WORCESTERSHIRE are confident Alamgir Sheriyar and Vikram Solanki will sign new contracts despite failing to put pen to paper before flying out on the England 'A' team's tour of Bang-ladesh and New Zealand.

New Road chairman John Elliott said: "The indications are that they are going to sign and we are waiting for the contracts to come back."

Both players have taken their contracts on tour with them.

Sheriyar and Solanki were major hits for Worcestershire last season. Paceman Sheriyar was the country's leading wicket-taker with 92 victims, while Solanki was the County's top first-class run scorer with 1,339.

Spinner Richard Illingworth, meanwhile, has agreed to sign a new one-year contract.

England's 'A' team were given a rainy welcome when they arrived in Dhaka for their 19-day cricket tour.

The Asian nation, which is launching a concerted bid for Test status, was hit by the aftermath of a cyclone that had battered neighbouring India.

England team boss Mike Gatting said: "This is going to be a tough and important tour for us."

The team will play a series of matches against Bangladesh with three-day and four-day games set for October 25 and November 1.