AUCKLAND (Reuters)
Bangladesh coach Trevor Chappell said his fledgling Test side needed more than just the two warm-up matches they had before going into the two-Test series against New Zealand, which ended on Saturday with a pair of heavy defeats.

Speaking on the eve of Bangladesh's departure for home. Chappell said it was no-one's fault the New Zealand tour schedule was so tight, but his team still needed more time.

"We were playing Zimbabwe the week before we came and New Zealand were playing Australia at the same time," Chappell said.

"It didn't help that our first game was ruined by rain. We really needed that match to get into the conditions. As it was we were a bit under-done by the time we played Auckland and got a thrashing."

The tourists lost the first Test by an innings and 193 runs. Bangladesh now face Pakistan in a home series, when Chappell said he hoped some of the lessons learned in New Zealand would be put into practice on the flatter pitches of Dhaka and Chittagong.

Chappell picked fast bowler Mashrafee Murtoza as the great improver on tour, saying he bowled well, fielded well and batted with vigour when his side was almost down and out in the final Test in Wellington on Saturday. He hit 29 in a 49-run ninth wicket partnership with his captain Khaled Mashud.

"He is a damn good allround cricketer and has the right attitude," Chappell said. "His footwork is a bit dodgy at the batting crease, but once he gets in he can be a very effective batsman."

Sanwar Hossain was another player with a bright future, said Chappell. "He made his debut and scored 45 and hung around in the other innings he had. He seemed to have the ability to cope with the fast bowlers and the bouncy pitches better than most."

Another to cope well, according to Chappell, was diminutive batsman Mohammad Ashraful. "He didn't score many runs, but he looked OK until he did something silly. He'll be around for a long time yet and continue to improve."

Chappell is nine months through a two year contract, with an option for a further two years. "I intend to see my contract out, but whether the Bangladesh Cricket Board want me to stay I do not know," he said.

"Beyond that I don't know. I would certainly love to be around when Bangladesh win their first Test."

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