The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The GP-BCB National Cricket Academy team, which will leave here for South Africa on August 4 on a short tour, faces the national cricketers in a practice match at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS).

Mohammad Ashraful will lead the national cricketers and Suhrawardy Shuvo the Academy side in the 40-overs per side match that will begin at 10:00 am.

The 14-member Academy team, announced on Wednesday, will open their tour with a four-day match against South Africa Academy team on August 8 at Tukkies 1 in Pretoria. The 2nd four-day match between the two sides will be held August 14-18 at Laudiam, Pretoria.

The three one-day matches between the two Academy teams are slated for August 20 (Dobsonville, Johannesburg), August 22 (Tukkies, Pretoria) and August 24 (Lenasia, Johannesburg).

The Academy team will return home on August 25.

Academy Squad: Suhrawardy Shuvo (captain), Sahagir Hossain Pavel (vice captain), Farhad Hossain, Shamsur Rahman, Marshall Ayub, Nadif Chowdhury, Imrul Kayes, Jahurul Islam, Nasir Hossain, Raihan Uddin, Mahbubul Alam, Shafaq al Zabir, Ziaur Rahman and Delwar Hossain.

Standbys: Arafat Sunny, Mahbub ul Karim, Ashiqul Islam, Nabil Samad and Arafat Salahuddin.