The national cricketers used the opportunity of brilliant sunshine yesterday to make up for lost training.

The camp for the home series against New Zealand has been seriously affected by three days of rain, but with clear sky replacing the gloomy weather over the Bangabandhu National Stadium, the boys of coach Dav Whatmore enjoyed a full day's nets.

It was also the first time Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar took part in an extensive batting session since recovering from thumb surgery in Australia last month.

"I felt okay today. There was no pain in my right thumb but having it bandaged for a long time I could not bend my finger fully. I hope I can face the fast bowlers in the net shortly," Bashar said after practising against a bowling machine.

Bashar, who missed the ICC Champions Trophy, however said that he was relishing a return to the middle in the home series against

New Zealand.

The batsmen were singled out for the morning session when two the coaches including batting specialist Owen Mottau took full use of the machine, giving each of the boys more than half an hour to hone their skills on the central pitch.

Whatmore after seeing his toporder under perform in two recent one-day tournaments notably the ICC Champions Trophy in England last month, has made batting, batting and more batting his top agenda ahead of the first Test against the Kiwis starting on October 19.

While Bashar was spared after attending the morning nets, the rest were again involved in batting in the afternoon and this time against real opposition.

The bowlers, who were given a break in the morning, had a good workout in the afternoon session.

The Tigers will however enjoy a rest day today before resuming training tomorrow.

New Zealand led by Stephen Fleming will arrive in Dhaka on October 12 for two Tests and three one-dayers. However Fleming will

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return home after the second Test starting in Chittagong on October 26 with left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori taking over for the one-day series.

The tourists will open their first full tour with a three-day practice match against the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) XI at the BKSP from October 14.

Alok Kapali, who is looking to make a comeback after being dropped from the ICC Champions Trophy, will lead the local selection. The selectors will announce the 13-member squad for the first Test from a list of 21 probables during that match.