While the cricketers are back in business the ground staff were still in a holiday mood, leaving the wicket not ready for practice. The players without any net session could only focus on stretching, running and fielding during a two-hour session conducted by national coach Dav Whatmore.

All the Pakistan-bound first batch players except leg-spinner Mosaddeq Hossain joined the camp. Besides, country's top batsman Habibul Bashar, wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud, Alok Kapali, right-arm paceman Tapas Baishya and left-arm spinner Mohammed Rafique also took part in training though the senior payers were given rest by the selectors after a hectic six months of international commitments.

Bangladesh played non-stop cricket since the tour to Australia in June that ended with the home sires against England last month.

The Tigers' next assignment is the tour to Zimbabwe in February next year.

Although the second visit to the southern African nation is two months away the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is using the A team's visit to Pakistan as part of the senior team's tour of Zimbabwe.

All-rounder Mushfiqur Rahman, who was the only consistent performer against England, will lead the second string national side to the first-class competition in Pakistan.

The team will leave for Karachi on December 10 to play in the inter-departmental cricket championship (Patron's trophy and cup).

During their nearly two-month tour, the A made up of mainly Test and one-day under performers against England will play six matches against various Pakistan sides.

Mushfiq apart another six national cricketers Hannan Sarker, Rajin Saleh, Moniruzzaman, Manjarul Islam, Jamaluddin and Anwar Hossain Munir will feature in the first three games before returning home to join the national camp.

Whatmore was supposed to accompany the team to Pakistan. But the Sri Lankan-born-Australian has decided to skip the task and spend the Christmas in Colombo with his family. He will return to Dhaka on January 3.

There was also a last minute change in the officials going with the first batch as Athar Ali Khan will be replacing fellow selector GM Nowsher Prince. Young coach Shahidul Alam Ratan has been handed his first major test.

Chief selector Faruque Ahmed and BCB's coach Sarwar Imran will take over in the second half of the tour.

The second batch of Bangladesh A team will start training on January 5.

"But we will prefer the second batch to play in the upcoming National League before the start of the camp," said Faruque.

The country's first-class competition involving the six divisions is scheduled to start on December 10.