Bangladesh drop Ashraful for England Tests

DHAKA (AFP), Tue, Mar 09 2010 - Bangladesh have axed experienced batsman Mohammad Ashraful for a two-Test series against England following his inconsistent form, selectors said Tuesday.

The 25-year-old former captain, with 2,256 runs in 53 Tests, has not scored a half-century in his last 12 Test innings. He also skipped a recent one-day series against the tourists.

Ashraful failed to make the most of his last chance to impress the selectors, making just one and 30 in the ongoing warm-up game against the tourists in Chittagong.

"He did not play well in the national league and also in the practice match against England," Bangladesh's chief selector Rafiqul Alam told AFP.

The selectors named three left-arm spinners -- Shakib Al Hasan, Abdur Razzak and Enamul Haque -- in the 14-man squad for the Test series beginning in Chittagong on Friday.

The second starts in Dhaka on March 20.

Shakib will continue to lead Bangladesh in the absence of Mashrafe Mortaza, who has been rested.

Test squad: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Aftab Ahmed, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Raqibul Hasan, Naeem Islam, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Abdur Razzak, Enamul Haque, Shahadat Hossain.