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Tigers touch down in England quietly

SPORTS REPORTER
Bangladesh cricket team reached London yesterday to play their first full series against England.
But as expected, the Tigers passed through the Heathrow Airport unnoticed in the early hours after having nearly a ten-hour nonstop flight from Dhaka, where the mood was completely contrasting to say the least on Friday night.
Cameras were flashing endlessly and reporters desperately trying to collect a last minute information when Habibul Bashar's men were seen off at the Zia International Airport. And more surprisingly, the Bangladesh Cricket Board president Ali Asghar, who has a reputation of ducking such big occasions, was there to wish the Tigers well on their maiden full series in England.
But after a day, there was no news from England other than the conformation of their safe arrival and that too from a BCB official here in Dhaka.
It could not be known whether a reporter or a photographer was around at Heathrow as no international news service has wrote a word or displayed any picture. This treatment is not unlikely for a team like Bangladesh who are lying last on the 10-team Test table.
The only solace for Bashar and company was that there were a couple of hundred Bangladeshi expatriates at the airport to greet them.
"I've not noticed a reporter or a photographer. But there were many Bangladeshi people at the airport to welcome us which was inspiring," said wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud while talking to The Daily Star Sport over phone.
"A few of them brought bouquets and some enthusiasts even chanted slogans," Mashud said while talking from their Marriott Hotel.
He also informed that it was a bright sunny day in London on Saturday and they were preparing to go to a ground nearby for stretching.
Bangladesh will play two Tests against Michael Vaughan's England, now second on the ICC rankings. After that the Tigers will feature in a triangular one-day tournament that also involves world champions Australia.
But before the series proper, Bangladesh will play three warm-up matches to get acclimatised with the English conditions. Their first three-day match is against British Universities at the Fenner's ground at Cambridge on May 10-12.
Essex batsman Mark Pettini will
lead the local side.
Bangladesh will play two more three-day warm-up matches, against Sussex over May 15-17 and Northamptonshire on May 20-22, before the first Test starts at Lord's on May 26.
Although it was all quiet on English front, Bangladesh captain Bashar, fresh after his side's historic home success against Zimbabwe in January, promised one or two surprises.
Chief selector Faruque Ahmed was also upbeat about something different from the young team despite the warning from coach Dav Whatmore, who said that the English challenge would the second toughest task for him since his first assignment against Australia two years ago.
"Actually the series victory against Zimbabwe changed the whole scenario. I have never seen the players in such a free mood before the departure for an away series. Everybody was excited to play in England," said Faruque.
BANGLADESH: Habibul Bashar (captain), Javed Omar, Nafees Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Rajin Saleh, Aftab Ahmed, Khaled Mashud, Shahriar Nafees, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Rafique, Mashrafee Bin Mortuza, Enamul Haque Jr, Tapash Baisya, Anwar Hossain Munir, Talha Jubair and Shahdat Hossain Rajib.
BRITISH UNIVERSITIES: Omar Anwar, Adnan Akram, David Brown, Richard Clinton, Matthew Friedlander, Josh Knappett, Tim Linley, Alistair Maiden, Mark Pettini, Tony Palladino, Glen Read, Monty Panesar, Will Smith and Amit Suman.