Cricket: Familiar faces in tourist ranks

Bangladesh's 15-man squad which arrives in Auckland today is loaded with familiar names in terms of their last couple of series against New Zealand.

They are captained by left-arm spinner and gritty batsman Shakib al Hasan, who at one point last year was No 1 on the world ODI allrounder rankings.

Hasan took over the captaincy when first choice, senior fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza, was ruled out by injury last July.

Mortaza, now over knee surgery, asked not to be considered for the captaincy of this tour, and will not play the one-off test in Hamilton, only the one-day component of the tour.

There are no newcomers in the group, and several players who were in New Zealand late in 2008. They include openers Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique, the lefthand duo who both made their test debut at University Oval in Dunedin, and marked the occasion with half centuries.

However Siddique is only coming for the test.

Shahriar Nafees, at one point tipped as Bangladesh's most promising batsman, has been left behind, his place going to a former Indian Cricket League colleague, Aftab Ahmed.

Left arm spinner Abdur Razzak has been recalled from the squad which lost their two-test series at home to India over the last fortnight.

Wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim, who hit a century in the first test loss to India, is back, as is senior batsman Mohammad Ashraful, a perennially frustrating figure and still only 25, who has failed to fulfil his potential since making his debut nine years ago.

Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain will be the pace bowling spearheads as Bangladesh chase a first test win over New Zealand in nine attempts and look to better an ODI record of one win in 14 matches.

The teams will meet for the first time in a Twenty20 international to start the tour in Hamilton next Wednesday.

Bangladesh squad: Shakib Al Hasan (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Ashraful, Raqibul Hasan, Mahmudullah, Aftab Ahmed, Naeem Islam, Shahadat Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Nazmul Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Mashrafe Mortaza.