First Test-playing tour of Australia by Bangladesh
(no previous tour)
Among the repercussions of the dire performance in the limited-overs World Cup in South Africa were that Khaled Mashud was sacked as skipper. Chief selector Aliul Islam and his panel were retained only long enough to pick this tour party and resigned the day after the team for Australia was announced.
Mohsin Kamal's contract was not renewed at the end of April 2003 either. Sarwar Imran took over as interim coach before the newly-appointed, Sri Lankan-born Dav Whatmore, took up his duties on 1 June 2003 and became part of the selection committee.
New manager, Lt-Col (retired) M.A.Latif, had no experience of playing cricket but had been involved in the work of the boxing federation before. He was an administrator who had been Director-general of BKSP, and was brought in partly to exert better discipline and hard work within the team.
Bangladesh played some determined cricket during the 47-day tour, and achieved beyond expectations, although they were outclassed.Dav Whatmore singled out opener Hannan Sarkar and Mashrafee-bin-Mortaza as having developed particularly well.
Middle-order batsmen Alok Kapali, Habibul Bashar, Mohammad Ashraful, Sanwar Hossain
Wicket-keeper/batsman: Khaled Mashud
All-rounder:Khaled Mahmud
Slow bowlers:Mohammad Rafique.
Fast bowlers:Anwar Hossain Monir, Mashrafe Mortaza,Monjural Islam Monju, Tapash Baishya, Tarek Aziz.
Alok Kapali
S
19
RHBLBvice-captain
ODI
Al-Sahariar
D
25
RHB
ODI
Anwar Hosain Monir
D
21
RFM
ODI
Habibul Bashar
K
30
RHB
ODI
Hannan Sarkar
Ba
20
RHB reserve WK
ODI
Javed Omar
D
26
RHB opener
ODI
Khaled Mahmud
D
31
RHBRMcaptain
ODI
Khaled Mashud
R
27
WK
ODI
Mashrafe Mortaza
K
19
RFM
ODI
Mohammad Ashraful
D
18
RHB
ODI
Mohammad Rafique
D
32
SLA
ODI
Monjurul Islam ‘Monju’
K
23
LFM
born 7 Nov 1979
Sanwar Hossain
B
29
RHB
ODI
Tapash Baishya
S
20
RFM
ODI
Tarek Aziz
C
19
RFM
Chosen only for one-day
international series:
Hasibul Hossain
ODI
Tushar Imran
ODI
Divisional representation
(National Cricket League)
B-Barisal (2)
C-Chittagong (1)
D – Dhaka (6)
DM-Dhaka Metropolis (0)
K-Khulna (3)
Rj-Rajshahi (1)
Rp-Rangpur (0)
S-Sylhet (2)
Average age ofteam at time of first Test match
(18 July 2003) :
24 yrs6 months.
ODI member of the one-day squad
Test Appearances made before the tour
Habibul Bashar 17, Khaled Mashud 14, Al-Sahariar 12, Monjurul Islam Monju 12,Javed Omar 11, Mohammad Ashraful 11, Mashrafe Mortaza 8, Alok Kapali 5, Khaled Mahmud 5, Sanwar Hossain 5, Tapash Baishya 5, Hannan Sarkar 4, Mohammad Rafique 2, Anwar Hosain Monir 0, Tarek Aziz 0.
Tour Officials
M.A. Latif Khan
Tour manager
Dav Whatmore
Coach
Dean Woodford
Fitness Trainer
John Gloster
Physiotherapist
Nasir Ahmed
Analyst
Selectors
Aliul Islam (Chief Selector), Omar Khaled Rumi, G.M.Nowsher Prince and Dav Whatmore (coach).
Selection
New coach Dav Whatmore, assisted by interim coach Sarwar Imran, ran a training camp at the Sports Institute BKSP (Bangladesh Krira Shikka Protisthan) in Savar, which began on 2 June.
Unavailable: Akram Khan (retired).
Tour Party Announced : Thursday 12 June 2003.
Not selectedMonir uz Zaman, Shahriar Hossain, Tushar Imran (batsmen), Hasibul Hossain (seamer), Mohammad Salim (WK), Fahim Muntasir (spin bowler) were not chosen from the camp but all became reserves for the tour.
The selection committee was dismissed the day after the tour party was announced.
Time between selection and departure from Bangladesh
10 days
(12 June - 22 June)
Travel
DhakaQBrisbane
The touring team took part in a preparation camp until 20 June before leaving from Zia International Airport, Dhaka, on Sunday 22 June 2003 on Thai Airlines (because Emirates decided not to sponsor the team).
Landed in Brisbane on Monday 23 June, two weeks in advance of the tour, for further preparation and played two extra matches before flying to Darwin on 6 July.