Bangla collapse gives NZ sniff of unlikely win

Wellington, January 15 

New Zealand captured three late wickets on Sunday to give themselves a sniff of an unlikely victory against Bangladesh in the first Test at the Basin Reserve. The visitors were 66/3 in their second innings at the end of the fourth day’s play, with an overall lead of 122 runs. Mominul Haque was on 10 while night watchman Mehedi Hasan was run out for one with three balls left of the day’s play.

Mitchell Santner had started the collapse when he bowled Tamim Iqbal for 25, before Neil Wagner had Mahmudullah caught by wicketkeeper BJ Watling for five. Santner then ran Mehedi out with a direct hit to give his side confidence for the final day’s play, with two of Bangladesh’s top-order batsmen under injury clouds.

Opening batsman Imrul Kayes retired hurt on 24 after he appeared to suffer a pulled muscle while taking a quick single. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim did not field in New Zealand’s innings of 539 due to suspected broken fingers, though he was seen padded up to bat if required on Sunday. 

World record 

Imrul took the gloves in Mushfiqur’s absence and snared five catches, a record for a stand-in wicketkeeper, in New Zealand’s innings that was anchored by Tom Latham’s career-best 177.   — Reuters

Scoreboard

Bangladesh 1st innings (595/8 decl )
New Zealand 1st innings (Overnight: 292/3)  

J Raval c Kayes b Rabbi 27

T Latham lbw b Al Hasan 177

K Williamson c Kayes b Ahmed 53

R Taylor c Mahmudullah b Rabbi 40

H Nicholls c M Hasan b Al Hasan 53

C de Grandhomme c Kayes b Roy 14

B Watling c Kayes b Mahmudullah 49

M Santner b Roy 73

T Southee lbw b Mahmudullah 1

N Wagner c Kayes b Rabbi 18

T Boult not out 4

Extras: (B 10 LB 3 NB 1 W 16) 30

Total: (all out, 148.2 overs) 539

FOW: 1-54, 2-131, 3-205, 4-347, 5-366, 6-398, 7-471, 8-473, 9-504, 10-539 

Bowling

M Hasan 37-5-116-0

S Roy 26.2-6-89-2

T Ahmed 29-4-141-1

K Rabbi 26-4-87-3

S Al Hasan 27-2-78-2

Mahmudullah 3-0-15-2

Bangladesh 2nd innings

T Iqbal b Santner 25

I Kayes retired hurt 24

M Haque not out 10

Mahmudullah c Watling b Wagner 5

M Hasan run out (Santner) 1

Extras: (NB 1) 1

Total: (3 wickets, 18.3 overs) 66

FOW: 1-50, 2-63, 3-66 

Bowling

T Boult 4-0-21-0

T Southee 3-1-12-0

M Santner 6-0-19-1

N Wagner 5.3-1-14-1