DHAKA, Nov 7: Cricketing minnows Zimbabwe and Bangladesh begin a two-Test series here Thursday with both teams hoping the clash will help justify their places among the sport’s elite.

Bangladesh have lost all five matches since gaining Test status last year, while Zimbabwe have lost 10 of their past 20.

Two of Zimbabwe’s three Test wins in their past 20 matches were against Bangladesh at home in April.

And although Zimbabwe may start favourites against Bangladesh, their recent string of 16 consecutive defeats in one-day cricket means they may be short of confidence in the longer version of the game.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, are hoping playing at home and a growing experience in the international arena will give them a decisive advantage in both the Tests and three one-dayers.

“We hope to use the experience of our five Tests and there is a definite change in approach among the team members,” home captain Naimur Rahman said Wednesday.

Bangladesh’s Australian coach, Trevor Chappell, also felt the series would prove a better contest than the previous one.

“We are better prepared than when we played in Zimbabwe,” Chappell said.

Zimbabwe’s newly-appointed captain, Brian Murphy, was more cautious in his approach.

“Although we hope to change our luck in Dhaka, it will not be easy playing Bangladesh at home,” Murphy said.

Zimbabwean coach Geoff Marsh, the former Australian Test opener, was not too worried about his team’s poor run in international cricket.

“The failures came because we were playing too much cricket,” he said.

Bangladesh left out former captain Akram Khan and seamer Mohammed Sharif from the playing eleven named Wednesday.

Teams:

Bangladesh: Naimur Rahman (captain), Khaled Mashud, Javed Omer, Aminul Islam, Habibul Bashar, Mohammed Ashraful, Al Shariar, Khaled Mahmud, Monjurul Islam, Masrafee-bin-Murtza Kowshik and Enamul Haq. 12th man: Fahim Muntasir.

Zimbabwe (from): Brian Murphy (captain), Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Gary Brent, Douglas Marillier, Stuart Carlisle, Craig Wishart, Dion Ebrahim, Heath Streak, Sean Ervine, Travis Friend, Trevor Gripper, Mluleki Nkala, Henry Olonga, Raymond Price.—AFP