Dhaka, Oct 08: The England cricket team, led by Michael Vaughan, arrived in rain-hit Bangladesh today for a month-long tour during which they will play two Test matches and three one-dayers. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials greeted the English squad at Dhaka's Zia International Airport on their arrival by an Emirates flight.

England, without the injured duo of Andrew Flintoff and James Anderson, will face a Bangladesh team buoyed by an improved display during their recent tour of Pakistan. The Test minnows put up a tough fight against Pakistan and came within one wicket of registering their first ever Test victory in the third Test at Multan.

Bangladesh, granted Test status in 2000, have lost 23 of their 24 Tests, the only draw coming in a rain-hit match against Zimbabwe. The South Asians have not won a limited-overs international in 44 matches.

England go into the series, which starts with the first Test in Dhaka on October 21, also missing veteran wicket-keeper Alec Stewart who has retired.

Vaughan's men will visit Sri Lanka after the Bangladesh tour ends on November 12.

Bureau Report