Australia Test captain Steve Waugh came out strongly on Thursday in defence of Bangladesh's right to play Australia next month in a two-Test series which is expected to be heavily one-sided.

Waugh echoed team mate Adam Gilchrist's comments after former Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee said struggling Test nations should play in a second-tier competition.

"How are you going to get the bottom sides to improve if they keep playing other weak sides?," Waugh told reporters in Sydney.

"I'd like to think cricket is in a better state than that. I think that's being too elitist," Test cricket's second-highest run-scorer added.

"They (Bangladesh) have got to learn and they've got to catch up. Sri Lanka proved they could do it. Ten years after being given Test status they won the World Cup.

"So I think you've got to put more resources into these countries and help them out rather than say 'you're not good enough, we'll see you in five years when you've improved'."

Bangladesh are ranked last in the International Cricket Council's 10-nation Test championship, losing 18 of their 19 matches since gaining Test status in 2000.

Bangladesh, coached by former Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore, start their tour on Friday with a four-day match against Queensland's Academy of Sport in Brisbane.

LITTLE PREPARATION

Waugh, 38, said he was confident his side would be in good form for the first Test starting in Darwin on July 18 despite a relaxed preparation.

Waugh and Ricky Ponting led Australia to victories in the Test and one-day series against the West Indies on a two-month tour which ended three weeks ago.

Asked if this would be Australia's most limited preparation he could recall in his world record 160-Test career, Waugh said: "I think it will be.

"I'm assuming the guys who played both the Tests and one-dayers in the West Indies won't be picking up a bat or a ball until next week at least," Waugh said.

"I think we'll be scratchy...It's a pretty low-key preparation coming into a Test series -- there's no practice matches, there's no camp -- but it's difficult to keep having those things when the guys are away from home so much."