Underdogs Bangladesh are talking up their chances of a big upset over their hosts during their cricket tour of New Zealand.
The itinerary begins with a Twenty20 bash against the Blackcaps in Hamilton tomorrow night and continues with a three-match one-day series in Napier, Dunedin and Christchurch.
It ends with a one-off test in Hamilton on February 15.
"From my point of view, I expect us to win the one-day series, and win the test match if we play well, without a doubt," coach Jamie Siddons said today.
"I think we are a good enough team to beat New Zealand."
Siddons, an Australian, first took over the reins before Bangladesh's last tour of New Zealand, in 2007-8, when the Tigers suffered heavy defeats in each of the three one-dayers and two tests.
He said at the start of that visit that his squad was a young one and looking for consistency.
This time around, he said his personnel were more mature and the team was "absolutely much stronger".
"They are very different in the way they are going about their cricket," he said.
"A little discipline is there now and a lot more talent, a lot more skill to deal with international cricket."
The Tigers are skippered by Shakib Al Hasan, who last year became the first Bangladeshi to top an International Cricket Council list when he was rated the world's No 1 allrounder in one-dayers.
The left-handed batman and left-arm orthodox spinner took over the captaincy when fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza was sidelined with a knee injury.
The injury happened during the tour of the West Indies, when Bangladesh won their first test series, although the 2-0 result did come against under strength opponents.
Mortaza had been expected to end his seven-month layoff by travelling to New Zealand, but he didn't get on his flight after developing a fever.
Bangladesh will have the advantage over the Blackcaps of recent match play, having hosted a one-day tournament against India and Sri Lanka and a two-test series against India last month.
The Tigers lost all four of their limited-over encounters as well as both tests, but Siddons said there were some excellent performances from his players.
They included test centuries from opener Tamim Iqbal and wicketkeeper Mushifur Rahim.
Siddons was relaxed about the danger posed by the likes of New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori and batsman Ross Taylor.
While Vettori had had a huge influence in past matches between the two countries, Siddons said Bangladesh had been able to deal well over the past six months with whoever their opponents' No 1 player was.
As for the big-hitting Taylor, the key was not how or where to bowl to him, but in making sure the catches he offered were taken.
Vettori acknowledged the general expectation that the Blackcaps would whitewash Bangladesh, but he warned that the Tigers were on the improve.
"If you've followed them and their fortunes, some their batters, particularly Shakib, have been playing exceptionally," he said.
"They will miss Mortaza not coming out, but they have a couple of good opening bowlers who are going to do a good job and they fiddle well in the middle with some good spinners, so this is going to be a tough ask for us."
NZPA