FORMER Bingley Grammar School pupil Gareth Batty thought his international career was finished but he hopes he can grab his opportunity with both hands following a surprise England call-up for the Test tour of Bangladesh.

When the former Bradford League star played his last Test, coincidentally also against Bangladesh in June 2005, the likes of Kevin Pietersen and current England captain Alastair Cook had yet to play their first.

The Surrey captain, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Thursday, is the oldest player in the squad to play two Tests against the Tigers by seven years and he is more than double the age of Lancashire teenager Haseeb Hameed.

Batty's age has proved no barrier, though, after a fine season during which he took 41 wickets in Specsavers County Championship matches, while he also skippered his county to the final of the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Moeen Ali and fellow Bradfordian Adil Rashid seem to be ahead of him in the pecking order but there is a suggestion England may choose three spinners for the first Test in Chittagong, starting on October 20, which would pit Batty against Surrey team-mate Zafar Ansari.

Batty, a former Bradford & Bingley player, has not come to make up the numbers, but when asked whether he thought his chance to play for England would come again, he replied: "No. I'll just do whatever I possibly can for the group and we'll see where we get.

"There are some fantastic players out here. I'm no different to anyone else, I have some hard work to do to push my cause, and what will be will be. It's great to have the opportunity – it's up to me to try to grab it."

Batty, who played seven Tests between October 2003 and June 2005, three of which were against Bangladesh, is relishing being a part of a new group.

He said: "There's a wonderful vibe about the place, I noticed that from stepping on the plane with a few of the Test boys; there's a great camaraderie around the group.

"It's a great privilege to be involved with and hopefully I can add to that and do my bit."

Batty, who started out with Yorkshire before moving to Surrey and then Worcestershire, has a distinct advantage over some of his team-mates, having made his Test debut in Dhaka, which is where the second Test will be held.

He said: "I don't know if it's an advantage, but certainly it's about how you use knowledge. Use it correctly, it's an advantage, use it badly, it's not.

"I have a rough idea how I want to go about my business and it's up to me to get it right."

Asked whether he thinks he is now a better bowler, he added: "The proof will be in the pudding, if I'm fortunate enough to get a go.

"But on a daily basis for the last few years I have known what I have to do and gone about my business as I would require – I feel a better bowler, yeah."

England's hopes of acclimatising to the red ball were hampered when the opening day of their warm-up fixture against a Bangladesh Cricket Board XI was postponed due to a wet outfield and square at the MA Aziz Stadium.

If the pitch is fit for purpose tomorrow then each team will bat for 45 overs, with England looking to use the match, and the one that follows on Sunday and Monday, to decide on Alastair Cook's latest opening partner.

Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett seem to be in a shootout for the role although assistant coach Paul Farbrace hinted on Thursday that Duckett could come into the middle order, with spots at four and five far from decided.

Following the cancellation, England travelled to the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, the venue for the opening Test, for a net session.

Batty said: "It's just a different way of preparing for the Test match. In England we would probably be preparing in the nets, so I don't think it makes too much difference.

"You make best of the situation. Certainly the practice facilities are very good, different conditions are good to experience, and we will take what we can out of it."