In Nelson via different routes

Bangladesh cricketers were in a good mood after arriving in Nelson yesterday where they will feature in the double-header of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.

The home side are leading the series 1-0 after winning the opening match in Christchurch on Monday. But the Tigers have plenty of reason to feel refreshed after landing in a much warmer destination from the cold and windy east coast city in South Island.

While most of the players took the morning flight from Christchurch to reach the tourist city via Wellington, skipper Mashrafe, who never feels comfortable flying and has a special dislike for a Wellington landing, chose a car drive through the beautiful landscape of rainforests, scaling the Top of the South and through the famous Abel Tasman National Park to reach Trailways, the abode of the Tigers for the next five days.

Mashrafe was happy to learn that those who took the aerial route had gone through bumps, and most of the players shared their experience with their captain when they met in the hotel lobby. Coach Chandika Hathurusingha however was more interested to know Mashrafe's road experience, along with Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.

A cheerful Mashrafe, during that animated exchange even said that he was ready right then for a training session at the Saxton Oval, where both games will be held on December 29 and 31. The witty coach responded with an option for 'an eight-hour training session' today before whisking off with his family.

Every member of the team then followed their coach in separate groups for outdoor dinner sans Mushfiqur Rahim, who was nursing a hamstring injury he sustained in the opening game at the Hagley Oval.