Bangladesh cricket coach Russell Domingo is not shying away from his side's poor Test touring record in New Zealand but he hopes the addition of some players unfamiliar with the conditions could help produce an upset result against the World Test Championship winners.
Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque and Black Caps captain Tom Latham at Bay Oval. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Domingo believed Bangladesh was improving as a Test match team - even if the results did not show it.
Bangladesh had not won a Test in New Zealand in nine attempts.
"We know the record is not good in New Zealand in terms of Test match cricket but we're pretty excited it's a good opportunity for some young players to test the water in New Zealand and try and put on a good performance for us," he said of the two-Test series against the Black Caps starting in Mount Maunganui on Saturday.
The tourists were down on experience with three of their biggest names Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Tamim Iqbal not available.
Domingo saw the situation as a "positive" for players who had not been a part of the previous defeats handed out by the Black Caps.
He had also been casting his eye over the future stars of the team while they had been acclimatising to the bounce of New Zealand conditions.
"We have two or three boys in our top order who hasn't played in New Zealand before so the 10 days practice we had and the warm up games have been very beneficial.
"It's been excellent learning for us as a coaching staff to see where some of the young boys are and the aspects they need to improve on."
Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Neither side would disclose their starting eleven on the eve of the match. Both Domingo and New Zealand's stand-in skipper Tom Latham wanted to get a look at the Bay Oval pitch before making a final call.
Spin bowlers were a strength of the Bangladesh side but Domingo conceded the conditions would likely see them play three seam bowlers and a spinner.
The Black Caps would make a decision on which allrounder got the nod on the first morning of the match, Latham said.
"Traditionally we've seen here the wicket has been a little bit drier and the weather plays its part as well... in the past we've used the spinning allrounder but the wicket does look a little bit different to recent games so we'll make the call in the morning," Latham said.
One Black Caps player who was locked into the batting line-up was the retiring Ross Taylor.
The Black Caps' first home game of the World Test Championship title defense signaled the beginning of the end for Taylor.
Taylor will step away from international cricket in April next year and Domingo quipped Taylor's decision would please opposition bowlers who would not longer need to work out ways to dismiss New Zealand's leading Test run-scorer.
"We want to try and make sure he doesn't have a great send-off and we want to make sure we send him off as miserable as possible to be honest," Domingo joked.
"But we know we have to bowl well to get him out over the next couple of days. I think every quality player wants to finish their career on a high and leave on their own account so I'm sure he will be up for putting up some big scores over the next couple of weeks."