Cricket-Bangladesh wicketkeeper Litton cleared for series opener v Australia


FILE PHOTO: Cricket - Third T20 - Bangladesh v England - Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh - March 14, 2023 Bangladesh's Litton Das in action REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo

MELBOURNE, Aug 12 (Reuters) - ⁠Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das has been cleared ⁠to play in the first test against Australia ‌in Darwin beginning on Thursday after recovering from a calf injury.

Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said Litton was 100% fit after ​completing batting and wicketkeeping drills ⁠at Marrara Stadium on ⁠Wednesday.

Bangladesh's leading scorer over the past five years ⁠will be ‌expected to bat at number five or six.

Shanto said Bangladesh would wait until ⁠the morning of the match before finalising ​their bowling ‌attack but suggested they were leaning toward including ⁠a second ​spinner for the nation's first test in Australia since 2003.

"The surface looks good, I think we (might stick ⁠with our) normal combination, like ​two spinners and three seamers," he told reporters in Darwin on Wednesday.

Bangladesh were bowled out for 54 in ⁠a practice match against a Cricket Australia XI in the buildup to the series, raising concerns about their batting.

Shanto put it down to a "bad ​day" and said Bangladesh had ⁠otherwise prepared well to face the hosts.

"They have a ​world-class bowling attack, but as ‌a team, it is a ​good opportunity to challenge them," he added.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Peter Rutherfor)

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