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Chance for grabbing middle-order spots

Coach likes Marshall Ayub's chances

NAIMUL Karim from Chittagong
As the first Test against New Zealand draws closer, Bangladesh will be looking for a contender to fill the crucial number three spot previously occupied by Mohammad Ashraful. The three-day practice match between a BCB XI and New Zealand, scheduled to take place today at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, will be an opportunity for the team management to finalise the Test 11. The practice match however, is in for a delayed start due to consistent rainfall over the past week leaving wet patches on the outfield.
Acccording to national coach Shane Jurgensen however, it's the uncapped Marshall Ayub who is the front-runner for that position.
Speaking to reporters at the Agrabad Hotel in Chittagong where both teams are put up, Jurgensen said: "I think Marshall has really put his hand up with a hundred in the practice match at Khulna a few weeks ago. He was quite impressive and batted for long periods. I would have thought at the moment he would be the frontrunner. But it's still notfixed."
Apart from Marshall, Naeem Islam and Mominul Haque are the other contenders, both of whom have been among the runs in the recent past. However, two of the three might still get into the side if Bangladesh decide to field a team with three specialist bowlers, apart from Shakib Al Hasan.
"I think that's the main sort of angle we need to look into now and that's why the practice match is important to give an indication of who stands where. Naeem has been batting well and then we have Mominul who is a gutsy cricketer and can bat for long periods. The average balls that all those guys face per innings is impressive so let's see what happens," said Jurgensen.
Jurgensen indicated that the hosts were likely to field a traditional two-man pace attack for the Tests. In that case Rubel Hossain and Robiul Islam are likely to get picked ahead of Al Amin Hossain. The coach has been particularly impressed with Rubel, who picked 19 wickets in the first five rounds of the Dhaka Premier League.
"Any bowler, doesn't matter who the opposition is, in any level of cricket if he is getting wickets, that gives you confidence and that is what excites me about Rubel. I think he is potentially coming back to where he was two years ago
when he was bowling fantastically against Pakistan before the shoulder injury," said Jurgensen.
The coach said that Robiul, who has been nursing a hamstring injury for the last few weeks, was 'not a concern' and that he was getting through the fitness tests. Shakib and Shohag Gazi are expected to handle the spin department.
The Australian who spent some time reminiscing on his time coaching the Kiwis stated that there were no 'clear favourites' in the series. "We have a slight home advantage and I know a thing or two about them and that might be an advantage, but it's going to be a challenging series for both teams, no doubt," said Jurgensen.
While a 14-man team for the first Test was earlier announced, Jurgensen expressed his disappointment in the manner things ran off the field over the last few days. A 28-member preliminary squad was shortened before schedule so as not to affect the clubs participating in the Dhaka Premier League.
"Off the field I think it's been a little disappointing the way things have transpired. I have had plans in place for quite a few months so it was a little disappointing that it took us a while to get things settled. It would have been good if we had more flexibility with the squad, but then again we have moved on from there," he said.