We knew the forecast: Walsh

Bangladesh's bowlers could not tune up for the upcoming Test series as well as they would have hoped after the second day of their practice match against a New Zealand XI was washed out, but bowling coach Courtney Walsh was not too concerned by their lack of match practice.

Unlike the Tigers' batsmen, who played out the whole day yesterday, the bowlers were limited to 12 overs -- five from Mustafizur Rahman, three each for Abu Jayed and Khaled Ahmed and just one for Ebadot Hossain.

However, Walsh said after the day was washed out that the team knew the forecast well beforehand and had prepared accordingly.

"We had the forecast beforehand so we made sure the Test players who stayed behind got enough work in case the rain came. Especially the fast bowlers, they are not short of much practice," the West Indies legend said. "I would have much preferred two good spells in the match because practice, nets and matches are different things. We're disappointed that we didn't get a full day's play but they are still reasonably well prepared in terms of the fitness level. Now we just have to get the skills level right come the Test match and that's what we'll have to get right."

The towering 56-year-old also said that his inexperienced pace attack, which has just 16 Tests between the four of them, would need to be consistent and opined that this may be a platform where they could stake a claim for a place in future squads.

"My message is to be consistent. Consistency and trying to hit the right areas as much as possible; we've been working on that in practice and it's been going well. The disappointment is that we didn't get to see them in the second spell so to speak; to see the adjustments that they have made. The conditions are not spin-friendly so it's a chance for one or two of these seamers to put their hands up and try to establish themselves and do something well for Bangladesh."