Tuesday 18 October 2016 14:35, UK
England came through a thrilling one-day series in Bangladesh and as they prepare for two Tests against the hosts, SSNHQ's cricket correspondent Tim Abraham gives the latest from the tourists' camp.
Our first travel day in Bangladesh was a pretty brutal one considering we got back to the hotel at midnight from the first ODI. We were on the early flight to Chittagong, which meant a 5am leave. It's just a 45-minute flight on a tiny plane, much like the one used for island hopping in the Caribbean.
They have a 'Tardis' feel, looking tiny from the outside, but much bigger when you step aboard, and it's amazing they get so many bags on too, and that includes all our gear.
It's always a relief to see everything come through the other end because we are inevitably working and shooting a story at the other end.
The big fear when arriving so early is whether hotel rooms are ready and thankfully they were. Now it's just a case of waiting for the team to arrive and speaking to coach Trevor Bayliss. The story of the day evolved while they were in transit with news after some bad blood between the two teams in Dhaka that two Bangladesh players had been fined and Jos Buttler warned by the ICC.
The England coach insisted they would not be taking a backward step. Neither were the security forces around the teams. Chittagong may not as big a city as Dhaka, but it's more manic if anything and the streets get even more clogged up, especially as a brand new flyover is being built through the middle of town.
The build-up to the third and final ODI was hit by heavy rain and there were big doubts it would take place. We were at the stadium early for updates and incredibly the game got under way on time thanks to the impressive drainage.
There was drama between innings though as the floodlights went out due to a power cut and the full house all turned on mobile phones which made the stadium feel like a rock concert. Thankfully the lights returned and England went on to win, which was no mean feat in these conditions against a good one day side.
With the first mission of the winter accomplished, a triumph for stand-in skipper Jos Buttler, attention turned to the two Tests. My cameraman and I were keen to get back to the hotel to feed our press conference material back to London, and got ahead of the security convoy, only for our local driver to take a wrong turning in the dark.
We got caught up in the convoy road blocks for the team, so we got first-hand experience of what it's like for the locals, as their city grinds to a halt, making way for the England team. The Bangladeshis are so pleased they are here, they would not have it any other way and take it all in their stride.
The venue for the warm-up matches could not have been more convenient for England with the MA Aziz Stadium opposite the hotel. So initially there was no need for the security convoy. But unlike the Test match, this is no longer a specialised cricket ground, it's a multi-purpose venue, mainly for football, and the outfield long grass, that had taken a hammering from the rain, had not recovered for the first day.
England pressed ahead with plan B to go back to the Stadium for net practice, and with that the security convoy swung back into action too. It wasn't the best of tour starts for youngster Haseeb Hammed who held up the whole convoy because he was late.
We were outside the hotel gates waiting to get security departure shots, and normally used to the clock-work nature of the operation, wondered why there was a hold-up. Then we saw this figure dashing onto the bus!
England made the best of a bad job playing a 45 overs game to fulfil day two - at least it was middle practice.
For us, it's a mere stroll over to the ground, but even then we get an impromptu security escort. As soon as we leave the hotel gates, security guards jump to attention and accompany us, halting the traffic and walking us straight to the ground. All done with a smile.
It really means a lot for them to fulfil their duty. At one stage we wanted to do a live report from a park beside the hotel. Even then we were escorted to the venue ensuring our position was secure. They seem to love working around us all and there's not a moment that does not go by when the request for a "selfie" comes. I got my own back as during that live report, I got them in shot to show how we were being looked after.
To cover the second and final warm-up match before the Test series we had use of the boardroom at the MA Aziz ground. It proved a good vantage point for Bangladesh fielding coach Richard Halsall, who knows the England players well having worked with the team when Andy Flower was coach. Plus there was bowling coach Courtney Walsh, who often sat with us analysing the England performance.
A great character who was always out and about on the edge of play is Balu, who has been an ever present on tour making his special blend of ginger tea. He makes it on the outfield and walks round offering it to all - media and players.
It's only polite to accept. It is very tasty, if a bit sweet for my tooth, but in the conditions, very refreshing. If he sees you, you have to be prepared to be followed bu his flask!
