Fahim Muntasir was overlooked for both the practice matches when the selectors named the squads of BCB President's Eleven and Bangladesh A team yesterday.

The off-spinner must have felt devastated on being left in the cold after all the hard ward work he had done after being picked in the selection trials for Australia in June.

Fahim missed out on the trip to Australia when it was felt conditions would suit his bowling. The Pakistan series could have been more ideal but the selectors preferred a spinner all-rounder instead. There was a lot encouragement for him ahead of the England series since the home wickets have always suited spinners.

Out of international cricket for more than a year, Fahim has so far played three Tests against Pakistan

and Sri Lanka claiming five wickets and scoring 52 runs.

Maybe the selectors had other ideas for the English challenge, but there is no reason for throwing a player away without giving him a chance to prove himself in the practice matches. Is there any point for any player to be made to train for five months only to find out he is ineligible for even a warm- up match?

This will certainly have a damaging effect on young players looking for a break into international cricket. Besides, this is absolutely unacceptable behaviour on the part of the Faruque Ahmed-led selection panel.

Although it was heartbreak for Fahim, there was good news for opening batsman Moniruzzaman and leg-spinner Mosaddek Hossain who got the nod in the practice selections.

National opener Hannan Sarker will lead the BCB President's Eleven in the first three-day match against England at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on October 12.

Rajin Saleh, the find of the Pakistan tour, will captain the Bangladesh A team in the second practice match starting on October 16.

SQUADS

BCB PRESIDENT'S ELEVEN: Hannan Sarker (captain), Nafees Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed, Moniru-zzaman, Nazimuddin, Mushfiqur

Rahman, Nadif Chowdhury, Anwar Hossain, Enamul Haque junior,

Anwar Hossain Monir, Gazi Alamgir, Abul Bashar and Ashiqur Rahman. BANGLADESH A: Rajin Saleh (captain), Javed Omar, Nafees Iqbal, Nazimuddin, Aftab Ahmed, Gazi Sagir Hossain, Ashiqur Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Tareq Aziz Khan, Ziaur Rahman, Talha Jubair and Alamgir Kabir.