NZ Wednesday

---

Six years after the first tour in 2001, Bangladesh national cricket team will leave Dhaka Wednesday for their second tour to New Zealand, hoping to perform to their best, reports UNB.
During a month-long tour to the down under, Bangladesh will play three warm-up one-day matches, three ODIs, two Tests and one twenty20 match.
Ahead of the tour, the national cricketers had final practice at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) Sunday under the guidance of newly appointed Australian coach Jamie Siddons.
At a press briefing after the practice session, skipper Mohammad Ashraful said: "We are going to New Zealand for the second time after December of 2001. We've only four players -- Javed (Omar Belim), Mashrafee (Bin Mortaza), Tushar (Imran) and me -- who were in that tour. This will be the 1st tour for the other 11 players."
Replying to a query, he said: "We worked hard during the weeklong practice sessions to prepare for the tour. We will also have to adjust with the conditions in New Zealand… the sidewise movement (of ball) and the cold weather in New Zealand could create some problems for us."
Asked if there is any difference between the previous side and the present one, Ashraful said, "We didn't have much experience then. But, now we've already played 49 test matches. Although the New Zealand condition is tough, we will try to perform to our best."
Replying to another query, he said, "I hope, we will see some improvement from this tour. If all our players do well in batting, bowling and fielding, there may be chance to win one or two ODIs as we have been playing well in this form (ODI) for the last two years." Asked about his expectations from vice-captain Mashrafee, the young skipper said, "Not only Mashrafee, I will expect all my players to give their best. If Mashrafe could continue his effort that he gave in the NCL, we hope to get good results from him."
Coach Siddons, who will be on his first assignment as an international coach, said, "We haven't had a lot of time to prepare. I have just got into Bangladesh and I won't be expecting massive improvement overnight. I think, the players had good preparations in the NCL and the (practice) camp."
The former assistant coach of Australia told a questioner that he had no recollection of the Bangladesh team's tour to New Zealand in 2001. "I am just looking for them to play good cricket and as well as they can play. If they can play in that way, I'll be very happy. Hopefully, we can improve throughout the tour."
Bangladesh Squad: Mohammad Ashraful (Captain), Mashrafee Bin Mortaza (Vice Captain), Javed Omer Belim, Tushar Imran, Abdur Razzak Raj, Shakib Al Hasan, Syed Rasel, Aftab Ahmed Chowdhury, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain Rajib, Junaed Siddiqui, Farhad Reza, Mehrab Hossain Jr, Tamim Iqbal and Nazmul Hossain.