Dav Whatmore is hoping for a surprise or two when his team tours England © Getty Images

Dav Whatmore, the Bangladesh coach, has predicted "a surprise or two" for his team's maiden Test tour of England. Pundits around the world have said the inexperienced Bangladesh team would struggle in conditions alien to them in early-May England.

"Yes, it will be a most testing tour for Bangladesh," said Whatmore on the eve of his team's departure to England. "The degree of difficulty is higher than other tours. But there will be a surprise or two in the series," Whatmore is quoted as saying by AFP.

Whatmore admitted that the conditions, combined with England's giant strides in the game in the recent past, would make things difficult for his team, but warned, "We play as hard as we can. England will really have to work hard to beat us."

"In May and June the ball behaves differently. Wicket and climatic conditions will be completely different," said Whatmore. "And, in addition, England is now the second ranked Test side in the world."

There is little to back Whatmore's hopes of an upset - Bangladesh have lost all but five of the 36 Tests they have played since getting Test status in 2000.