The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is likely to appoint former South African all-rounder Lance Klusener as the new bowling coach for the national team while Julien Fountain, a professional English cricket coach, as the fielding coach.

Highly placed sources said the board has almost taken the decision about their appointment and the official announcement may come within a very short time.

The board received seven applications for bowling coach where local Sarwar Imran, former West Indies fast bowler Colin Croft, former English paceman Andrew Caddick, Pakistani Mohsin Kamal, English Colin Siller and South African Ibrahim Mohammed were the other candidates.

Australians David Drew and Mathew Buckley and Sri Lankan Dimuthu Dasun were the other candidates for the position of fielding coach.

The BCB has been desperately looking for the support staff for the national team ahead of the 2011 World Cup where Bangladesh is one of the three co-hosts. The new coaches are expected to join the team next month. The two vital posts have been lying vacant after Sri Lankan bowling coach Champaka Ramanayeke left the job for sickness while the board didn't extend the tenure of Mohammad Salahuddin as a fielding coach.

The preparations for the World Cup under the guidance of Jamie Siddons are likely to kick off from August 20.

Klusener, nicknamed Zulu, played 49 Tests and 171 one-day internationals since he made his debut in January 1996. His baseball-style backlift and explosive hitting symbolised the 1999 World Cup and his heroics nearly took South Africa to the final.

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Fountain is a professional English cricket coach and former Great Britain Olympic Baseballer. He has a vast experience in coaching both domestic and international, professional cricket teams including the West Indies, Pakistan and England as a specialist fielding coach.

He was the first baseball player to be used by aTest level cricket team.