'Australia are under-prepared' - Waugh

Australia will go into their first Test against Bangladesh without a practice game or a training camp, and Steve Waugh has admitted that his team will be underprepared at Darwin next month.

Bangladesh will play three warm-up matches before the Darwin Test, but Waugh did not appear too worried about the lack of preparation. "I'm assuming the guys who played both the Tests and the one-dayers in the West Indies won't be picking up a bat or a ball until next week at least," said Waugh. "I think we'll be scratchy and not that well-prepared, but the guys are used to that now, and they know how to get themselves prepared.

Waugh added: "It's a pretty low-key preparation coming into a Test series - there's no practice matches, there's no camp - but it is difficult to keep having those things when the guys are away from home so much."

The series has already faced much criticism, with Dennis Lillee attacking the International Cricket Council (ICC) for organising such tours for television revenue earnings. Malcolm Speed, chief executive of the ICC, has also broached the idea of a two-tier system, with promotions and demotions within the Test world.

Speed's suggestion did not find favour with Waugh. "I think that would be unfair," he said. "How are you going to get the bottom sides to improve if they keep playing other weak sides? I'd like to think cricket is in a better state than that. I think that's being too elitist."

"They (Bangladesh) have got to learn and they've got to catch up. Sri Lanka proved they could do it; 10 years after being given Test status, they won the World Cup," said Waugh. "So I think you've got to put more resources into these countries and help them out rather than say 'you're not good enough, we'll see you in five years when you've improved'."

Waugh also denied that Australia were playing the one-sided series for financial benefit. "I don't think it's ever about money. I don't think any of the guys have ever played cricket because of money. We're going into the Bangladesh series to play for pride and respect," said Waugh. "It's a big honour to be playing for Australia, and a lot of other guys would love to be playing in this series."