West Indies Aim for a Double on Bangladesh Tour

Chittagong: The West Indies hope to take advantage of fresh legs to build on their one-day success against Bangladesh by winning the Test series starting in Chittagong on Friday.

Batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Kirk Edwards are among six players to join the Test squad after the three-match one-day series, which the tourists won 2-1 on Tuesday.

Chanderpaul is the most experienced batsman in the squad with 9,367 runs in 133 Tests, while Edwards caught the eye with a century on his Test debut against India at home in July.

"Four or five new guys coming in who were not involved in one-day matches makes a big difference," West Indies coach Ottis Gibson said ahead of the two-Test series.

"Coming to Bangladesh is always a challenge and we look forward to the Tests."

The West Indies have had an inconsistent tour so far, losing the one-off Twenty20 international in Dhaka before being shot out for 61 in the final one-dayer in Chittagong on Tuesday.

Gibson played down the eight-wicket defeat in the last one-dayer, saying his team was focussed on winning the Test series.

"That was a game with the one-day team," he said. "Our minds have now changed quickly towards the Tests.

"Obviously, we finished the one-day series a bit low, but it's also a fact that we won a one-day series away from home for the first time since 2007."

The West Indies won both Tests on their previous tour of Bangladesh in 2002, but Gibson said his team could not afford to underestimate the hosts in their own backyard.

"Bangladesh are a very tough team to play in their home conditions," the West Indies coach said.

"Conditions play a huge part in Bangladesh. We are not in a position to take Bangladesh for granted, specially when you are playing away from home."

The other West Indies players to join the Test squad are wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh, paceman Fidel Edwards, spinner Shane Shillingford and teenage opener Kraigg Brathwaite.

Opener Lendl Simmons was retained in the Test squad following a hamstring injury to Adrian Barath.

Bangladesh coach Stuart Law said his team's morale was high ahead of the Test series.

Bangladesh dropped batsman Mohammad Ashraful and spinner Abdur Razzak, while paceman Shafiul Islam was ruled out due to a foot injury.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul has more Test runs than the entire Bangladesh squad combined. In an inexperienced team, whether or not Chanderpaul can grind it out in testing conditions will be a major determinant in West Indies' fortunes.

Though he is only 25, Shahriar Nafees seems like he has been around for ages. It was in 2006 that he created waves with a century against the might of Australia. He never quite lived up to that early promise, but now, with Mohammad Ashraful dropped, Nafees has a chance to be the anchor of the team's batting.

All the talk about Bangladesh's squad has been about Ashraful's exclusion and his reaction. Without Ashraful, Raqibul can be expected to play in the middle order. Nasir Hossain and Elias Sunny are expected to debut with Abdur Razzak dropped. Shahadat Hossain has the experience of 29 Tests and should fill in for the injured Shafiul Islam as the second seamer alongside Rubel Hossain.

Lendl Simmons replaced the injured Adrian Barath in the Test squad and, after a good one-day series, should make the XI. The other opener's position is between the 18-year-old Kraigg Brathwaite and 21-year-old Kieran Powell, each of whom have played just a single Test. Carlton Baugh should keep the wicketkeeper's spot in the Test side after impressing behind the stumps against India. West Indies opted for Fidel Edwards to share the new ball with Ravi Rampaul in the series against India, but Kemar Roach is also an option.

Teams from

Bangladesh Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Elias Sunny, Imrul Kayes, Naeem Islam, Nasir Hossain, Nazmul Hossain, Raqibul Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Shahadat Hossain, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Shuvagata Hom, Suhrawadi Shuvo, Tamim Iqbal 

West Indies DJG Sammy (capt), CS Baugh (wk), D Bishoo, KC Brathwaite, DM Bravo, S Chanderpaul, FH Edwards, KA Edwards, KOA Powell, D Ramdin (wk), R Rampaul, KAJ Roach, MN Samuels, S Shillingford, LMP Simmons 

Pitch and conditions
The pitch during the one-day match in Chittagong was sluggish and turned. Even the slightest amount of rain leaves the outfield wet and slow, making the conditions difficult for run-scoring. Showers are expected on the first two days of the Test, but the weather is expected to improve from Sunday.

Stats & trivia

• Out of the eight Tests played at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, four were won by the team batting first, and three by the side batting second. The team that lost the toss won five matches.
• Ravi Rampaul has taken a wicket within the first ten overs in seven of the last nine innings in which he has opened the bowling.

Match facts
October 21-25, 2011
Start time 0930 local (0330 GMT)