The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

The Bangladesh cricket team reached South African shores virtually unnoticed on Monday after completing a 16-hour journey for a challenging month-long tour.

Officials of Bangladesh High Commission and Cricket South Africa received the team at the Oliver Tambo Airport at 8:35am local time (12:35pm BST) and there was no media in attendance, according to reports on BCB website today.

As the players came out of the terminal, the odd clap and 'welcome to South Africa' chants from locals in the waiting area was the closest to a sporting reception for the tourists who headed straight for the team hotel, the Palazzo Montecasino. However, the coach ride, which would normally take 40 minutes at most, lasted two hours due to a traffic jam.

With no training scheduled for the day, the squad had lunch inside the sprawling Montecasino entertainment complex adjacent to the hotel before settling in. Montecasino is a major recreational centre in Johannesburg and boasts the biggest movie screen in Africa called the "Il Grande".

It also has a casino and a skate park, restaurants, a 135 meter high baloon ride and a birds sanctuary. Built to look like an old Italian castle the complex even has a fascinating artificial sky inside.

The Bangladesh side will begin their preparation from tomorrow when they train at the Wanderers in the morning. There is gym and swimming scheduled for the afternoon. The weather has been a sunny and comfortable mid-20 degrees.

The tour gets underway on Wednesday with a T20 international against the hosts.

Another reports received in Dhaka from Johannesburg said that the South African fast bowler Dale Steyn is set to make his return after illness in a Twenty20 international against Bangladesh at the Wanderers Stadium here on Wednesday.

Steyn, the International Cricket Council's Test player of the year, missed the two-match series against Kenya which ended on Sunday after suffering from a virus.

South African captain Graeme Smith, who is also recovering from a tennis elbow injury, will not play in the Twenty20 international but is hoping to be in action in the first one-day international in Potchefstroom on Friday.

Bangladesh will play three one-day internationals and two Test matches on their month-long tour. The first Test starts in Bloemfontein on November 19.

South Africa have a flattering record against Bangladesh, who were beaten by heavy margins in all three one-day internationals and lost both Tests by an innings on their only previous tour in 2002/03.

They have also won all four Test matches and six one-day internationals on two tours to Bangladesh - but Bangladesh caused an upset in the 2007 World Cup when they beat the Proteas in Providence, Guyana.

Fixtures:

Nov 5: Twenty20 international, Johannesburg.

Nov 7: First one-day international, Potchefstroom.

Nov 9: Second one-day international, Benoni.

Nov 12: Third one-day international, East London.

Nov 15-16: Two-day match v SA Airways XI, Kimberley.

Nov 19-23: First Test, Bloemfontein.

Nov 26-30: Second Test, Centurion.