Tactical rethink puts NZ on top against BD

By AFP

March 01, 2019

HAMILTON, New Zealand: A hasty rewrite of the battle plan saw Neil Wagner bag a five-wicket haul as New Zealand ripped through the Bangladesh tail to counter Tamim Iqbal’s virtuoso century on day one of the first Test in Hamilton on Thursday.

Despite Tamim’s heroic 126, New Zealand claimed the first-day honours when they reached stumps at 86 without loss in reply to Bangladesh’s 234.

But for half the day everything had flowed Bangladesh’s way as Tamim led an assault on the New Zealand attack after being sent in to bat.The green wicket did not assist swing bowlers Tim Southee and Trent Boult and it took a switch to short-ball specialist Wagner to get results.

Tamim, Bangladesh’s most prolific Test run-scorer of all time, laid the foundations for a potentially huge total when he laid into the bowling.He cracked 21 fours and a six as he feasted on fruitless New Zealand efforts to find the edge of his bat.

But there was minimal support, and after Tamim had steered Bangladesh to 180 for four, his dismissal triggered a collapse where the last six wickets fell for 54 runs.New Zealand had an anxious moment at the start of their reply when Ebadat Hossain, on debut, saw his third ball in Test cricket fly from Tom Latham’s bat direct to second slip, but Soumya Sarkar spilled the straightforward chance.

From there Latham and Jeet Raval knuckled down to bat unruffled through to stumps with Raval on 51, his eighth half-century, and Latham on 35.In a productive morning session, Bangladesh went to lunch at 122 for two with Tamim contributing 86, including 15 fours, as he showed that despite the green hue the wicket held no dangers.

Wagner in that period took one for 13 off six overs, while Southee had none for 40 off six. One session later and Bangladesh went to tea at 187 for seven with Wagner’s figures improving to three for 29 while Southee was still being caned at one for 71. The pair cleaned up the last three wickets immediately after tea with Southee taking three for 76.

Colin de Grandhomme only took one wicket but it was the key dismissal of Tamim who clipped a wide delivery to Kane Williamson at gully.

New Zealand won toss

Bangladesh 1st Innings

Tamim Iqbal c Williamson b de Grandhomme 126

Shadman Islam b Boult 24

Mominul Haque c Watling b Wagner 12

Mohammad Mithun c Latham b Wagner 8

Soumya Sarkar c Watling b Southee 1

Mahmudullah c Boult b Wagner 22

Liton Das c Boult b Wagner 29

Mehidy Hasan c Nicholls b Wagner 10

Abu Jayed c Watling b Southee 2