Siddons wants bowlers to improve

The Bangladesh team will look to make amends when they face the Australian Institute of Sports (AIS) at the Gardens Oval on Wednesday. The Bangladeshis had lost by 14 runs against AIS in their first match of the tour on Monday.

Facing a target of 331, the Bangladeshi batsmen managed 316, an effort that would have pleased coach Jamie Siddons, who in the past has revealed his extensive work with them during training.

However, he reckoned it was the bowlers who needed to improve. "I am happy with the way the batsmen are going and we have been making some big totals," he said. "Scoring 316 against any opposition anywhere in the world is creditable and theirs (the AIS') is a decent attack."

Tamim Iqbal smashed 85 off 45 deliveries, and Mohammad Ashraful hit 71 off 59, but the Bangladeshi batsmen failed to close out the game. "We could have won that match after being in control until the middle overs," Siddons said. "But it is our bowling that has not managed to restrict oppositions in recent times and unless you do that you don't give yourself a fair chance of creating winning situations."

Wednesday's game could see the return of pace spearhead Mashrafe Mortaza and middle-order batsman Alok Kapali, who were both rested in the first match. Dolar Mahmud, the medium-pacer, may also get a look-in.