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Debutants overjoyed

TIGERCR1CKET.COM, Dunedin
Left-handed opening pair of Tamim Iqbal and Zunaed Siddiqui will make their first Test appearances while rookie paceman Sajidul Islam will also debut when Bangladesh take on New Zealand in the first Test of the two-match series at the University Oval today.
The Tigers also welcome back Aftab Ahmed in the heart of the middle order after a gap of 20 months. The match marks Bangladesh's 50th Test match since the inaugural Test against India in November 2000. It will be a momentous occasion for 34-year-old batsman Habibul Bashar who will take the field as the only cricketer for Bangladesh to have appeared in all theTests.
Bashar will also be on the brink ofanothermilestone. Bangladesh's highest scorer in Tests is just 47 runs shy of completing 3000 career runs.
"Obviously it feels great to be still playing at this level after eight
years. To be a part of the country's Test Golden Jubilee is a matter of pride for me. I am not really thinking about the milestone now because if I play on then it will come," said Bashar. The former Tigers captain is due to come in at number three with Mohammad Ashraful, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed and Aftab Ahmed to follow.
The debutants meanwhile, were excited by the prospect of wearing theTestcap.
"This was a childhood dream. I always wanted to appear in Tests
for Bangladesh because that is the ultimate goal for every aspiring cricketer. I feel wonderful.
“I can still remember the day when Bangladesh got Test status. I was about 10 then and I asked my brother (Nafees Iqbal) what was going on and he told me that from now on we were going to play against big teams. Tomorrow we play our 50th Test and that's a very moving feeling for me," said Tamim.
Zunaed said the real challenge starts now for him.
T am over the moon but if I don't perform out there in the middle then that's no use. I want to make the position m y own. 1 feel confident. 1 am seeing the ball early and leaving well too."
Left-arm seamer Sajidul thought the conditions were perfect for his kind of bowling.
"My strength is the swing and I can move the ball both ways. Here I hope to get a lot of encouragement from the wicket. It is my debut game and everyone has told me to pitch the ball in areas where the batsmen just have to play.”
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Thursday's trainingwas held under perfect sunshine and the tourists will hope the weather stays that v^ay tomorrow also. The green grasses seen yesterday on the pitch Have been taken out but there is still a distinct grass cover on top of tire wicket.
"It looks a decent wicket, we just have to play our own game and if everyone performs to their potential (ben we can have a very good game," saidAshraful.
“We just need a couple of good sessions and that would bring the confidence back,” Ashraful added